EXPLORING THE CONCEPT OF COST-SHARING

WHAT IS COST-SHARING?

Cost-sharing is a common topic among my clients and in the field of interior and architectural photography. But what does it entail exactly?

Cost-sharing involves multiple parties, including you, the client, and any additional vendors involved in the project, deciding to jointly hire a service provider, such as myself, the photographer, and dividing the expenses. This approach presents an opportunity for you to reduce costs by involving third parties who have collaborated on the project, such as builders, architects, tradespeople, vendors, or publications, in sharing the project's expenses from the outset. A cost-sharing agreement is always established prior to the shoot, and the more parties involved upfront, the greater the potential savings for you.

SHARING THE PROJECT UPFRONT OFFERS BENEFITS TO YOU AS THE CLIENT, AND HERE'S WHY:

  • As the initiating party, you receive a discount on a project you're already funding.

  • Allows more flexibility to extend coverage time of your project.

  • Being involved in the project prior to its completion saves other parties money compared to buying the final images at a significantly higher rate afterward.

  • Enables you to incorporate extra services, such as hiring a photo stylist, to enhance compositions.

UNDERSTANDING COST-SHARING:

Prior to the shoot, a licensing fee will be added to the initial creative fee for all participating parties. The total invoice is subsequently divided evenly among these parties, leading to significant savings for each client. Each party receives an agreed-upon set of picture files identical to those of others. In the event that any party member wishes to select different images from those chosen by the main client, a discounted rate per image will be offered. If you require further clarification on this process, please do not hesitate to consult with your photographer.


WHO CAN I APPROACH FOR COST-SHARING MY PROJECT?

You can engage anyone with whom you collaborate on the project and who you think would benefit from having legitimate access to use the images. This may include interior designers, builders, architects, furniture vendors, soft line vendors, tradespeople, publishers, and others.