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Author Topic: How to price a shoot with lots of travel time?  (Read 5595 times)

Graham Mitchell

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How to price a shoot with lots of travel time?
« on: July 20, 2012, 08:53:37 pm »

I've been asked to price a shoot in New Zealand, which is about as far away as it gets. It would be a one-day shoot, but the time away from home would be more like a week.

How do people normally charge for travel time in a situation like this?
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Sareesh Sudhakaran

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Re: How to price a shoot with lots of travel time?
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2012, 10:53:43 pm »

I fix a lot of work in India, and it includes long distance travel. I get paid for travel of course, but I can't charge by the hour for it. Sometimes this includes car rides for many hours (and back, the worst part).

What I make sure is: the daily wages for a particular job must make up for additional travel time incurred. In a case like yours, I would quote a 'package' rate. Anything less isn't worth the time and effort.

Hope this helps.
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Colorado David

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Re: How to price a shoot with lots of travel time?
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2012, 11:10:40 pm »

I charge half of my day rate for travel days.  But, that only works when the shoot days outnumber the travel days.

Rob C

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Re: How to price a shoot with lots of travel time?
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2012, 06:04:17 am »

I think Sareesh is right; I also think that a 'package price' is a good way of pricing most anything because clients, at the end of the day, want to know about the bottom line. Of course, you do have to have a pretty good idea of what you're letting yourself in for to do it successfully.

All my calendar and travel-involving fashion work was priced like that.

Rob C

Steve Weldon

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Re: How to price a shoot with lots of travel time?
« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2012, 11:06:33 am »

I just returned from shooting a wedding in Hua Hin Thailand which was my primary purpose for this particular trip.  My client wanted me and was willing to pay whatever it took.  If
I'd only shot that one wedding I would have had to charge him three times what I did, and it still wouldn't have been as profitable as a single local wedding.  Travel days, shipping/renting equipment, accommodations, opportunity costs, insurance, the costs are extreme if you want to be fair to yourself.

I liked this client (former workshop student, bride my former model) so to make it work for everyone I decided to work/play in Thailand for 30 days and started booking workshops so as to spread out the costs and travel over a longer period.  I ended up with very few days off for myself, demand was unusually heavy, but from my hotel room in Los Angeles (due to fly home tomorrow) I feel it was a very productive month and I feel a lot better about the final costs to my client. 

I suppose what I'm trying to say is to try and consider such jobs out of the box and see if you can also reap value through other sources such as in the opportunity to build your profile, vacation opportunity, combining  jobs, etc.. and to be sure to factor in all costs because many are easily missed on first review.  I probably couldn't have pulled this off in.. let's sat Scotland.. but with my established presence in Thailand I could. 

I can't wait to get home tomorrow and start uploading files..  :)
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Graham Mitchell

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Re: How to price a shoot with lots of travel time?
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2012, 06:21:36 am »

I think you're right - pointing out the travel time to the client and including it in a package is probably the way to go.

As it happens, I am quoting on another job at the moment with 180 hours of travel time (to 15 sites around the country), so this issue keeps coming up.
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Ellis Vener

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Re: How to price a shoot with lots of travel time?
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2012, 03:56:39 pm »

The advertising" and corporate industry standard is that travel days are billed at what whatever half of your standard creative fee days work out to for the project.
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HarperPhotos

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Re: How to price a shoot with lots of travel time?
« Reply #7 on: August 02, 2012, 04:34:26 pm »

Hello,

As a New Zealander (Kiwi) I find your comment “which is about as far away as it gets” not correct. As the Earth is round then where ever you are you are as far away as it gets to no one. Now if you are comparing the distance from lets say New York or London then yes then “which is about as far away as it gets” is true. As a proud Kiwi I am living in the best part of the planet to be IMO.

Graham make sure you have a carnet certificate cause New Zealand Customs will make life very difficult for you.


Cheers

Simon Harper
Harper Photographics Limited
 
Email:      simon@harperphoto.co.nz
Website: http://www.harperphoto.com
Phone:     +64 9 444 1148
Mobile:    +64 29 444 1148
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Simon Harper
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Auckland, New Zealand

Graham Mitchell

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Re: How to price a shoot with lots of travel time?
« Reply #8 on: August 02, 2012, 04:36:54 pm »


As a New Zealander (Kiwi) I find your comment “which is about as far away as it gets” not correct.

I think it was obvious enough that I meant 'from my current location' ;) Nothing against kiwis, and thanks for the tip about the carnet. The client chickened out of spending so much anyway, so we'll shoot it in the studio instead.
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Steve Weldon

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Re: How to price a shoot with lots of travel time?
« Reply #9 on: August 02, 2012, 08:33:30 pm »

It just dawned on me you said New Zealand..

About three years ago NZ started tightening up on the enforcement of required work permits.   NZ being such a scenic country is a popular destination for many Asian's wanting to get married.. and all of a sudden they started requiring work permits for even a single wedding.   If you go through immigration and ask for the purpose of your visit.. be prepared.
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riddell

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Re: How to price a shoot with lots of travel time?
« Reply #10 on: August 10, 2012, 06:05:58 am »


I load the first hour of my rates to include travel, editing, sundry costs, basic expenses etc.

Paul.
www.photographybyriddell.co.uk
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