Photography business · Pricing
Photography shoot pricing calculator.
Add up every hour a shoot really takes, editing included, and get the price that pays you your target hourly rate.
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How this is calculated
Price = ((total hours x your hourly rate) + overhead) / (1 - fee%). Total hours is shoot time plus travel and prep plus editing (images x minutes per image / 60). The last step adds the payment fee on top so it does not reduce your pay.
Worked example. A 4-hour shoot with 2 hours of travel and prep, 50 delivered images edited at 3 minutes each (2.5 hours), a $60 hourly rate, $40 overhead and a 3% fee. Total hours: 8.5. Labour: 8.5 x $60 = $510.00. Add $40 overhead for $550.00, then divide by 0.97 to cover the fee: $567.01. That is $11.34 per image and $141.75 per hour on location, which is why shoot-time-only pricing under-charges.
Frequently asked questions
How do I price a photoshoot?
Add every hour the job takes (shooting, travel, prep, culling and editing), multiply by the hourly rate you need, add overhead, then add your payment fee. Compare that number with what local clients will pay before you quote.
Should editing time be in the price?
Yes. Editing is often as long as the shoot or longer, so leaving it out means working unpaid. Use the editing time calculator to estimate it from your photo counts.
What hourly rate should I use?
The rate is your own decision. Work back from the income you need and the billable hours you can realistically book, and treat this tool as arithmetic, not a market rate.
Why is the price per shoot hour so much higher than my hourly rate?
Because the price also pays for travel, prep and editing hours the client never sees, plus overhead and fees. Showing only the on-location rate hides that work.
Sources
Checked
No published standard sets photographer prices, so this page cites none. Every figure is arithmetic on the numbers you enter.
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Estimate
Estimate based on the numbers you enter. It is not financial, tax or legal advice.