Photographers / Stylists - about rates / fees

[Mr. Lee]

How much do big photographers like Testino, Kadel and Steven Klein make in a year?

 

[Nueva]

How much do big photographers like Testino, Kadel and Steven Klein make in a year?

well kadel and steven klein are nowhere near Testino's league... they don't make as much money as he does. I think it all really depends on how much advertising work they do, because that's where all the money is. Testino, Meisel, Mert & Marcus, Solve are probably some of the most expensive and in-demand fashion photographers working today. I would say that their advertising day rate is about $150,000 a day... so if you do the math.... and they do at least 10 advertising jobs a year... then that already puts them well over the million dollar range...

 

[Mr. Lee]

A campaign is usually 5 days so 7.5 million+?

 

[Nueva]

no... a campaign isn't necessarily 5 days. Maybe Testino will shoot, let's say, a Lauder beauty ad. That's probably a one day shoot. So that's 150,000 a day (with a percentage of that going to his agent). But maybe then he does a fashion campaign... let's say, cavalli. and maybe that's a two-three day shoot. so if you do the math again, that's about 300-450,000 dollars for the job (with a percentage, again, going to his agent)....

it really all depends on the job.

 

[Xone]

photo

u seem to know a lot,thanks for sharing the info....do u work in the industry? just curious.......

no... a campaign isn't necessarily 5 days. Maybe Testino will shoot, let's say, a Lauder beauty ad. That's probably a one day shoot. So that's 150,000 a day (with a percentage of that going to his agent). But maybe then he does a fashion campaign... let's say, cavalli. and maybe that's a two-three day shoot. so if you do the math again, that's about 300-450,000 dollars for the job (with a percentage, again, going to his agent)....

it really all depends on the job.

 

[Nueva]

u seem to know a lot,thanks for sharing the info....do u work in the industry? just curious.......

yup.

 

[Xone]

do u mind if i asked you some questions about shoots and related stuff?thanks in advance...XONE

yup.

 

[.francesca]

well i'm certainly not making that much...i need to get some better jobs!

 

[Nueva]

do u mind if i asked you some questions about shoots and related stuff?thanks in advance...XONE

sure

 

[Xone]

doubts

sure

cool and thanks i hope u dont mind...as i dont know i which field of fashino u work this are my FAQ lol :

1. who decides which orientation takes the editorial? the editor or the photographer or both?
2.which is the rate for an editorial for a model and for the photographer?
the stylist and art director get paid too?
3.is there any jobs the big photographers or models do for free???
4.who gives the idea/concept,etc for the ed or the cpgn the designer/agency(in case of cpgn) or the photographer / editor (in case of eds)..i asume there is a process

i think thats all 4 now,thanks a lot in advance...XONE

 

[Nueva]

XONE: answers to your questions

1. who decides which orientation takes the editorial? the editor or the photographer or both?

It's a collaboration between fashion editor and photographer. Let's say a key trend for the fall collections skew toward a retro-glam look. Inspired by this, maybe the fashion editor decides that she'd like to do a fashion story about seventies-inspired clothing... so she discusses with the photographer the mood and styling direction of the story... maybe she recommends they do a studio 54 type of story, lit to feel like a glamorous discotheque, and style the girls in a Jerry Hall type of fashion. Perhaps maybe the photographer recommends that they try to recapture some of the iconic fashion photography of the seventies... like classic Avedon or Scavullo studio images... with dramatic makeup and dramatic, wind-swept Farrah-like hair. I think it's ultimately an exchange of ideas between both parties... a team effort between fashion editor and photographer.

2.which is the rate for an editorial for a model and for the photographer?
the stylist and art director get paid too?

Rate depends on the model they shoot, but the rate for editorial is nothing compared to advertising. Maybe something in the hundreds... not sure. Same goes for the photographers. But there are some photographers who are under contract with magazines (ie: Steven Meisel), who get paid one lump sum to do a number of shoots a year. There are no art directors on editorials... only fashion editors (ie: stylists) who are employed by the magazine, either full-time or on a freelance basis (ie: contributing fashion editor)

3. Is there any jobs the big photographers or models do for free?

Pro-bono maybe.

4.who gives the idea/concept,etc for the ed or the cpgn the designer/agency(in case of cpgn) or the photographer / editor (in case of eds)..i asume there is a process

I think it all depends on the circumstance and brand.
For editorials, as I said above, fashion editors and photographers collaborate to create concepts based on the styling direction of the story.
For fashion ad campaigns, concepts are either derived from the fashion designer (ie: John Galliano) or creative directors (ie: Fabien Baron for Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein) or a collaboration between both designer and creative director (Tom Ford and Doug Lloyd)


Hope this helps....

 

[Mr. Lee]

I don't think that a few million a year is a big deal. 10, 20 million that's a lot but 3 or 4 million isn't really a lot to me. I thought that a big photographer like Meisel made like 10 million at least.

 

[lady grey]

reality

As far as I know, if we're estimating take-home pay, the following are more accurate after taxes & agents fees:

Meisel & Testino: if they each clear $5 mill a year thats an AMAZING year.
A $7 mill year would be a career high for each, and I doubt its happened.

Klein, Kadel: If each clears $1 mill a year thats a GREAT year for them.
If either ever reaches a $2 million year net, I'll be surprised.

If you want to name other photogs I'll tell you what they are believed to earn.

 

[Mr. Lee]

I guess a lot of photographers stave then. I mean a million a year is nothing to sneeze at but really this is NY and there are people making a lot more than that, some doing nothing at all.

 

[Xone]

cool!a few more....

NUEVA, thanks for your questions.....it helps of course. i talked about ar direction on editorials cause in my country i think they are a little unorganized about the titles job lol.........

The fashion editor equals stylist??? (There are no art directors on editorials... only fashion editors (ie: stylists) )

which is exactly the job of fabien baron with calvin klein ads or hugo boss ads,pls xplain ( i mean how much he influences the cpgn).......and also when we read the credits of the edits in vogue paris "realisation: carine rottfield" what means that?,what was her specific job on the editorial?????i get confused by the name´s job........

hope you could help me Thanks again and sorry the questions lol

 

[Nueva]

I don't think that a few million a year is a big deal. 10, 20 million that's a lot but 3 or 4 million isn't really a lot to me. I thought that a big photographer like Meisel made like 10 million at least.

wow. you must be loaded if you don't think tha 3 to 4 million is a lot. hell, I wouldn't balk at three to four million.

but yeah, i think 10 million could definitely be a possibility for Meisel.

 

[lady grey]

meisel

if you say he clears $10 mill a year, that means that he has to earn $14-15 million to clear ten.

if you have info on his Italian vogue contract for example, I think youll find he might make $2 mill a year from that.

where does the other $8 mill come from?
I think everyone has some exaggerated idea of what photogs earn.

 

[Nueva]

NUEVA, thanks for your questions.....it helps of course. i talked about ar direction on editorials cause in my country i think they are a little unorganized about the titles job lol.........

The fashion editor equals stylist??? (There are no art directors on editorials... only fashion editors (ie: stylists) )

which is exactly the job of fabien baron with calvin klein ads or hugo boss ads,pls xplain ( i mean how much he influences the cpgn).......and also when we read the credits of the edits in vogue paris "realisation: carine rottfield" what means that?,what was her specific job on the editorial?????i get confused by the name´s job........

hope you could help me Thanks again and sorry the questions lol

The fashion editor equals stylist???

the term stylist and fashion editor is synonymous. a fashion editor is essentially a stylist working for a magazine... determining the styling direction and theme for a particular story. When a fashion editor is hired on a freelance basis to do an ad campaign lets say, then the term "stylist" might be used. The term "fashion editor" is typically associated with the creation of magazine editorials... the word "stylist" is a broader term.

which is exactly the job of fabien baron with calvin klein ads or hugo boss ads,pls xplain ( i mean how much he influences the cpgn)

Fabien Baron is a renowed creative director. He was once listed as being one of the most influential forces in fashion. He started out as an art director for magazines... found success and recognition for his work in Interview, Italian Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. His clean and refined point of view on design was so well respected and so in demand... that he ultimately opened up his own advertising agency, to service clients and lend his unique sense of aesthetic to fashion brands that asked for it (ie: Calvin Klein)... So to answer your question, Fabien is probably very involved in the development of the ad concept (possibly with or without the designer), the selection of photographer (if he's not shooting the campaign himself), and the design of the layout.

.......and also when we read the credits of the edits in vogue paris "realisation: carine rottfield" what means that?

Well, the literal meaning of "realisation" is realization... meaning "brought to life"... so I would say that "realisation" is the french equivalent of "fashion editor"... because that's what a fashion editor does when creating a story... they bring the clothes "to life"....

 

[Nueva]

if you say he clears $10 mill a year, that means that he has to earn $14-15 million to clear ten.

if you have info on his Italian vogue contract for example, I think youll find he might make $2 mill a year from that.

where does the other $8 mill come from?
I think everyone has some exaggerated idea of what photogs earn.

you're probably right.
BUT he's probably on contract with conde-nast,
meaning that he would shoot for several Vogue titles (ie: Italian and US...), Vanity Fair perhaps, maybe do an occasional W story here and there... and then permit random usage of his images for mags like Allure to pick up. So it is quite possible for him to earn more than 2 million for this...

And then let's not forget the billion ad campaigns he does (plus worldwide usage of these images across different mediums
Versace
Versus
Dolce & Gabbana
Ann Taylor
Prada
Calvin Klein
Bill Blass
Escada
Max Mara
Valentino

so if any guy can make ten million, it's definitely Meisel. The guy has significant earnings potential here!!!



and i definitely don't think that Kadel is pulling in a million...

 

[lady grey]

guesses & grosses vs nets

since no one besides the photogs, their agents & the IRS really knows the exact dollar totals, we're just estimating.

I agree with all your details for meisel's campaigns & magazines, but just on a factual basis, if he actually grosses $10 mill a year, thats like $6+ mill takehome.
So I said maybe $5 mill a year takehome, so we're pretty close.

I can imagine Kadel nettimng close to a million a year, he works a lot, for many of the same pubs. that meisel does.
and as I said, klein, I can imagine netting $1-2 mill a year. thats a realistic number for a successful working fotog of his reputation & demand.

just always remember the difference between gross monies and then net after taxes, agents and extraneous personal expensess. net can be 50% of gross in many cases, sometimes less with accountants, lawyers, extravagant lifestyle, , vacations, gifts, manager, agents. youd be surprised.