Fees and contracts

[StormGirl_LP]

I also have a couple questions about charging fees and contracts to use.

Charges:
I've already gotten a couple suggestions about fees from friends who dabble professionally, but I'm looking for more. So far I've settled on cost x 3. That actually pays me about $75/hour. Sometimes that seems a little steep for me to be charging a friend. Another factor is that I'm not maintaining rights to the images--for several reasons detailed below.

What would you charge a friend for this type of work?
What would you charge if you were an ametuer?


Contracts:
Is there anywhere on the web that I could locate standard verbage for copyright release contract. I decided not to hold rights to the images because:

a - its original artwork
b - they are friends
c - there is a third party graphic artist doing the digital retouching
d - there is a non-disclosure clause on the artwork

I just don't feel the need, in this particular case to lock them into fees forever. I don't think I'll ever be a professional photog and they are good friends who give me the work first. If they ever decided to bring in someone else, I'd be okay with that too.


Non-Disclosure clauses:
I'm under a non-dis contract. The images I shoot themselves don't reveal anything damaging to the business, but I'm wondering if I should also extend that claus to the lab? Has anyone faced anything like this before?

Thanks,
Kristin

[another view]

What would you charge if you were an ametuer?

Amateurs don't charge - by definition of the word... ;)

My feeling is that if you're doing professional work and believe you can give them the results that they need, then you should charge like a professional. $75 or a little more is pretty much standard for event type photography - you're not getting rich off of it though because of all of the work before and after the shoot you need to do. Check out these books:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...348103-1443033

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...=UTF8&v=glance

[Sebastian]

Storm Girl,

I'm in Warrenville, if you want to, drop me an email. I have many sample contracts I can forward you. Typically, you should bill based on usage, as well as a day fee. I think more details need to be worked out before you can really be sure you're not screwing yourself over and they are getting their money's worth.

As for working for friends, I can understand a discount, but I would almost never give up rights, with very, very few exceptions.