Photography Pricing Calculator

Calculate professional photography session pricing based on your time, costs, and desired profit margin. This calculator helps photographers determine competitive yet profitable pricing for photo sessions, packages, and services. Factor in shooting time, editing hours, overhead costs, direct expenses, and profit margins to set sustainable pricing. Perfect for portrait photographers, wedding photographers, commercial shooters, and freelancers.

Total hours for the photo session

Time spent editing and post-processing

Your desired rate per hour

Travel, props, assistants, equipment rental

Insurance, marketing, software (typically 15-30%)

Target profit percentage (typically 20-40%)

Photography Pricing Formulas: Total Hours = Shooting Hours + Editing Hours Labor Cost = Total Hours × Hourly Rate Overhead Cost = Labor Cost × (Overhead % ÷ 100) Total Costs = Labor Cost + Direct Costs + Overhead Cost Final Price = Total Costs ÷ (1 - Profit Margin % ÷ 100) Profit = Final Price - Total Costs Effective Hourly Rate = Final Price ÷ Total Hours Where: - Direct Costs: travel, props, assistants, rentals - Overhead: insurance, marketing, software (15-30%) - Profit Margin: typically 20-40%
Example Calculation: Shooting Hours = 2 Editing Hours = 4 Hourly Rate = $100 Direct Costs = $50 Overhead = 20% Profit Margin = 30% Total Hours = 2 + 4 = 6 hours Labor Cost = 6 × $100 = $600 Overhead Cost = $600 × 0.20 = $120 Total Costs = $600 + $50 + $120 = $770 Final Price = $770 ÷ (1 - 0.30) = $1,100 Profit = $1,100 - $770 = $330 Effective Hourly Rate = $1,100 ÷ 6 = $183.33/hour Basic Package = $1,100 × 0.85 = $935 Premium Package = $1,100 × 1.5 = $1,650

How do I calculate my photography session pricing?

Calculate photography pricing by adding: (1) your desired hourly rate × total hours (shooting + editing), (2) direct costs (travel, equipment rental, props), (3) overhead costs (equipment depreciation, insurance, marketing), and (4) profit margin (typically 20-40%). For example, a 2-hour shoot with 3 hours editing at $100/hour = $500, plus $50 costs and 30% markup = $715 session price.

What should I charge per hour as a photographer?

Hourly rates vary by experience and market. Beginners typically charge $50-100/hour, intermediate photographers charge $100-250/hour, and experienced professionals charge $250-500+/hour. Consider your skill level, market rates, costs, and desired annual income. Remember to include editing time, which typically takes 2-3x longer than shooting time.

How much editing time should I factor into pricing?

Editing typically takes 2-4 hours for every hour of shooting, depending on the deliverables. Portrait sessions might need 2-3 hours of culling and basic editing. Weddings require 20-40 hours of editing for an 8-hour shoot. Commercial work with extensive retouching can take 6-10 hours per shooting hour. Always track your actual editing time to price accurately.

What costs should I include in my photography pricing?

Include direct costs (travel, props, assistants, location fees), equipment costs (camera depreciation, lens rentals, maintenance), operational overhead (insurance, software subscriptions, website, marketing), and business expenses (taxes, retirement, healthcare). Also factor in non-billable time spent on consultations, client communications, and business administration.

What profit margin should photographers aim for?

Professional photographers should aim for 30-50% profit margin after all expenses. This ensures business sustainability, equipment upgrades, and income stability during slow periods. Calculate by: (Revenue - All Costs) ÷ Revenue × 100. If your session costs $400 in time and expenses and you charge $600, that's a 33% profit margin, which is healthy.

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