Best Business Practices for Photographers [53]
Further, if the client says to you, "I need a photo of a model holding Widget X," and Widget X is either an unreleased product or a brand-new one, then the likelihood of there being a stock image of this is very low.
Also a part of the uniqueness factor is you. Are you unique? Unique could be as simple as knowing you are the only photographer in your community with underwater cameras and a SCUBA certification or knowing that you are the only photographer available on 30 minutes' notice because the assignment is nearby. This equates to how much leverage you have and how much of a rush the client is in. Or, uniqueness could be that the style and approach you have are so unique that you can command a premium for your distinctive style. In these cases, the client is likely willing to hire you and fly you to wherever the shoot is—and yes, pay the premium rate.
The Creative Factor
Recently, I was called upon to produce an advertisement, and the details for the shoot were extensive. Four actors: mom, dad, son, daughter. A camping scene with four setups: two at a picnic table, one at a campfire, and one fishing. The shoot was to be outdoors and required all sorts of props. The catch in all of this was that the entire shoot was for a television commercial, and my responsibility was to capture still images of the various scenes for the purposes of the print ads that would accompany the campaign.
In this example, I was not the director. The creative ideas were not mine. I did not book the talent, light the set, or direct the actors, and the direction of the print ads art director was, "I need all verticals and lots of negative space for the copy in the bottom," so my composition was even being partially set. In this instance, while my creative contribution to the resulting images was limited, the situation partly made it more of a challenge to meet the client's needs, so the "risk" or challenge factoring came into play more.
The creative factor is often one of the largest contributions to the photographer's fees, and this is why it is often referred to as the creative fee. More importantly, the creative contributions of you, the photographer, are so often minimized—by you—and taken for granted—by you—that you sell yourself short.
I can tell you that I do this to myself from time to time—take what I bring to the table for granted. Even after 20 years in the business, I forget that I can make a great photo— especially make a great photo out of nothing, see things in a scene or location that a client doesn't see, or come up with creative ideas that sell the client's product or service. Further, though, I get a great deal out of the client reacting to these realizations—sometimes on set and sometimes after the fact—when they say, "Wow, I didn't see that at all!" or "Wow, these pictures make the event look more impressive than it was!" or some other equally complimentary remark. Do not think that you will ever realize the true reality of your own creative talents, and as such, you will constantly undervalue what you bring to the table.
Sometimes the creative factor is your ability to struggle through the bad concepts and collaborate with the client in an effective way to come to the final result. Sometimes the creative factor is to be able to reasonably and thoughtfully make your case for why the idea you have for the shoot is better than what the client is proposing. I'm not talking about taking the prima-donna attitude here, because in the end, when you're working for a client, it will be the client's call.
When I get a call from a prospective client who wants me to photograph a portrait of a mid-level executive at a nondescript company, and I ask them during the course of the conversation, "What budget are you trying to work within?" and they respond, "Oh, around $200," I conclude that they have placed