Queston of Pricing

[Patricia Joyce]

I had donated a portrait, head and shoulder last spring. Not caring for my photos she used a friend who is a professional photographer. With all parties in agreement we viewed the images and I picked the best one for a portrait drawing. She asked me to stay and pick out some more family shots "trusting my instincts" (I guess I did something right in my presentation!).

That evening she telephoned to say that she had thought about it and not wanting to converse in front of the photographer's assistant my client told me that she would like to commission me to draw from a ref shot of all three children. It is a beautiful photograph and one that would be very useful for a portrait but I have some questions and need some advice

1. I am assuming, even though the photographer agreed to my using one photo of one child I would have get written approval to use a different photo, one with all three children. This could be sticky as the studio was really doing the sales pitch on her having a large, over the mantel type of photo of all three children. My piece would usurp their business. I think my client may have to work that out with the photographer?

2. Pricing: She purchased one head and should at the auction. Now I would be doing three kids sitting together, no hands, but more than my typical head and shoulders, you know, I would actually include real shoulders and some clothing!!

3. I have never done a triple portrait, With doubles in one piece I charge full price for one head and half price for secpnd. What is the standard formula, if there is one??

I was flattered that she preferred my drawing over a photo considering I have been in her house and it is full of photos from this photographer. The day of our meeting the actual photographer was not there, we met with her assistant. As is done in any business, I want to develop and maintain healthy relationships with others in their field of art.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be a great help.
Thanks
Patty

ps how do I get rid of that dang winking smile???

[Michele Rushworth]

Permission to use photos: You will definitely have to get written permission from the photographer in order to use her photos as reference for portraits. If she works for an established photo "studio" as you describe, she personally may not own the copyright for her images and probably takes photos on a "work for hire" basis, in which case the copyright for her images is owned by her employer. You would need to get written permission from the relevant people at the photo studio. This may be very difficult and perhaps not possible at all.

A better bet would be to learn to become a terrific photographer yourself and try and avoid situations like this in future where a client wants to bring in another photographer. A great deal of the creativity in portraiture is in the posing and lighting. By copying someone else's photos you're losing all of that. It's really not your own work of art at that point.

Pricing: I don't discount for multiple subjects on one canvas, personally, and I know of a lot of other artists who do the same. I feel it's actually more difficult than doing two portraits separately. Some artists discount anywhere from 10% to 50%. There doesn't seem to be a standard formula out there.

Most artists include shoulders and some clothing in their standard "head and shoulders" pricing. You should probably establish a price for that format that you feel comfortable with and stick with it, regardless how much of the torso is shown.

Hope that helps,

I deleted the winking smile for you.!

[Patricia Joyce]

Thanks, Michelle.

The photographer is the owner of the studio and I did get written permission from her. I am a bit relieved that I am only doing the one girl as in the original commission. I believe that once they see the one they will want each of the kids separately, which would be more commission and a chance to do my own photoshoots.

The image is lovely, so I am happy to use it. But we should all pay attention to your adv ice and learn photography. It is so important.

Patty