Pricing Yourself Right as a Photographer
One of the biggest mistakes photographers make is pricing emotionally instead of mathematically. Pricing yourself right isn’t about charging what others charge or hoping volume will fix everything — it’s about understanding what your business actually needs to earn.
Cost of Goods: Know Your Per-Session Costs
Your Cost of Goods includes anything directly tied to a client booking. If you don’t shoot, these costs don’t exist — but if you do, they add up quickly. Ignoring them means you’re slowly eroding your profit without realising it.
Cost of Doing Business: The Non-Negotiables
These are the costs that keep your business running in the background. Software, insurance, equipment, marketing — they don’t pause during quiet months. Your pricing must carry these costs every single month.
Your Personal Bills Are Not Optional
Your business exists to support your life. If your pricing doesn’t include your real monthly living costs and a wage, you’re subsidising your business with unpaid labour.
Reverse Engineering Your Pricing
Once you know:
– Monthly CODB
– Average COG
– Personal living costs
– Desired wage
You can calculate how many sessions you need to shoot per month or year to sustain your business. This is where clarity replaces anxiety.
Capacity Over Hustle
If the number of sessions feels unmanageable, the solution isn’t shooting more — it’s pricing smarter. Sustainable pricing allows space for creativity, rest, and longevity.
If you want help working this out step by step, I’ve created a Photography Pricing Calculator designed specifically for photographers who want clarity without overwhelm.
👉 Available now — Photography Pricing Calculator
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