📷 Photography Tools
Photographer Rate Calculator
What do you need to charge per shoot and per hour to hit your annual income goal?
Your details
Gear, software, insurance, marketing
Fill in the details and click calculate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hourly rate do I need as a full-time photographer?
Target income + annual costs (gear, insurance, software, marketing, taxes) ÷ realistic billable hours. Most full-timers bill only 15–25 hours weekly after admin and editing — $75k take-home often requires a $125–175 effective hourly rate.
Why can't I charge what a salaried job pays per hour?
You now fund both sides of payroll taxes, health insurance, gear, and unpaid admin time. A $40/hour salary equivalent needs roughly $80–100/hour freelance to match.
How should travel time be billed?
Common approaches: free within a stated radius, then $0.65–1.00 per mile or half your hourly rate for travel time beyond it. Publish the policy to avoid negotiating every job.
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