Should i charge extra for confidential projects?

[spunk91]

I was asked by a client to estimate how much it would cost them to have me do a project for them.

I have signed a confidential agreement, saying i'm not allowed to show the images too future clients, this community, friends, ect...

 

Should i charge them extra now i'm not allowed to have this in my portfolio, or should i just give my usual rate? If yes, how much extra would you suggest?

 

//Niklas

[notamondayfan]

To be honest, work will often be confidential or have restrictions on them (I'd say over 50% of my work), so I generally don't add extra, but perhaps incorporate it into my overall price. I definitely don't have as an expense on the project price.

I would rather negotiate a period of time which the images are confidential, and then after that they become public.

 

Dean

[RyderSK]

i'm not allowed to show the images too future clients, this community, friends, ect...

 

Sounds a bit extreme. The money better be extreme as well, because the value of project is not purely only the money received after completment. Some projects continue to earn well for long time past completment due to their marketability. I've build everything around this concept and it serves me very well.

[spunk91]

Thanks Dean and Juraj.

 

Mos of the projects I've been working on haven't been as strict with the confidentiality of the pictures as this project. I just wanted to hear what other people is thinking about that

 

I gonna incorporate it in to the overall

 

Cheers!

 

To be honest, work will often be confidential or have restrictions on them (I'd say over 50% of my work), so I generally don't add extra, but perhaps incorporate it into my overall price. I definitely don't have as an expense on the project price.

I would rather negotiate a period of time which the images are confidential, and then after that they become public.

 

Dean

Edited December 19, 2013 by spunk91

[Justin Hunt]

All projects should be treated as confidential, and unless made clear in the contract that the images can and will be used for self promotion in the future should not be made public without the clients approval.

 

I have had some clients that will not let me use images, even though the building has been completed for a few years and is a very public building.

 

We have had some projects so confidential that the people working on them have even had to change their passwords and keep all work on a separate server.

 

There are some very real reasons for confidentiality and should not be treated lightly, rather than charging extra, you need to prove to the client that you can be trusted which is more likely going to lead to more work in the future.

 

jhv

[harryhirsch]

Am with Justin on this one...its the clients decision anyway...and it is simple: you don't like? don't take the job. Why take more money? Do you spend more time making the picture. You serve them, not the other way around. If they find out that u charge more they might drop you.

As u said, that client is special, just use the renderings of the other clients for marketing.

[RyderSK]

Why take more money? Do you spend more time making the picture. You serve them, not the other way around. If they find out that u charge more they might drop you.

 

I disagree with logic like that as for me it's sounds like bit much of uneccesary servility. The cost-based pricing that many studios and freelancers adopted too rigidly to their own fault instead of value-based pricing is not dogma and neither is standard set in stone for visualization. I don't price my work based on purely how long it takes me but what's the value for me as well. And how would they find it ? It would be clearly agreed upon by both parties before hand, there is no bared secrets behind anyones back.

It's not disrespectful to clients to propose terms that are beneficial for both. It's absolutely standard behaviour in photography, where the best can even ask for very limited usage on the clients side, and absolute opposite scenario of what we're describing here. The client is not offended in this case, since he is the one who is asking the exact photographer to do his job.

I am not disagreeing here with confidentiality and have confidential terms in contracts with some of the biggest american companies myself, since they are the ones who strongly prefer it. But some companies do use this behaviour too far simply "by default" (some even bully their contractors), so it's not unthinkable to make small defense and ask higher price, again, this is absolutely standard in photography.

Last think, and that's again, purely my own observation and is not intended to offend anyone, it seems taking on a project is looked upon too much like a privilige in visualization community (maybe because of the constant fear of shrinking market?), instead of opportunity. I take on project where I benefit myself as well, it's not selfish. It's the mutual ownership of project that allows me to bring out the best for client because I identify with the project. Partnership is much better relationship to be in than obedience.

Again, I am not writting to anyone in particual, just too broadly observing. All in good faith, cheers.

[Zdravko Barisic]

Even I agree with Juraj 120% in terms of artistic approach, etc....I also agree with clients wishes.

If he/she wants that, the answer is clear>NO, you should not aks for more money.

Even if that make you feeling sad.

[jordanp]

If the client says that you cannot ever show the project ever again, I don't think it would be out of line for you to increase the price of the project. The logic is that by keeping you from EVER releasing the content on your website, etc, that client is costing you future potential revenue, so you want to make up at least a little bit of the difference.

 

It's understandable that a client would not want you releasing the content before the project is completed, but three years down the line, if the project is still not completed or if it is and you're still barred from releasing your work, well...it's a bit of a grey area there.

 

Some questions to ask yourself;

 

Is this client a large/important client?

 

Is this client going to be a difficult client/do I enjoy working with this client?

 

Is there the possibility of future business with this client?

 

Is the work that I would do for this client something that would really be worth posting on my site?