How to Price Your Photoshoot Packages for Profit and Growth

Photographers often struggle with pricing — too low and you burn out, too high and you lose clients. This article outlines a practical pricing model based on costs, desired hourly pay, and value-based add-ons so that your packages are profitable and scalable.

“Price tells clients what you value — make sure your prices reflect both your costs and the client’s perception of value.”

Step 1 — Calculate your baseline costs

Start by calculating fixed and variable costs per shoot:

• Fixed monthly overhead (rent, utilities, insurance) divided by expected number of shoots.
• Variable costs (assistant fees, wardrobe, props, travel).
• Editing time and post-production software subscriptions.

Example: If your monthly overhead is $3,000 and you plan 12 shoots a month, allocate $250 per shoot for overhead.

Step 2 — Desired take-home and hourly rate

Decide how much you want to earn per hour. Consider non-shooting hours: marketing, admin, and client communication. If you want a $50/hour take-home and expect to spend 10 hours on a shoot (shoot, editing, client calls), then you need $500 just for labor.

Step 3 — Add margins and profit goals

Add a margin to cover unpredictable expenses and growth. A common small-studio margin is 20–30% above costs. This becomes your buffer for equipment upgrades and marketing spend.

Step 4 — Create tiered packages

Offer 3–4 packages: Basic (quick headshots), Standard (extended portraits with wardrobe), Premium (on-location, multiple looks, priority delivery). Packages help clients self-select and reduce price-haggling. Include clear deliverables: number of final edited images, usage rights, and turnaround time.

Step 5 — Add-ons and a la carte pricing

Offer add-ons like extra retouched images, priority turnaround, styling, or social cuts. Add-ons let you keep base packages competitive while enabling higher spenders to customize.

Step 6 — Presenting price professionally

Use clean PDFs or an online pricing page. Show value visually with example galleries and case studies. Offer payment plans and retainers. Make terms clear: what constitutes a re-shoot, cancellation policy, and how additional usage is charged.

Step 7 — Pricing psychology

List three packages; the middle one usually gets the most sales. Offer ‘starter incentives’ like a seasonal discount to convert hesitant leads, but avoid perpetual discounting that devalues your work.

Step 8 — Review and adjust

Set quarterly reviews to compare actual costs to estimates. Track conversion rates and average revenue per booking. If your bookings are steady and profitable, raise prices incrementally instead of applying large hikes.

Conclusion

Pricing is a mixture of math and communication. Know your costs, set income targets, create tiered offerings, and communicate value clearly. When pricing is done right, you protect your creative time and build a business that supports growth and consistent quality.