As we start to enter the new year, I want to say something about talent versus costs. It seems for the past 10 years, Charleston has been rather good at trying to get whatever work from whomever for practically nothing in payment due to whatever reason as too many eager kids fresh from our tech or art colleges are willing to work for nothing and rather unethically undercut their fellow colleague in price due to clients "carrot dangling" in promising future work from sooooooo many other people, or saying to the kid "it will be good for your portfolio/business/etc" - Yes, we've heard it all. It's "Unethical" to charge a lower rate" REALLY!?!?!?" YES! It's unethical to charge way less than the going rate. If you want to make any money in the business of art, you have to charge the current and ethical rates. Otherwise, you are only shooting yourself in the foot. There is a book you can buy at Amazon and most professionals in whatever industry refer to it as a bible of ethical pricing.
It's called the Book of Ethical Pricing and Guidelines and you can find it at Amazon.com.
www.amazon.com/Graphic-Artists-Handbook-Pricing-Guidelines
The reason I bring this up is that I was speaking to a friend of mine who is a professional photographer and we were talking about "guy with camera disease". It is a real disease - It's somebody with a digital camera who has learned to take some descent shots, but doesn't have the raw talent or the tons/years of professional training in photography such as good lighting, composition, arrangement, digital and analog techniques, paper, lenses, equipment let alone their own unique style of what makes the professional photographer's work stand apart from the rest. This "guy with camera" is the one who is willing to do a wedding for $100-$200. I've seen the results and it's not that pretty. At best it looks like an amateur came to your wedding and shot. The lighting is off, there are usually bad backgrounds, photo-bombing both intentional and unintentional; bad looks from the subjects such as an "off smile" from the bride with the groom, etc. Yes, you save a lot of money by hiring an amateur to shoot the wedding, but you get ONE CHANCE only and that's IT! Then, after you get married, your wife will always look at you when she looks at the photos of her best day on earth with you, the one she always looked forward to since she was a child and think ---- "OMG, I wish we hired a professional".... She'll say something reassuring to you like, "It's ok, we have the rest of our lives to take photos, or "they aren't THAT important" but THEY ARE!
They might not be that important to you and whoever reads these words will surely and probably say I'm overreacting, but it's true, the one thing over everything else that should take precedence is hiring a good photographer. You'll thank yourself when you sit at your cubicle/office, etc and look at the photo of your wedding day and of your wife and say "I'm glad I paid the few Thousand dollars!" - Yep - they can run from anywhere from a few thousand to $20,000-$30,000 here in Charleston. But they are really worth it. I speak from experience...
As an artist that has to keep a visual database of all his paintings and that means hiring a good photographer that can handle shooting offset-printing-ready works. Since day one, I've had the real blessing of being able to use the best in the business in Charleston for helping artists print their works. Everyone is always asking me how do you make prints of your art... Here's how.....Here is the secret... Pick up the phone, get your credit card out....because, yes it cost money and no, your friend "guy with camera" can't shoot your work that help you save money. Once again, shooting your art is a ONE TIME only chance and you might sell the original and kick yourself over and over again that you didn't get a good digital copy with the perfect lighting and color correction that you need to print your works. If you want to know the expert in Charleston that shoots most artists works, wright me and I'll tell you. Otherwise, good luck in finding a good photographer. He also does commercial work of any kind including weddings and he IS one of the best photographers in the southeast!
Good photographers, they cost money, but they are worth it. Like the old saying goes, "You get what you pay for". I look at sooo many ads, prints, commercials made locally and yes, business owners, we can tell that you hired your nephew to shoot your commercial and yes it looks like an amateur shot it in his basement or garage. We see through the bad acting from your family, we here it in the "camera mike on" without bluetooth mikes, we see it in your bad composition, story telling with various shots, bad dialogue - should I continue?!? Or are you re-thinking now that maybe I won't go buy a car from you or an ice-cream cone because your commercial looks cheap because it does and we as consumers are more aware than ever about the old saying...."If you are willing to cut corners with your ads, artists you hire or "guy with camera" you hired by bartering or carrot dangling, then you aren't willing to provide the best quality and service to the customer". We see through it in the end.
So the lesson tonight is as everyone is feeling the pinches of today's business markets and less and less money being made and more and more cutbacks are being made, you have to ask yourself; "Was it really worth it in the long run to save a few dollars" and end up with crap in the end. You shot yourself in your own foot by saving a few bucks and put a lot of people out of business because guess what, they and many others as a result of almost everyone trying to get a "good deal" can't afford to buy what you are selling.....Sad but True... This Statement was made on Jan 13th of 2013....by me, James Hill a professional artist who charges accordingly, fairly and ethically. I went to a really expensive and world-renowned art college and I may charge more for my art, but .....I'm worth it! :) And all of you that are an artist, albeit painter, photographer, graphic artist, illustrator - etc. You are ALL worth the money because you are selling not only your works but a part of who you are and your personal journey. So when that client looks at you after all the trails, training and late-nights practicing you have subjected yourself to; and ask you to create great works for a fraction of the price. Simply look at them, smile and say "No...It costs this much to hire me because I'm unique and I bring a unique talent to the table that you won't get anywhere else in the world." Look them in the eye, and say "I'm worth it!"
Graphic Artist's Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines
www.amazon.com
For years, the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing and Ethical Guidelines has been the industry bible for graphic designers and illustrators. This, the 13th edition, continues the tradition with new information, listings and pricing information based on surveys of working designers. It addres...
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