Dan Stevanovic Photography

Ordinarily, my hourly rate varies from $100 to $200 or more, depending on a variety of factors, such as the distance, need for an assistant, extent of postproduction editing, technical complexity, need for extra equipment, etc. Please bear in mind that, for each hour of shooting, photographers spend at least 2-3 hours on other activities (marketing, planning, editing, traveling, communicating, etc.). I offer great deals on professional headshots. We go to you and set up a studio. Within a 25-mile radius, $300 minimum charge includes professional headshots for 3 to 5 people, studio set up and disassembly, an assistant as needed, travel time, light postproduction editing (color balance, sharpness and brightness), a password-protected gallery on my website and digital download. Best for groups, both small and large. I do require a 50% deposit for all the projects.

We start with an initial consultation, usually a phone call, especially if a large amount of information is to be conveyed. I gather as much details from clients as possible in order to understand their needs and contemplate best solutions. Sometimes (depending on the complexity of the project), we do not hammer out all the details during the initial consultation but through a series of additional emails, texts and phone calls. I give my clients an undivided attention before, during and after the shoot. Next, if the client is a corporation, we move onto the fun stuff, like purchase orders, shot lists, model release forms, invoices and my personal favorites--W-9 forms 😊. Then comes the planning phase during which I will do research (location, technique, etc.) and purchases if required. Communication with the client extends throughout this period. In addition, I will explain the assignment to my assistant(s) and make sure she fully understands the project requirements. A couple of days before the shoot I confirm all the details with the client. After the shoot, I edit the images as needed and deliver them via digital download. Namely, I create dedicated, password-protected galleries on my website, where clients can access and download images themselves. Should clients request, I will utilize other delivery options, like a USB drive, Google Drive or an FTP client. This is where the project ends but the relationship hopefully continues.

I used to be a financial and acquisition analyst—my educational background is in business. Maybe that’s why people who mean business like me 🙂. I must admit the affection is mutual. I have taken numerous photography courses, read a stack of photography books and watched hundreds of videos about photography. Most importantly, I have shot hundreds of thousands of images, which is definitely the best way to learn photography.

My uncle, a National Geographic magazine subscriber, is to blame 🙂. As a little boy, I was always looking forward to visiting his home and combing through his collection of National Geographic magazines. Growing up in the communist Yugoslavia, I was always gazing beyond too-close horizons of a communist country, aching from the burning desire to see far away lands. The National Geographic magazine provided a window into the world through fascinating photography the magazine has become renowned for. I fell in love with photography and never fell out of it. As a student at FAU in Boca Raton, I finally had an opportunity to purchase professional photo gear. I started to shoot the camera as insatiably as I was reading the NatGeo magazine, and I still do.

My clients include corporations, small businesses and private individuals, to name a few. Corporate professionals (usually marketing professionals) and small business owners hire me when they look for a commercial photographer. Their needs vary from website photo content (action shots, headshots, interiors, exteriors) to corporate events coverage, product photography, architectural photography, etc. Private individuals, on the other hand, hire me when they seek a photographer who can provide party, wedding, religious event and portrait photographic services. As a UN employee during the humanitarian crisis in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, I worked with people from all corners of the world, literally. Working with people from all walks of life comes easy to me.

Do your research. A photographer’s portfolio is the best reflection of her/his skill and experience. Make sure they match your requirements. I regularly get calls from clients who tell me a photographer they hired didn’t you do a good job for them so they want to hire me. Beware: you are not rich enough to buy cheap. If you are looking for quality photography, you will have to pay a market price. If you were to hire a cheap photographer, the quality of images will be inferior. You will end up hiring a market-priced photographer and paying more than the market price eventually.