Pricing Your Photography for Beginners
One of the biggest questions I hear from new photographers is: “How do I pick my prices?”
It’s a fair question, and honestly, one I wrestled with myself when I first started. Pricing can feel like a guessing game, especially when you’re balancing confidence, experience, and the very real costs of running a photography business.
The truth is: you don’t need to price yourself like a seasoned pro right out of the gate. But you do deserve to get paid fairly for your time, skills, and expenses.
Step 1: Add Up Your Expenses
Start with your cost of doing business. That means everything it takes to keep your business running—big and small:
Photography-specific expenses: camera bodies, lenses, memory cards, batteries, editing software, client gallery delivery, contracts, insurance, backup drives, etc.
General business expenses: laptop, internet, phone, website, marketing, subscriptions, bookkeeping tools.
Personal expenses (if you’re full-time): rent, groceries, health insurance. Because if your business is your main income, those costs have to be covered too.
👉 If you’re still side-hustling, you can leave personal expenses out for now. But if you plan to go full-time, start factoring them in sooner rather than later.
Step 2: Consider Your Capacity
How many jobs can you realistically take on in a year?
Be honest about your bandwidth, especially in busy seasons. For example, most photographers book more in summer and fall, and fewer in winter if they don’t have a studio.
Divide your total yearly expenses by the number of sessions you think you can take. That number? It’s your minimum per job just to break even.
Now… double this amount. That gives you room to actually pay yourself and reinvest in your business. Whether that’s saving for new lenses, upgrading your office space, investing in education, or anything else that improves your business.
👉 During your first year or so, it’s totally fine to offer a hefty discount while you’re portfolio-building. You could even do 50% off if you wanted (keep in mind, that means you’re just breaking even). Just make sure clients know why they’re receiving a discount, because you’re building your portfolio. That way, they understand the full value of your work, and you’re not undercutting the photography industry.
Step 3: Get Experience the Right Way
If you’re just starting out, I recommend beginning with sessions. They’re manageable, less risky, and you’ll quickly get practice with posing, lighting, and client interaction.
Curious about weddings? Reach out to photographers you admire and offer to second shoot. It’s the best way to learn without the full pressure of being the lead. Once you’re ready to take on weddings yourself, redo your math with the added expenses (extra batteries, assistants, backup gear, liability insurance, etc.).
Step 4: Always Take a Retainer
Whether it’s a session or a wedding, you should be taking a non-refundable retainer.
Why? Because your time is valuable. When a client cancels, you lose two opportunities: the money from their session and the potential income from someone else who would have booked that date.
A retainer protects both you and the client:
It shows you are committed.
It helps them take the session seriously.
Flat Rate vs. Percentage Retainers
There are two common ways photographers structure retainers:
Percentage-based (anywhere from 10% to 50% of the total)
Flat-rate
I’ve used both. Here’s what I’ve learned:
For years, I used a percentage-based deposit for weddings. The problem? Couples had to lock in coverage hours and extras long before they had a clear vision for their day. It caused decision fatigue—right when they were already juggling flowers, seating charts, and guest lists.
Now, I use a flat-rate deposit on my base wedding package ($1,000). Simple. It locks in their date, and they can decide on extras later once plans are clearer.
For sessions, I typically stick to a percentage (50%). It’s easy, straightforward, and works well for smaller bookings.
Photographer pricing worksheet
Knowing your numbers is the first step toward confident pricing.
That’s why I created a free Photographer Pricing Worksheet—to help you calculate expenses, set fair rates, and start building a sustainable business.