Surf Photos of Yourself - What's a fair price to pay for them??

digger92's picture
digger92 started the topic in Sunday, 25 Sep 2016 at 9:13am

I just got back from my first indo experience - a week surfing in Lombok - whilst I was there there was a guy taking photos of surfers and selling the pics to them.

He didn't get any good ones of me so I said no thank you, but since then I've loved the idea of getting some good pics (vain I know!)

I'm heading back in just over a months time and would really like to get a picture of me surfing as I've never had a good picture that's not of me miles away as a little dot in a sea of dots.

What's a fair price to pay for photos - I don't want to be ripped off but equally don't want to offend or act like an a**hole.

Would really appreciate some input from more experienced surfers

fullyloadedman's picture
fullyloadedman's picture
fullyloadedman Thursday, 29 Sep 2016 at 4:49pm

go to some one like surfphotosofyou.com and check them out.

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Thursday, 29 Sep 2016 at 5:18pm

I guess it's how much you want the pic, from memory a few years ago Rp 50,000 was the going price for the money shots and they will throw extra average ones in.

RichardGoldnerimages's picture
RichardGoldnerimages's picture
RichardGoldnerimages Wednesday, 3 May 2017 at 2:17pm

Hey guys, I shoot on the Gold Coast and Surrounding areas.
I Charge $125/hr and that can be for unto 3 surfers if they wish to split time/shots achieved. If I'm doing a general non booked shoot. I charge $20/shot that is produced/edited, Full Resolution Non-watermarked. I also share Low res Watermarked shots for free, especially to the groms and locals who support my photography social pages and webpage.
Cheers. Hope this may help.

Jamyardy's picture
Jamyardy's picture
Jamyardy Wednesday, 3 May 2017 at 6:20pm

In Puerto they were USD$1 each many years back, in West Java they were AUD$5 also many years ago, I don't even know if the cameras were digital or the old film types. They had an inkjet printer, photo paper, and you only got a 6"X4" print back then. I thought I heard it was a problem for foreigners to be doing it in indo these days (maybe a work permit thing ???) , but I dunno for sure. I think some charters are charging around $25/person per day for the trip to have a cameraman on board if that's what they want.

blindboy's picture
blindboy's picture
blindboy Wednesday, 3 May 2017 at 7:33pm

I pay $5 for everyone they delete!

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Thursday, 4 May 2017 at 9:19pm

Pretty simple really. They're worth as much as you're willing to pay.

.cylinders's picture
.cylinders's picture
.cylinders Saturday, 23 Jun 2018 at 1:58pm

I just did 10 days in Uluwatu and accumulated a folder of about 500 shots, of which I chose 31 to take home on a usb stick I had with me. Dani (face tatted Ulu beach boy) asked for 300,000rp which is roughly $30 AUD.

In Balinese culture bartering is considered rude and the price was very good in my opinion so I ended up paying the 300k, getting good quality shots for just under a buck a piece.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Saturday, 23 Jun 2018 at 2:08pm

When did bartering become Rude ....or did Dani tell you that ?

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Saturday, 23 Jun 2018 at 2:22pm

I think you mean bargaining.
Not bartering.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Saturday, 23 Jun 2018 at 4:47pm

Yes correct...
ive been saying bartering with Balinese for 40 yrs..fuck me its Bargaining..anyone else said same ?

linez's picture
linez's picture
linez Saturday, 23 Jun 2018 at 5:47pm

Bargaining/bartering rude in Bali?

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Saturday, 23 Jun 2018 at 6:23pm

It's expected.
It only becomes rude once you get it to a good price and then start haggling over nothing or low ball and not be reasonable once you've got a pretty good relationship with a seller.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Saturday, 23 Jun 2018 at 7:09pm

“Good for you, good for me” is what I aim for, followed by a handshake, a laugh and a shared Sampoerna.
S

SeaHealing's picture
SeaHealing's picture
SeaHealing Tuesday, 28 Feb 2023 at 10:00pm

I don't think even rock climbing is harder on your gear than surf and beach photography. Sun, sand, salt spray, far out, what a way to ruin your gear! Sure the cameras are sealed up pretty good now off the shelf, but they still deteriorate faster. Good money for good shots is fair considering all this, but yeah, do you want jpegs or proper TIFF or RAW / DNG edited shots? Good to get the best and pay for it because in the future there will be even more amazing things to do with digital images like we can't imagine. There is not much info in a jpeg to do anything with, and they deteriorate as they are used, unlike TIFF.

groundswell's picture
groundswell's picture
groundswell Wednesday, 1 Mar 2023 at 2:31am

the one g-land photog i knew stayed at (named John) g-land at bobbies usually and charged in 2008 2 mill rup each person (after making a deal with a few new or longtime friends) for all your shots and a few strangers dream pits or lineup shots you want..Might charge double or triple that now as g-lands around $1200 a week now..He deserves the hefty price for( indo standards) as needs to pay for a room full of pc's plus his own living area and 6-8 month stay at g-land..Boats around knowing where to head if spotting a certain swell or indicator or surfer lining up on a section, with excellent photo quality and pro job/shots even in 10 foot swell while keeping steady in a wobbling around small runabout.

In other indo areas pay 500 000 a day or more for a local or foreigner for the day of photos hopefully they focus and wait for your waves..fellow travellers are often happy to give their shots to you for free just to make friends and share good shots with fellow friends.

In 2010 Bali wage for working in security tech job for Indonesians was around 500 000 rupiah a week, 500 000 a month in Sumbawa..So beat those very low wages Since its not our country and keeps good local photogs in a job they enjoy more than working for some rip off artist who pays Aussies more than locals for the same job.