Hi guys! I was asked to shoot a photo for a book cover and I thought it would be better if i would ask you guys (esp Mam Harvey) on what are the things to consider here. And what's the usual price range for works like this? Thanks a lot! :)

Ryan, I've only done a single shoot for a book cover (now published & in circulation), and the concept really depends on the writer's mental picture for the cover's layout. You can always make suggestions though. I did a studio set-up and available light shoot. Since it was for an autobiography, wherein my writer friend was the one who put the final words together, the final photo chosen was the decision of the real biography owner/writer.

We worked on a limited budget for which I still got 14K. Not bad for my first book and for a half-day work. And I didn't ask for a price, my writer friend based my fee from the previous books she has written. She also included some more shots for the inside pages, which I begged for, since I don't want to waste most of the shots I took, hehehe. No additional fees for that, of course. Plus, my name was printed on the page right behind the title page, before the table of contents.

If in case you don't get paid the price you want, just think of it as an investment for more book covers to come. But if paid higher, congrats... and balato naman, hehehe! Goodluck! :D

Hi guys! I was asked to shoot a photo for a book cover and I thought it would be better if i would ask you guys (esp Mam Harvey) on what are the things to consider here. And what's the usual price range for works like this? Thanks a lot! :)

You need to know what they are going to ask you to shoot, and how they want it shot. They present you visual pegs and everyone adds his input until you all agree. You need to know the 5 W's (What, who, where, when, and yes, even why) and the one H (how). Each of these may mean several questions (Oh, please - don't just send this questionnaire to your client - somebody did just that- and it sounded weird. You see, the examples are here for you to understand that these might be the answers. They are by no means the only answers. So please do not rattle off these examples to your client! Ask the questions and listen attentively to the answers.). :)

What are you photographing? An animal? an artwork? a product? what special effects, if any? What concessions are they granting you - example: large and prominent photo credits? 100 copies of the book? What special equipment will be required?

If you are photographing a person, who? A child? A celebrity?

Where? In the studio? On location? in Cebu? Inside a cave? At sea?

When? At night? on a weekend?

Why? - Why do they want it shot this or that way? Then understanding their reasons, you might be able to suggest a better way.

How? Some visual pegs and some discussions on what effects they want would help tremendously.

How should also mean "How much?" Find out if they have a budget or a previous similar project. Then see if you can work within that budget, or use your negotiation skills or charm to try to get a bigger pay than what they had indicated.

How much is this work worth to you?

Lesson no. 1: Do not give a quote until you have fully understood what they are asking you to do, which means you have received answers to the above questions.

Lesson no. 2: write down all your agreements - including a detailed description of the required image- in your quotation. Write down also your terms and conditions re usage, payment, photo credits etc. Detail what you are promising (example: only one set CD, TIFF files of 5 top selections) and even what you are not promising (transpo/food/talents, photoretouching care of client, for example). Define usage and application - only for book cover? Only for first edition? No third party usage?

Lesson no. 3: get your client to sign your quotation (and better still, get a downpayment) before you schedule the shoot.

There should be more information on how to price on my business blog: www.adphoto.com.ph/business

Good luck!:)

I knew I did the right thing when I started this thread. Thanks Christian and Mam Harvey. That was more than I thought of. I hope it wouldn't be too much if I would follow up my question since I already asked some of the questions posted by Mam Harvey. In that way, I could have clearer understanding on how would I charge them.


- What are you photographing? An animal? an artwork? a product? what special effects, if any?

A. I will photographing a couple sitting on a bench beside a tree as their background. They want it to have a sepia effect.

- What concessions are they granting you - example: large and prominent photo credits? 100 copies of the book?

A. We didn't talk about that. I didn't think of that.

- What special equipment will be required?

A. Hmmm... a white bench?

- If you are photographing a person, who? A child? A celebrity?

A. 2 young adults. They're college students. Not celebrity or whatsover.

- Where? In the studio? On location? in Cebu? Inside a cave? At sea?

A. We're still thinking where exactly since I don't know where we can have a small perfect tree. We're from Pampanga so more or less in Clark or in a farm.

- When? At night? on a weekend?

A. Morning. Yes, weekend. I'd like to take a note that I have work even on Saturdays.

- Why? - Why do they want it shot this or that way? Then understanding their reasons, you might be able to suggest a better way.

A. They want to show that young adults can still be happy even without having a bf or gf that's why they will be seating on the bench apart from each other. The book is more like I Kiss Dating Goodbye or When Boy Meets Girl type.

- How? Some visual pegs and some discussions on what effects they want would help tremendously.

A. Hmm I think I'm at lost here.

- How should also mean "How much?" Find out if they have a budget or a previous similar project. Then see if you can work within that budget, or use your negotiation skills or charm to try to get a bigger pay than what they had indicated.

A. Geeesh. I guess that would be a perfect question for me since I'm always shy answering when they ask how much I charge.

- How much is this work worth to you?

A. I honestly don't know since it's totally new for me. I'm excited just thinking having my picture printed for around 2 thousand copies though.

I feel this would be over the limit but I'll ask anyway, can I see like a rough draft of a photo contract like this? We won't need it to notarized it anymore, right?

Again, thanks so much for sharing your wisdom. :)

Visual pegs are photos of similar images that you can use as, well, pegs. You know how they say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, by showing you some similar images - they can show you what they want - dramatic lighting or well lit? with sunburst in the cloud? etc. With the pegs, you then discuss what elements from the different pegs are combined. This is why you still need to discuss - so you can know how much freedom you have to create a picture that may be different from the peg. Is the peg a final peg - do they simply want you to recreate another picture, or is the peg just a starting point?

As for pricing, there is more to it than just a description of what needs to be shot.

In addition to all other considerations as derived from the answers to the questions I raised, ask yourself how much do they want you? How much do you want to do this job?

By the way, equipment would refer to photo equipment: camera, lenses, lights, computer etc., and maybe others: transpo?

Would you also require an assistant. You have to factor that in, as well.

Ask also: how soon will they pay you, so you can factor in cost of money and risk if they are not paying you right away.

In the end, you have to put all these together and decide on what you feel is fair for the job.

Christian has already indicated an amount. Is that more or less what you had in mind? Go for higher and see if your client thinks of your photography similarly. If not, they will negotiate you down. Very few clients negotiate to offer us a higher pay than what we ask.

Good luck.

For sample contracts, google ASMP. That's the American Society of Media Photographers. There are other links that you can find. I'm not sure if it's enough to key in "photography contracts." I think there are threads here in this forum that talk about contracts.

Basically, a contract spells out all your agreements and terms. I don't think notarization is necessary but it does not do any harm.