Matthew Pace is a corporate portrait and food photographer based in Miami, Florida. We know each other from the American Society of Media Photograpers (ASMP) where he is current South Florida chapter president. A wealth of knowledge and experience, Matthew is always willing to answer questions and mentor me when it comes to business and photography.
When I first transitioned from the Navy to the commercial world, moved to south florida and became a member of ASMP, he was one of the first to start helping me in getting on my feet. Here are just a few of the important questions I asked him when I first started.
Tell me a little about your websites and email blasts?
I have a few websites that feed off the main one. I also have 2 separate blogs that I sometime feature images on and talk about them or perhaps a subject that relates back to what I do. The blogs have some advantages over the websites but the drawback is, you need to blog regularly to keep them coming back. I send out email blasts to drive them to my blogs and sites but for the most part, I get clients from the searches they do.
Today's industry has changed slightly on usages of images and compensation to the photographers that license them. Tell me a bit about what you are seeing in the industry of usage.
The licensing has changed dramatically today...the fact that usage is web already says ..international use..multi times..and perhaps in multi versions. Space rates somehow don't seem to make sense to clients in this arena unless they are buying stock as in..a need for a banner ad. For your photography service, web usage seems to be a lumped thing. As for print ads, in the editorial market, usage is often determined by them as space rates. I do find however that work for hire is no longer an issue and I am seldom asked to do it.
How do you go about coming up with prices for clients?
Pricing is always an issue. You have to determine your CODB (Cost Of Doing Business) and what you think is fair since there are no set rates,.Clients will fall into a few catagories...a direct client(consumer)..third party client( from an agency)..corporate client( represents a company dept.)...and editorial...
Consumer clients basically shop...they have little clue and often small budgets.They start with.."How much would you charge?" they have little info to offer of what they need as well and require a lot of hand holding. But there are more of them to deal with.They are the small businesses that thanks to the internet can put up a store cheap. I generally ask where they have budgeted at and then try to work from there unless that job is simply not workable. Third party come to agency or designers with a round budget already established by them.The agency will try to get it under the mark to save on their end. Basically, they know how much to spend, it just matters on who.If you are a top name, they expect a known rate,as they are buying that name. At a lower end, they buy the service,talent understood otherwise they wouldn't be calling you.
A corporate client, is spending company money and is often more flexible in budget.They have a give and take and will usually shop around to get a ballpark figure. They will ask for as much usage as they can get.
Editorial clients already have a set fee in mind.It goes with the page rate and they get one time non exclusive usage as par.
All never get copyright and none have third party usage.
If (when) the client comes back with a lower budget or needs to come down on price, what factors influence you on negotiating this?
I try to play in the usage end...since most ask for the most, I try to explain why they don't need that much and show them what that can translate to in $$$... I might try to trim some expenses if possible, perhaps in re-thinking the job and finding it really doesn't need 3 assistants..or an extra day if we can do this..but there will always be a point where it simply pays to walk away as that type of client will be problematic to the very end.
I recently had a client down on their budget argue a usage fee.He had a product that I normally buy so we agreed on a barter against usage(not the fee) and we both came out with a win win.
What is the most important thing to remember when discussing licensing images?
Copyright and non third party usage.
Any other guidance you could give someone trying to learn proper business in photography?
ASMP is the best place to go to ask questions and find guidance in this business. They fully address most issues and scenarios, along with the 6000 other members who can tell you what is happening in the field. Their website
www.asmp.org is a host of info and the dues asked for will be compensated in knowledge,friendship, and business generated , but like any organization, what you put in is what you get out .
Matthew's imagery can be seen at these sites.
PEOPLE in places
FOOD with visual flavor
I can tell you first hand the advice he (and others) gave me was paramount to success in my career in this industry.
Thanks Matthew!
