Lens and pricing for holiday cottage promotional shots?

TheAndyA

TheAndyA

Messages
1,327
Name
Andy
Edit My Images
No
I've received an email, asking if I can supply an estimate to do some promotional shots of a holiday cottage, for use on a website.
I haven't done anything like this before and I'm unsure as to what to do, with regards to both the price and my kit suitability.

I currently have a 5D Mark 3, Ef 24-105L, an older EF 28mm .2.8 and a Nifty Fifty. I have a decent tripod, an EX600-RT speedlight + YN trigger. Would you expect the 24-105 to be wide enough?

What sort of price range would you expect to charge for this kind of job? I'm an amateur landscape photographer, hence the kit that I have.

Many thanks!
 
Have no idea on pricing, but wouldn't have thought the 24-105 would be wide enough. I'd be looking at a 16-35 or 17-40.

Alternatively you could do a couple of shots with the 24-105 and stitch them.
 
24mm is presumably fine for outdoors. Indoors will be a massacre though. Pricing-wise I'd start from £50 / h (include editing and consultation times) + any expenses such as travel. You may also want to double check you have right insurance cover just in case you knock over some expensive vase or huge flat screen TV standing like a keg in a bowling lane... let alone the tripod may scratch that wooden floor. Let them do all the moving or else you are asking for it.
 
daugirdas said:
24mm is presumably fine for outdoors. Indoors will be a massacre though. Pricing-wise I'd start from £50 / h (include editing and consultation times) + any expenses such as travel. You may also want to double check you have right insurance cover just in case you knock over some expensive vase or huge flat screen TV standing like a keg in a bowling lane... let alone the tripod may scratch that wooden floor. Let them do all the moving or else you are asking for it.
Click to expand...
I hadn't considered the insurance aspect, thanks for mentioning that. My heart is telling me never to turn down an opportunity, as it may lead to others. But, my head is telling me that I'm not kitted out to take on the work.
 
You could always hire an UWA. If you're confident in your skills and it's just the lack of suitable lens that's holding you back from quoting.
 
I obviously haven't seen the cottage but I'm not sure you can feel that you're not kitted out for a shoot like this when you've got a 5D3 and 'only' a 24-105? I'm sure there are more than a few photographers shooting similar jobs on lesser kit by being creative with a mix of detail/wider shots along with good lighting.

If you don't mind me asking, what do you normally shoot with your kit?
 
Thanks again for the replies. I mainly do landscapes, see my flickr stream.
I can't say that I have any experience as such with indoor photography, so I suppose in reality I doubt my abilities with this field of photography. I would imagine that I'd take bracketed shots if there's bright window light and blend those images.
 
Last edited:
I forgot to add, you've invested pretty heavily in kit and there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to deliver results. Sounds more like you need to trust your own ability so I'd start by shooting your own house/rooms for practice :0)
 
Think about how much time this may take - including the days booked in your diary but not used because the weather's too bad for promotional shots - you can light it in any which way to Sunday, but if it's overcast and pi$$ing it down in the view out the windows it won't make a difference.

As is likely they've only seen your landscapes, have you checked what shots they'd actually like - or are you assuming it's interiors?
 
Thanks again all.

I've tried some test shots here at home with the 24-105, it's not too bad in a medium to large space.
The biggest irritation was getting the colours across the shots to match. I'd used a custom white balance of 5500, although this proved to be way too warm and most of them ended up around 3250. I used Av mode, as I'm familiar with that.

Some test images. (I hadn't tidied up). I didn't use any flash etc, just house lighting.

I know that the window light is blown, but I think that might be acceptable?

















 
Last edited:
TheAndyA said:
it's not too bad in a medium to large space.
Click to expand...
So is "not too bad" good enough? I would suggest probably not. You'll struggle in any smaller spaces.
TheAndyA said:
I know that the window light is blown, but I think that might be acceptable?
Click to expand...
I'd suggest that it is, so long as it's discreet in the image (as it is here) and so long as it's a window that is there to provide light rather than to offer a view. If there is a view (eg from a picture window or French doors) then it's much more important for the light to be balanced.
 
The problem is that you kens does not portray the space very well. You can see parts of a room at best. If you take the same photos with a 16-35 you'll be amazed at the difference it will make.

I came across this today. You can see the difference a wider lens makes.

http://petapixel.com/2015/03/12/my-...days-after-it-was-on-the-market-for-8-months/

Not saying a wider lens is the only thing to consider. The lighting is important as is de-cluttering the space.
 
Last edited:
Fair points. I've sent an email to the person who made the enquiry, along with the test shots as an example of what I'm currently able to produce. I've also explained that my gear is better suited to landscape photography, although I'm willing to do the work if they are happy with that.

I had begun saving towards a 70-200 zoom, but I may need to reconsider and look at the 16-35, if want to pursue this line of photography; it would also be very useful for landscapes.
 
TheAndyA said:
Fair points. I've sent an email to the person who made the enquiry, along with the test shots as an example of what I'm currently able to produce. I've also explained that my gear is better suited to landscape photography, although I'm willing to do the work if they are happy with that.

I had begun saving towards a 70-200 zoom, but I may need to reconsider and look at the 16-35, if want to pursue this line of photography; it would also be very useful for landscapes.
Click to expand...

The 16-35 is also a lovely landscape lens. ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top