Food/Restaurent Photography

[Curtis Cunningham]

I've been asked to give a quote to the Executive Chef at one of the nicest restaurants in my town. He told me originally that he wants 4 shots done of a variety of things: plated food, place settings on a table, etc. etc.

I'm wondering how I should quote the job:

1. hourly rate + buyout fee for rights to the image
2. per/image fee (with rights to image included)

What are people's experience with this type of work? Is there anything else I am missing that should be built into the quote?

As far as I know the chef wants to use the images for the restaurant's website. So I don't know about any other possible uses, and if I should charge for that possibility.

[michaelnotar]

i think it comes down to a bottom line figure and doesnt matter if you go per shot or hrly. per shot i usually only for table top where its same angle, same lighting. your situation sounds more complex.

buyouts can be any where from +100% of inv total to $15,000. if your in a small town, the first is appropriate.

im in a small town, and at 100/hr creative time a buyout is expected. with people who can also afford it in a nearby larger and more affluent town, $300/image for buyout sounds great to me.

i would do hrly +digital post (same hrly rate) + usage if you can get it (then what ever you can get)

[Curtis Cunningham]

Thanks Michael...your advice makes sense.

Do you limit the number of shots you do in the shoot? I'm thinking about going that way, and then letting the client preview the images so he can choose his final shots.

[Ronald Garrett]

Chefs are notoriously fickle. Some are almost impossible to please. Some are regular guys. {or gals}. I have worked in the restaurant / bakery industry for 45 years.

My suggestion is to be ultra clear and definitive in your presentation. Most chefs when looking at the restaurant shots will be interested in seeing mood, {lighting / atomsphere } presented. This is sometimes a daunting task in itself.

For myself, I always charge from double to ten times on a buyout deal. You never know when your image can / will be used in national advertisment. Depends on how well known this chef is.

Let us know how it turns out.

[Curtis Cunningham]

Originally Posted by Ronald Garrett

Chefs are notoriously fickle. Some are almost impossible to please. Some are regular guys. {or gals}. I have worked in the restaurant / bakery industry for 45 years.

My suggestion is to be ultra clear and definitive in your presentation. Most chefs when looking at the restaurant shots will be interested in seeing mood, {lighting / atomsphere } presented. This is sometimes a daunting task in itself.

For myself, I always charge from double to ten times on a buyout deal. You never know when your image can / will be used in national advertisment. Depends on how well known this chef is.

Let us know how it turns out.

The Chef I'm negotiating with appears (like most chefs I would imagine) to be terribly busy. But I've only met with him twice, once for a half-hour meeting, and once for 2 minutes to drop off some information he was asking about, so i really can't assess what he's like to work with or what style he's after.

I think for now at least I'm comfortable with a 100% buyout fee.

I'm just finalizing the quote this morning and will present it to him later today. Hopefully I'll have good news to report later.

[KevinStecyk]

Here's a creative idea--at least to me--from the Strobist that might provide you with some food (pun intended) for thought on your restaurant shots.

Strobist: Fourth and Long? Drop Back and Punt with a Plant.

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