Your numbers
What a photographer should include in expenses
Typical costs include camera bodies and lenses, insurance, editing software, storage, travel. Add your own and keep receipts for tax time.
Where unbilled time goes
Photographers commonly lose billable hours to editing, culling, client communication and marketing. Count these when choosing your billable hours per week.
Pricing models
Common choices are session fees, day rates, packages and licensing fees.
Tip: Shoot time is a fraction of the job; budget editing hours into every package.
The math
Gross revenue = ($65,000 + $14,000) ÷ 0.72 = $109,722. Billable hours = (52 − 5) × 18 = 846. Minimum rate = $109,722 ÷ 846 = $130 per hour. See the methodology. Example inputs are illustrations, not market data.
General hourly rate calculator · Tax set-aside · Retainer pricing · All professions
Frequently asked questions
What should a photographer charge per hour?
It depends on your target income, costs and billable time. With $65,000 take-home, $14,000 expenses, a 28% tax set-aside, 5 weeks off and 18 billable hours a week, the minimum comes to about $130 per hour. These are example inputs, so enter your own.
How many billable hours does a photographer really have?
Many freelancers bill fewer hours than they work because of editing, culling, client communication and marketing. The example uses 18 billable hours a week; track your own time to find your number.
How should a photographer price work?
Common models are session fees, day rates, packages and licensing fees.
Is this the rate I should quote?
No. It is the minimum that meets your targets. Add margin for demand, specialty and risk.