How much would you pay?

[caribqueen]

My fiance and I are considering getting some professional photos done to celebrate our engagement and possibly use for save the date cards of magnets. A co-worker of mine is a photographer on the side and I was thinking of asking him to shoot some pictures of us. If he agrees, there''s a strong possibilty he won''t want to take money, but still how much would you offer or think something like that is worth? Thanks in advance.

 

[tropiqalkiwi]

This is a hard question, and largely depends on how well you know this guy and what style of photos you want.

I had a friend take our engagement pics (which we used on the website and STD). She is a fairly close friend I have known for years who used to do photography. We simply asked her to take a few natural looking pics of us in the park where FI proposed with her fancier-than-normal digital camera. We only spent about an hour or two getting the shots and she was excited and happy to do it as a gift. We took them out to dinner right afterward as well.

But it sounds like these are more professional looking pictures. If your friend has an established photography practice ask him what his rates are and be prepared to pay as if you were a normal customer. If not ask him what he values his time at, if he want to do it as a gift that gives him a chance to tell you so. If he does gift you his talents and time maybe give a token gift, such as something you know he likes or treating him to dinner, but I would stay away from cash.

 

[bee*]

I agree with the post above. I''d find out his rates and pay him as a normal customer but if he won''t accept it, I''d give him a couple of hundred dollars and a gift.

 

[tlh]

Date: 4/29/2009 3:19:57 AM
Author: bee*
I agree with the post above. I''d find out his rates and pay him as a normal customer but if he won''t accept it, I''d give him a couple of hundred dollars and a gift.

Ditto. I''d stay away from cash though, and do like a visa gift card (even though they are soo annoying) - because it feels more like a gift, than a payment for services.

 

[katamari]

Whoa. Is there a way to know what he might charge others for this type of service? Now, I live in a low cost of living city (but still very urban) but our engagement photos are extremely inexpensive--to the point that it would be creepy if I gave our photographer a couple hundred dollars and a gift for doing them if he was a friend. I agree that you want to do something for him, but don''t be excessive or it could make the work relationship awkward. I would either find a way to give him about what he would charge others or get him a giftcard to a nice restaurant that would cover a dinner and drinks for him and a guest.

You also have to consider the possibility that he sees this as part of your wedding present, which would make a comparable gift impractical and perhaps even frustrating to him. Is there any way you could find this out?

 

[caribqueen]

I don''t know much about these things but $200 does sound like a bit too much in my opinion. I''ll go ahead and ask him his rates. But truth be told, we were thinking about going to Sears to get just a few quick poses, when a friend of mine suggested asking him. I just wanted to make sure that I was polite and reciprocated appropriately if he insisted on doing it for free. Thank you ladies. You''ve given me a place to start.

 

[meresal]

To be honest... if he didn''t ask for money, then I would offer to buy him lunch or dinner afterwards.