Author Topic: Commission  (Read 18748 times)

  • Offline zpyder

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Commission
on: February 23, 2013, 12:44:25 PM
I've been asked to do a photo for a project the Uni is running. They needed something "recycling" orientated for an animation they're doing, and the animator had suggested a photo on Getti that would have been £428 at the resolution they needed.

The people doing the project are quite keen to use a sign in front of a recycling plant, so I've said £200. Figure that I could have said £300+ and gotten away with it (The budget is there and it needs spending) but this way they may be more likely to ask for other stuff from me if it means they can get 2x as many photos. It should be an easy job so long as the recycling plant is happy with the sign being photographed, all trade marks and logos can be photoshopped out.

Just curious what you guys would have done in this boat. In theory work could ask me to do it during the week with their equipment and not actually pay me anything other than my salary. For me to charge I'm going to have to do it out of hours!

Re: Commission
Reply #1 on: February 23, 2013, 13:27:49 PM
Probably something similar tbh, you don't want to charge anywhere near the £428 as they'd just go to Getty probably so £200 for what should be a couple of hours work for you tops is good going and like you say you might get more work out of it in the future which you can easily charge £200 for and depending on what they want photographed maybe more.

I've actually been asked to photograph a clay pigeon shoot one of the solicitors at work is taking a few clients out too but there was no mention of being paid for it as it was during work time but using my own gear, should have asked for something I guess but too late now already said I'd do it.  Might casually mention it to the head of marketing, I've been printing all my flickr photos out on the photocopiers at work and she's seen some of the ones I've printed so asked to have a look at my flickr site, which got forwarded around the entire marketing team in case there was anything they can use, don't think there was but I'll keep showing her new stuff just in case.

  • Offline zpyder

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Re: Commission
Reply #2 on: February 23, 2013, 13:38:38 PM
I'd maybe mention the fact you are using £xxxx of equipment for the clay pigeon shoot and that it'd be good for a little bit of money to at least cover the cost of insuring the equipment. Only reason I'm happy taking my kit to work and using it is that it's all insured. Costs a bit and I'm not renewing it this year, but it really is a good bit of piece of mind. I might take out some short term insurance this summer if I go travelling.

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  • Offline Clock'd 0Ne

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Re: Commission
Reply #3 on: February 23, 2013, 13:56:40 PM
I think thats fair what you're charging, but it is always hard to judge for yourself without feeling its either not worth your time or not going to be competitive enough. I'm sure I undercharge on a lot of things but it keeps the work coming in as clients are very happy to keep coming back if you're honest, hardworking and they feel you're not ripping them off. If something takes me 30 mins I won't charge people a full hour like the greedy people I used to work for would. It means I don't see as much money but having them come back to you without them even looking elsewhere first is always good.

  • Offline zpyder

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Re: Commission
Reply #4 on: February 23, 2013, 14:35:32 PM
Yeah, I'm going on the basis that for my first commission, which was an eye photo about 2 years ago, I was lucky that I had said £20, and the graphics designer told me £200 or more would be the normal fee for something like that, so he'd pay me £200!

  • Offline zpyder

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Re: Commission
Reply #5 on: March 06, 2013, 21:00:28 PM
Bit of a rant. Sorry.

Oh joy. It was inevitable I guess. I'd heard rumour about some of the stuff that happens internally at the uni but always thought it was just cynical bitter people talking about it and took it with a pinch of salt, but now it really does seem that, no, there are politics and things at foot, and I might be on the receiving end for once.

I invoiced the uni for the shoot, after going out on Saturday and getting the footage. Got an email today to see the head of the school admin. To start with she said they couldn't pay me, due to being a staff member already on the PAYE system. Then when it was obvious that I wasn't just going to turn around and say "oh well, it was worth a try, keep the photos", she changed her tact and said that she'd speak to the dean and see if they could pay me via overtime, but almost definitely not the full £200.

Any thoughts? There were all kinds of veiled threats and accusations, nothing clear and transparent, but apparently I know the ordering and purchasing system and so should have known I needed to give them a purchase order number, I should have invoiced them first, could have done it during office hours as part of my technical role as it's very broad and can include pretty much anything, and should be VAT registered (see other thread).

In my defence I'm sure that orders are made without PO numbers (I pointed out we pay companies by credit card, fair enough I can't be paid by credit card, but what about cheque etc?), the graphics designer from france that needed an eye photo essentially told me what he wanted how much they'd pay, and that was that, I even told the guy who commissioned me he had two choices, I do it in my own time and invoice accordingly, or he could arrange for me to do it during office hours if he agreed it with my line manager. I operated fairly I feel. I was sorely tempted at one point to just say "Fine, I'll have all the photos back that the project has been using then" or even suggest I'll speak to the union about it, as I am sure there are ways I could be paid fairly, and that the admin is just trying to avoid doing that...?

Re: Commission
Reply #6 on: March 06, 2013, 21:09:10 PM
I'd ask for the photos back unless paid in full, also take in to account even if paid as overtime you'll be taxed on top of that!

Re: Commission
Reply #7 on: March 07, 2013, 07:58:58 AM
your going to pay tax & NI on that £200 - so you will end up with around £150 - can you swindle it to a bit of a pay rise? Im assuming theres pay flexibility within your grade.
Even if you can swing £1k a year & offer to do 2-3 shoots a year?

  • Offline zpyder

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Re: Commission
Reply #8 on: March 07, 2013, 10:27:18 AM
Will I pay NI on that if I'm below the 5k threshold? I've got a letter requesting excemption from class 2 NIC due to never earning enough from it.

£150 is better than nothing too.

Re: Commission
Reply #9 on: March 07, 2013, 10:52:22 AM
Will I pay NI on that if I'm below the 5k threshold? I've got a letter requesting excemption from class 2 NIC due to never earning enough from it.

£150 is better than nothing too.
Threshold for NI is around £107 per week (PAYE/Tax threshold is £156). If You pay NI (its not much) but you would be able to claim it back end of the tax year.

Re: Commission
Reply #10 on: March 07, 2013, 11:54:37 AM
Will I pay NI on that if I'm below the 5k threshold? I've got a letter requesting excemption from class 2 NIC due to never earning enough from it.

£150 is better than nothing too.

If you already earn over £35k in your job, you're likely to pay 40% tax plus NI on top of that on your £200.

  • Offline zpyder

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Re: Commission
Reply #11 on: March 07, 2013, 12:06:55 PM
Will I pay NI on that if I'm below the 5k threshold? I've got a letter requesting excemption from class 2 NIC due to never earning enough from it.

£150 is better than nothing too.

If you already earn over £35k in your job, you're likely to pay 40% tax plus NI on top of that on your £200.

I'll never earn that much in a technician role so no worries there!

Re: Commission
Reply #12 on: March 07, 2013, 12:09:31 PM
I'll never earn that much in a technician role so no worries there!

20% + NI then  :thumbup:

Re: Commission
Reply #13 on: March 10, 2013, 11:14:29 AM
Sounds like a bit of a crappy situation, If you let them have the photos then it'll end up that you become the departmental photographer which if you can wangle a pay rise through and get them to buy some of their own gear then may not be a bad thing, but that probably won't happen they'll just expect you to use your own gear.

Realistically they can at least pay you the overtime for doing it, if they don't do that then they aren't getting the photos, but whatever happens make sure you remain pleasant etc you don't want to do anything to jepordise your job which is probably worth more to you than £200.

Re: Commission
Reply #14 on: March 10, 2013, 12:19:01 PM
you won;t need to pay any tax on it

each year when you send your self assessment off, just make sure you put some of your gear down as costs, and make the costs add up to more than you earn from the photos

that way you never make a profit, so never pay tax
(on the photos anyway)

and if you put something expensive down, so you make a big loss, you can carry that loss forwards to the next year ;)

you can put stuff like fuel down too... (to go take the photos) but it's probably not worth the making it that complicated ;)

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