資料來源:Fotoseeds
上次翻譯了「你想成為全職攝影師嗎?」一文之後，許多網友都說內容很實用，
這次fotoseeds又刊出一篇關於剛創業攝影師常有的五大迷思，
許多地方我覺得是許多人迷惘或疑惑的地方，
因此再為大家翻譯此文，希望能給有需要的人一些有用的資訊。
剛開始時總是有很多事情要學習，你的確才剛開始要成為專職攝影師。有些事情只能從經驗中學習。
但其他事情我們則希望你可以不必從經驗學習 --如同CS Lewis曾經說的，經驗是殘酷的老師。
我整理了剛起步攝影師最常遇到的五大迷思，希望各位能夠少繞點遠路。
In the beginning, there’s always so much to learn. It’s no less true if you’re just starting out as
a professional photographer. Some of those things can only be taught by experience. But other things,
we hope you don’t have to learn by experience — as C.S. Lewis once noted, it’s a brutal teacher.
I’ve complied five myths I commonly hear from beginning photographers you can avoid now without
learning the hard way.
1.以廉價起步
為了得到工作，許多人以為用以比對手的很多的價格是很好的開始，不然要怎麼讓其他人知道你呢？
沒錯，這樣的確可以讓別人知道你，但問題是知道你的人都是想要不合理低價的人，
這正是所有人都在做的事，但這並不是長遠之道。
如果你想要漲價(而你可能很快就會發現你需要)，你將需要重新開發你的客戶。
試試看這個方法：找出你的成本/獲利比率並以此來收費
1. START OUT CHEAP.
To get work, it’s assumed the best way to start out is far below competitor price points. How else are you
going to get your name out there, right? While, it’s true you do get your name out there, but the problem is
that it will get your name out there to people who want ridiculously low prices. That’s what everyone is doing and it’s not sustainable for anyone. If you ever raise your rates (which you’ll probably find you’ll need to
soon), you’ll be starting your entire client base over.
Start here instead: learn your cost/profit ratios and charge accordingly.
2.只按拍攝時間計費
如果整個拍攝只花你兩小時，而你收費200元，這表示你收費是每小時100元。 (註:皆為美金)
但這並不實際，為了完成你的拍攝工作，你花費的不只是拍攝時間而已，
還有準備，交通，後製，包裝，交貨時間和顧客反應。
你也必須考慮你的收費和後製的花費，
對多數攝影師來說，每次拍攝只收兩百美金，當作最低薪資都不夠。
考慮為了維持營運的所有開銷後(COGS，通路，網站開發，稅金...等等)，最終你必須要有20%的利潤。
2. CHARGING $100 AN HOUR MEANS YOU’RE MAKING $100 AN HOUR.
If the shoot only took you two hours, and you charged $200, then you must be making $100 an hour. But
that’s not a realistic time table. To complete the job, it takes more than just the shoot time — it’s the prep,
travel,post-production, packaging/delivery time and client correspondence time. Also you need to consider
your costs verus your take home costs. For most photographers charging $200 for a shoot, it boils down to
less than miniman wage.
After all the expenses needed to maintain your business (COGS, vendors, website development, taxes, etc.),
you’ll take home on average 20% of what your business brings in.
3.以為婚禮/人像攝影是能兼顧家庭的領域
很多人以為攝影是可以兼顧家庭和小孩的工作，但事實是你並沒有太多時間可以留給你的家人。
你可能進入這行業三到五年後才瞭解他的代價。
攝影師很長時間都是在晚上，週末和假日工作的，這是其他家庭休假並且請你拍照的時間。
每年我都會接到臨時的聖誕夜工作，因為他們的家人這時才都在家。
人像與婚禮攝影將會佔用很多你的家庭時間，你最好清楚你準備要犧牲的是什麼，不然根本不值得。
稍微暫停一下，散個步，享受杯好咖啡或你喜歡的飲料。
反問自己甚麼是”你的家庭”需要的，為自己和你的家庭設立一個良好的界線吧。
3. WEDDING/PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY IS A FAMILY FRIENDLY BUSINESS.
A lot of people think photography is a great way to work from home and take care of the kids. But the truth is it doesn’t leave a lot of room for your own family. You might not realize the full extent of what your business will take until you’re 3-5 years deep. Photographers work long hours during nights, weekends and holidays —
the times other families are off and ask you to work. Every year I get several last minute calls from people
asking if I’ll work Christmas Eve because everyone in their family is home for the holidays. Portrait &
wedding photography can take a lot more from your family; be sure you know what you are prepared to
sacrifice for it and what just isn’t worth the price.
Take a moment for yourself, take a walk, enjoy a good cup of coffee or a favorite drink. Ask yourself what does “your family” need? Set healthy boundaries for yourself and your family first.
4.以為被發表是免費的廣告
很多攝影師對於被雜誌”刊登”感到很興奮。這是很令人振奮沒錯，
但老實說，如果你會特別去看相片來源的說明，那是因為你是攝影師。
不然其他人根本不會去看那些小字，當攝影師覺得被刊登是免費打廣告，而雜誌因此不用付你錢時，
事情很快就會變複雜。
照片不會幫拍攝者打廣告(除非你的標誌在上面)，
照片只會幫主題或產品或故事打廣告，除非你有收費，不然被刊登的意義不大。
不要因為別人而降低你作品的價值，找到和雜誌真正交易的方式。
只有我們建立價值時大家才會都是贏家，一旦被破壞了我們就都是輸家。
4. BEING PUBLISHED IS FREE ADVERTISING.
A lot of photographers get excited about “being published” in a magazine. Sure it’s exciting. But let’s be
honest, if you look at the photo credits in a magazine, it’s because you are a photographer. Otherwise, just
like everyone else, you wouldn’t read the fine print either. This gets complicated quick when magazines stop paying the photographers anything because the photographers believe it’s free advertising for them. The
truth is it’s free advertising for the magazine. Photography doesn’t promote the creator (unless your logo
is attached somehow), it promotes the subject, the product or story it’s associated with. Being published means very little if you aren’t be compensated for your work.
Don’t devalue your work just because other people do — find ways to build genuine exchanges value with
magazines. Everyone wins when we build value. Everyone loses when we exploit it.
5.只有我對作品滿意時我才收費。
當你剛起步時，總是會對收取夠你生存的費用感到不安。
很多人都相信這個迷思：有天我會對我作品的品質很滿意，然後開始收費。
但是仔細想想，你是個藝術家，上次你對你作品滿意時是什麼時候？
你之所以持續進步就是因為你對昨日的自己感到不滿意，
它讓你持續創作更好的作品，但這並不是讓你的時間和心力毫無回饋的理由。
如果你照你經營的需求來收費，你就不必再擔心你作品的品質，
因為你將有可以創造出好作品的資源。
5. I’LL CHARGE MORE WHEN I’M HAPPY WITH MY WORK.
When you start out, there will always be a feeling of insecurity and uncomforted in charging the rates you’ll
need to survive. A lot of folks believe this subtle myth, ‘Someday I’ll be happy with the quality of my work
and the idea of charging for it.’ But think about it. You’re an artist, when’s the last time you were happy
with the quality of your work? You’re always growing and because of that there’s always a lingering
dissatisfaction in what you’ve done yesterday — it keeps you producing something better next time.
But it isn’t a reason to not get paid for the time, effort and heart you put into it.
If you charge accordingly to your businesses needs, you won’t need to worry about the quality of your work
anymore — you’ll have the resources to deliver outstanding results you can be proud of.
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