You're not good enough to charge.

When you are new, the pay is usually that you get to keep the photos to use in your portfolio.

no one will pay you, especially when you have no experience.

Unless you do some awesome retouching, I'm not exactly going to pay big bucks for only a cosplay photoshoot.

Isn't that what people do for those private shoots, pay money? I'm not that new with the cameras, but new at the photoshoot idea

>>4850174

Only scrubs pay for photo shoots.

If you're looking to make bucks, cosplay shoots is not it. They spent enough money on the badge, hotel, travel, and making the cosplay. They have no money left to pay you. And you have to be DAMNED good to be worth money because there are so many good people who will do it for free. If the two photos posted are examples of your work, you're nowhere near worth paying.

so what camera did you buy and what lenses are you using with it?

Yeah, no.

There's plenty of more established photographers than you who do much better work and are more well-known in the con scene.

You're gonna have to start out doing shoots for free to get your name out there first, and they'd better be damn good photos. Good lighting, good location, good cosplay, good composition, etc.

>>4850198
A rebel T2i, however these were taken before with a borrowed XSi, both with stock lenses

the next important question: do you use the green box?

You have potential op. I'm really liking this >>4850174 one a lot. The lighting makes the guy look magisterial, and it brings a nice mellow tone to the picture. So I do think you have the ability to improve greatly, but you are no where near the level to ask for payed shoots. Espcially not from cosplayers that don't want to pay jack shit.

Also, you need to stop tilting the camera. It really doesn't look that cool.

>>4850216
That was the first lesson I learned is not to use the green box....
(actually the first lesson I learned was not to put your tongue on the foot)
I'm most comfortable on AV mode but I do understand how to run M mode

I'll give my 2 cents on this.

If you don't have much money having something to recuperate the costs even if it is little can be great. However >>4850188 makes a great point. There is not much money in it and this shouldn't be something you're doing for money outside of just a little something to pay off your Wendy's kids meal. This isn't a fashion show.

On top of all that you will need to be GOOD, create some incentive for paying, and be respected amongst the cosplayers in your area. If you've worked with both the top players and low keys you can create a very diverse audience of people who will want to pay for your photos,.. but only AFTER you have created that name for yourself and for your work. As a photog I love the big all day shoots. The con shoots become hard to juggle and if you're lax cosplayers become unreliable (wanting to reschedule, can't afford it all of a sudden, unable to make it to the con) and money can just complicate things as well as limit what you can do and not do.

As a cosplayer I personally don't mind paying for photos, but I am very picky on who I pay for. I haven't seen any pics on this thread I would pay for. The Yuna pic is pretty nice, but it does not show off my costume and there would be no way for people to tell whether that was me or not. I notice there are a lot of new photographers who offer their time for free, but when it comes to 1/5th of them their quality is not up there yet for me to want to bother unless its a spur of the moment thing or I really like them as a person.

Unless it's an all day shoot paying more than $20 for 2 people is outrageous to me.

>How much are photoshoots usually?
To my knowledge most photoshoots are usually done for free. Only well known cosplay photographers do it for cash or payment.

>Since I'm still new, would anyone go on a donation/ pay what you want basis?
Since you're new to cosplay photography, you should not be thinking of doing it for cash. You should be concentrating for taking pictures for experience and skill.

>>4850213
>>4850226
Out of focus...

>>4850243
>Unless it's an all day shoot paying more than $20 for 2 people is outrageous to me.

a number...THANK YOU!

I know there are people out there who will pay for pictures, and I know there are at least 5 other people with DSLR's ready to relieve them of their money. I'm just wanting to take my ticket and be ready for my turn

>>4850278
So basically you just want to make a quick buck with your shit pictures when there are others way better than you, and willing to do it for free? You will never get your turn into you become a decent photographer and actually learn how to take a good photo.

Con photographers usually shoot for free. I have never once paid for a shoot.

>>4850226
>>4850213
These aren't any good. No ones going to pay you for these.

I've never once paid for a shoot either.
I actually avoid photographers who ask for money.
worst comes to worst I'll take my own damn photos for free.
Especially if you aren't that good/are new to cosplay photography?
fuck no I'm not giving you any money.
People already are spending a lot of money at cons (usually) so they really don't want to pay even more for sub-par photographs when they can get better ones for free.

>>4850290

Though I wouldn't of said it as crudely I have to agree.

From the days of "me and my lonely p&s" to the time I got my first DSLR money never crossed my mind until it was offered to me on more than one occasion. Even then for cosplay I still try to shoot for free when possible.

At most I ask for a cheap lunch somewhere

K, I abscond... I thought photoshoots were where people who don't have a camera get their own pictures how they want them

>>4850384

Nowadays everybody has a camera, most phones come with them.

There is an art to it. Anyone can paint or draw even if its incoherent. When does a drawing become something of value?

>>4850384

Everyone can afford a cheap point and shoot. Hell, most people can afford a decent DSLR nowadays and an okay lens. It's up to the person with the camera to shoot a nice photo that has a good composition, shows off the costume's good points, and all that stuff. But most cosplayers will NOT pay for a photoshoot unless your work is good and you have a solid portfolio to boast with. Also, most photographer/cosplayer shoots are done between friends, you have to build up trust for someone not to be awkward around you.

photoanon you sound like a dick.

>>4850441

>Everyone can afford a cheap point and shoot.

Uh no everyone can't or people won't still be using phones on cameras.

A decent on will run 100-150 dollars, not including the sd card or bag.

I got mine for 100 on sale.

If you don't stop tilting that fucking camera I'll beat you to death with it.

OK, I've got a friend OP. She's been doing photography for weddings, cosplay, special events, all that shit for YEARS, recently refocusing on doing cosplay photos because she loves it and is less interested in wedding photography now [to my knowledge]. As of AUSA, she will charge for photoshoots -- However, she's still up in the air for how much she will charge, and isn't a ton, 20-35 was what I last heard her considering. And she has had years of experience. She is very good at it, in my opinion. I think you should stick to hall photos and free shoots[or donations, you can make a buck off guilty people] for a year at least. Your shots aren't very well composed or lit[the photographers I have try to optimize the lighting, some have a three-light set up like we use at the TV station for field interviews] and it's honestly not a luxury job, especially since you have to work scheduling [good photography takes time!], lug around equipment, and touching up lighting-effects in photoshop -- Now multiply that work by dozens or hundreds of photos depending on how many shoots you do.

tl;DR PRACTICE MORE, go free or donation

Do it for free for a while. Get some practice. The only photoshoot I ever paid for was Droo at Otakon because he is wonderful and it was totally worth it.

People quoting $20 for shooting/processing makes me sad when you consider how much time is put into it.

Then again I can't say shit because I don't charge.

Have shoots with friends to add to portfolio.
+ ???
=Profit?

Unfortunately a lot of shitty photographers charge for shoots.

>>4853828
Case in point.

>>4853504
Speaking of wedding photography. There are so many shitty wedding photographers out there that it makes me rage hardcore. I'm not even a photographer and I can recognize when a photographer doesn't realize they're shooting a wedding.

Didn't I read somewhere that the person who kind of fore-fronted the whole concept of paying for photoshoots was Elemental?

Sorry but unless the shooting fee includes use of an epic private property which makes an oh so perfect backdrop for photos, I'm not paying for what I can get for free.

Furthermore, many shoots at cons are in unideal locations, even when they happen to be free of people, and a lot of photographers simply do not have the experience to handle crazy lighting situations etc. The experienced photogs who can produce good photos in such situations, sure I'll buy them a meal or something, or drink.

>>4856571
Drinks don't pay for airfare, cheapanon. If your friends will shoot for free, I say take them up on it but the kind of skill you're talking about is not common. Your friends don't have it. The photographer who can deal with weird lighting, convention-center scenery, and mediocre costume sewing to consistently generate a handful of choice shots for each customer has an actual skill, and deserves actual money if you want to benefit from it.

>>4854035
This. So much time spent on photos for free long after the con is over. People wondering why the photos you took aren't up hours after a con is over when that guy who took their picture with a DSi has his up almost instantly.