How much to charge
- Thread starter McFlyPhantom
- Start date
msinger
Approved Vendor
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2014
- Messages
- 32,157
- Reaction score
- 10,917
- Location
- Harrisburg, PA (US)
- Website
- phantomhelp.com
What are your nearby competitors charging for this kind of work? That'll tell you if you're charging too much or too little.
Ultimately the market will dictate pricing, but sounds too low.
On the other hand, I know people who charged low prices at first just to build up their portfolio, then adjusted later based on market conditions.
Factor in all your expenses and you might find those prices are on the low side. If your just looking at supplementing the hobby fair enough but I would think it would be hard to make a living at those rates.
You need to factor in time to your calculations. For instance, your stills price is way too low. Is that edited or SOOC pictures? If it's edited you need to factor in the time it takes to do that. Even if it's not, you are going to drive somewhere, set up, fly, take pictures, go home, upload and email out the photo's. Unless they're your neighbor your are making like $25/hour which is extremely low for a niche service.
Those prices will keep you looking for other income streams. Unless your Cost Of Doing Business is incredibly low and you have no desire to make $$ then you're prices are floor level.
As stated above local market and your expenses will guide you on how to price your services but I can tell you for sure I would starve at those prices.
As stated above local market and your expenses will guide you on how to price your services but I can tell you for sure I would starve at those prices.
This is assuming you ARE a Part 107-certified pilot, right? If not you cannot charge for it...and your profile indicates you're 15 years old.
Minimum age to hold a Part 107 certificate is 16.
But, to continue the conversation regarding what to charge, for certain jobs you might want to factor insurance into the pricing structure.
Some clients may want proof of liability insurance because before you go flying around their property. We use Verifly, an on-demand insurance service that gives me at least $1 million worth of liability insurance for the duration of the flight, and instant proof of coverage to show the client. Of course that cost is added into the job.
Last edited:
Personally I wouldn't buy professional photos from a Phantom 3 Standard. If I'm going to pay someone for photos I'd expect quality. Not saying 3 standard isn't good but not something I would pay for.
Just my 2 cents.
Just my 2 cents.
Seriously? You'd be amazed how many of us have made a lot of $$ from the P3S. I paid for my Inspire 1 V-2 in one day using my P3S only. Our primary UAS was out of service and I had to use the P3S to finish several contracts. In a 2-day period we invoiced over $3K all using one of our P3Standards.
The P3S has a decent camera but like so many other facets of life, equipment alone does not make you a professional. Being able to see and compose a quality shot is important but then also being able to process the image to extract the most possible quality is a game changer. Straight Out Of the Camera (SOOC) doesn't really go very far in the professional world.
Remember the client is buying the final product and knowing what equipment was used to get there is really only important to those who know one from the other.
Maybe I dind't explain my self correctly.
Knowing that there better camera options out there its MY opinion and I wouldn't pay the same price from pictures coming from a P3s to a higher model Phantom if the pricing is the same.
If you can make money great I didn't say he couldn't. I just didn't see anyone bringing the model into consideration when charging. I'm not professional but from a consumer standpoint I see it as you want pictures from a Kodak or someone using a good quality Nikon/Cannon/etc. Maybe not that drastic but you get the idea.
Yes I know you can edit the pics. But I would believe most consumers do not know. They just want pics and if they compare I'm sure the camera quality is one thing that would stick out.
Knowing that there better camera options out there its MY opinion and I wouldn't pay the same price from pictures coming from a P3s to a higher model Phantom if the pricing is the same.
If you can make money great I didn't say he couldn't. I just didn't see anyone bringing the model into consideration when charging. I'm not professional but from a consumer standpoint I see it as you want pictures from a Kodak or someone using a good quality Nikon/Cannon/etc. Maybe not that drastic but you get the idea.
Yes I know you can edit the pics. But I would believe most consumers do not know. They just want pics and if they compare I'm sure the camera quality is one thing that would stick out.
Last edited:
Unless you were there and saw that it was a P3S, I don't think you would know the difference between that and any Phantom once it had been "processed"...
And again we are talking about selling photos I'm sure you are going to list your "equipment" am I wrong?
Maybe I'm **** but I always get more than one price. And I sure as hell would compare. If someone with a Phantom 4 charges the same as a Phantom 3S I'd go with the 4. Also assuming they have equal skills in "processing" the photos.
I know we did this with our wedding photos when comparing prices.
Maybe I'm **** but I always get more than one price. And I sure as hell would compare. If someone with a Phantom 4 charges the same as a Phantom 3S I'd go with the 4. Also assuming they have equal skills in "processing" the photos.
I know we did this with our wedding photos when comparing prices.
Most people looking to hire a wedding photographer would be interested in seeing the photographers portfolio. You take the risk of being fooled by the fancy gear.
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2017
- Messages
- 14
- Reaction score
- 2
- Age
- 48
If they are still shots the standard has the same 12 mp camera as the phantom 3 series
The prices are too low, but this where it is going, it’s a race to the bottom Iin many markets. In every industry, professionals should hold to the market rate and not dramatically undercut colleagues, thus hurting the profession. As has been said, A hobbyist with a Part 107 won’t be able to sustain low prices and deliver high-quality services. Certainly not be able to make a living.
BTW: Here’s my demo reel,
BTW: Here’s my demo reel,
