Photo Sessions at Cat Shows

First:  I have a blinking light panel about 18x24 inches in size up high above my booth on a green background.  I use this as my signal as to when I am available as it can usually be seen from anywhere in the show hall.  When the lights are ON and blinking, I am available.  When the lights are OFF, I am either busy with a session, or waiting for an owner to come over with their cat.  We do not assign times for sessions as exhibitors are often called to rings without much notice.  If you get called mid session, we send you off to the ring, and make notes as to how many shots we have taken of your cat, and allow you to come back whenever we are again available and turn the blinking panel on again.

When we are set up a cat show.....we charge by each subject...and how many photos we take during the course of the session.  A single photo session may involve bringing a cat back a number of times in order to aclimate the cat to the situation and get the best photos.  I have had cats up as many as 12 times over the course of a weekend in order to complete a single session of photos.
 
The fee for a digital only Basic session is US$70.00 per session  If I take only a few shots and the cat is not working....pricing would be less and offered a lower fee to the owner to reflect that.  Decision as to price would be at the time, and not required by the owner to accept if they did not want to get the photos.the maximum fee is still only US$70.00. This is a type A session.

Alternatively for those who think their cat will be VERY easy....we could charge you $9.50 per minute  for the Basic session if you want to take the chance that your cat will only take a few minutes to shoot......honestly most sessions take at least 10--15 minutes, but occasionally I have a cat that ends up taking only 3 minutes or so..

Below are four (4) different variations on our show sessions based upon a 12 shot session.  We ask you to decide at the show after you have seen the photos on the back of my camera, which of these four sessions you want initially. Though you can upgrade any session to the next larger size later on for a US$65 fee paid later on via the internet.

Digital ONLY Sessions:
 
(A)  photos, emailed digital web files 650 x433 pixels...   we refer to this session size as "Facebook size"  These are usually on most computer screens about 4x6 inches, and will print at 300 DPI to about wallet size images, or on an ink jet printer to about 4x6 inches                                    US$70.00. Sent via email.
     
(B)  as above but with files 2048x1365 pixels sent via email. This size is slightly larger than 2K, and will fill the screen on most monitors that are 2k size.  This size will print well to 8x10 inches on an ink jet printer, and are about 4.5x6.8 inches at 300 DPI in magazines that require 300 DPI quality.  We call these 'Hi Res".                                           US$135.00.

(C)  as above but with files 4000 x 2666 pixels sent via multiple emails for downloading. This size is slightly larger than 4K, and is about 4X larger than the high res files above.  This will print to full page bleed on magazines  13x8.9 inches at 300 DPI or 16x20 inch ink jet prints.  We call this session Super Hi Res.                  US$200.00.

(D)  as above but with files uncropped full camera resolution
6000 x 4000 or larger pixels sent via emails.  US$250.00.

Sessions plus 4x6 inch Prints:  

any of the sessions above if you want prints mailed via post, add US$15 per session for USA addresses, or US$30 per session for foreign addresses.

Session plus CD or SD card via post: 

add US$10 for a CD USB stick or SD card mailed via post for US addresses, or (US$20 for foreign addresses if you do not also order prints to be mailed at the same time.)

Foreign pricing in local currency will be determined at the time of the show depending upon the current bank rates plus a charge for conversion costs.

Obviously with moving subjects...and cats to boot....not every shot will be a "keeper". Usually we expect a return of at least 50% when we shoot.....or I may not take photos at all...and under those circumstances we don't charge anything. I have a saying "the harder I work the less I make"...as often the hardest subjects may involve the most time...and the fewest actual photos taken...