You're preaching to the choir. Before certification I needed some practice projects and I think I chose wisely, picking the two best building in the area to "practice" on. But I'm with you. For actual work, I don't work for free and I don't work cheap. I'm going to take my time developing my product and brand, but the types of work out there are new to me as well as how they're marketed. Will there be an Inspire in my future? We'll see where this leads. In the old days, after getting going all my camera gear was Hasselblad. Sadly I have 4 Hassy systems sitting in my closet for almost 2 decades now.
But to echo your advice and relay my own experience (stop reading here if you don't like long anecdotes)...
Many years ago, in the late 80's I started a wedding photography business as a "side job". After my first two jobs shooting 35mm I switched to medium format (first Bronica 645, then Hassy 6x6). I was priced only slightly above the local Photo Wedding Mill that would send out any warm body that could operate a camera. Even at the beginning my work was pretty good, (though I was slow as hell). One day I had a potential client in my office who asked me in kind of a snarky tone, "Why are your prices $50 more than the cheap wedding mill guys?". I was taken aback and replied "If you can't see the difference I suggest you go with them". I recognized that my price structure didn't serve me. So I raised my prices by 30% the very next day. In the coming year, with my higher prices my client volume rose 30% and the margin went through the roof. The following year I quit my day job and one year later opened my brick and mortar studio, where my revenue doubled one year after opening.
BTW... In that stint photographing weddings (which I stopped doing in 2001 to go full commercial) was that I was approached by a celebrity, actually their agent, to photograph their wedding. They wanted it "free" (as I recall) as I would benefit by the "promotional value". I don't remember my reaction, whether it was a full laugh, or some snarky comment... or just simply "I don't do that". I'm not sure who they went with, but I really didn't care.
Today, I'm older, a little cranky, semi-retired and don't need to work for peanuts. I might be willing to help out a friend on an afternoon for a few hundred $$... But I'm not falling into the trap of working for Skittles.
Here's yet another relative story.
A Mortgage Loan Officer said, "I have realtor buddies, but your prices are 3x what they've been quoted for other Photographers."
My reply was, "Well, there's Walmart, and there's Whole Foods, where do you shop?"
(He's the owner of 621 N. Riverside seen on my website and videos here and on MP. ARV around $2M)
His response was, "Well I mean, dude, (we're friends) what about giving them a discount to get your foot in the door." To which I replied with, "Sure, but I know what I'm worth."
I continued by sending him screenshots of competition and their "work".
He knew what I brought to the table... I shot his house for sh*ts and giggles; he decided to pay me and might be listing his house now.
About 3 weeks later my phone rang while I was at my full time w2 job. I answered (stupidly, my work environment is extremely loud and I had to yell through a respirator) and established a new client (a realtor buddy of his). They've paid full price from the get go.
One day later, same story. But I called back after work this time.
If you know what you bring to the table, don't undersell yourself.
1) it underprices the whole industry
2) people will always get what they can for the lowest possible price
3) good, fast, cheap... Pick two, and it WONT BE the third one.
Good luck with your future endeavors!
