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Mary,
My fix for all travel questions.
When I was working for Portrait Brokers, I ran into the problem of living in Wisconsin when most of their commissions were from the South. Many of my competitors were living within driving distance and did not charge for travel, where I had the dreaded "...travel expenses not included" hanging over my price, which could easily dissuade a potential client.
What I do now: as I make up my price list and come up with what I consider a fair price, I tack on $500 to each price on the fee schedule. Sometimes my travel costs are more, sometimes my travel costs are less, but in the end they are all covered. I do not announce that this fee is in the cost of the portrait, I just say, "All travel fees included."
I learned a very important lesson at some mid point in my career. People are apprehensive about add-ons. If they are paying, say, $5,000 (...or $30,000...) for a painting, they don't want an additional bill for $334 for air fare, $190 for hotel, $17 for taxi, $5 for tips.
At the least, increase your portrait price to include your car travel expenses. It then becomes a non-issue.
Peggy
(BTW, I wouldn't worry that charging the same amount for travel fees to your next door neighbor as you do to the family three hours away, is not being "fair." There are too many intangibles in this business to think that the process is ever equal. Paintings that paint themselves in days and others that you take months to complete, photo sessions you have to re-shoot, paintings you have to do over, the list is endless....)
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