What to include in your costs as a photographer
- Camera bodies, lenses and lighting — and replacing them every few years
- Equipment and liability insurance
- Editing software, storage and backups
- Travel to shoots
- Marketing and booking tools
How photographers usually price their work
Clients see the shoot, but most of the work happens before and after: planning, travel, culling, editing and delivery. Photographers usually charge a session or day fee plus usage/licensing for commercial work.
Tip: A one-hour shoot can easily mean four to five hours of total work. That's why this page assumes only 40% of your working time is billable shooting time.
How the calculation works
Your rate = (target take-home ÷ (1 − tax rate) + business expenses) × (1 + buffer) ÷ billable hours. Billable hours are your working weeks × hours per week × the share of time you can actually bill. More about the method →