YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION PRICE ISN'T YOUR HOURLY RATE
You're not just getting paid for the hour you're holding your camera.
Your price also has to account for:
Editing
Editing is part of the job and it can take just as much time as the actual session. Your pricing needs to account for the time you spend culling, editing, retouching, exporting, uploading, and delivering a finished gallery.
Client
Communication
Your time starts before you ever pick up your camera. Emails, phone calls, questionnaires, planning, scheduling, answering questions, and follow-ups are all part of the client experience — and they all take time.
Software
Most photographers have monthly or annual software expenses that are easy to overlook when deciding what to charge. Editing programs, CRM systems, galleries, websites, email platforms, cloud storage, and other subscriptions all become part of the cost of running your business.
Equipment
Your camera and lenses aren't the only equipment expenses. Memory cards, batteries, lighting, stands, computers, hard drives, props, backdrops, and eventually replacing or upgrading gear all cost money. Your pricing should leave room for the equipment your business depends on.
Insurance
Photography businesses can have risks that personal insurance doesn't cover. Business insurance can help protect you and your equipment from certain unexpected situations. The type and amount of coverage you'll need depends on your business, location, and circumstances.
Marketing
Getting clients doesn't happen for free. Whether you're spending money on advertising, printed materials, social media tools, networking, promotions, or simply investing your time creating content, marketing is part of running a photography business.
And lastly
You can’t forget about...
Taxes
The money that comes into your business isn't necessarily the money you get to keep. Depending on where you live and how your business is structured, you may have income taxes, self-employment taxes, sales tax, or other tax obligations. Set money aside rather than treating every dollar you receive as spendable income.
Your Time
This is probably the one photographers underestimate the most.
A "one-hour session" might actually include several hours of work between emails, preparation, driving, shooting, culling, editing, gallery delivery, ordering appointments, bookkeeping, and follow-up.
You're not just charging for the hour you're holding your camera. You're charging for everything it took to create the finished experience and images your client receives.
So...what should you actually charge?
There's no universal photography price that works for every photographer. Your pricing needs to reflect your expenses, your time, your experience, the type of photography you offer, and the income you're trying to create.
That's why I created The Beginner Photographer Business Guide — to help you work through the business side of photography instead of simply picking a number that sounds right along with all the details of switching from hobby photographer to a full blown business.
See the full guide on Etsy →