Photography Pricing Calculator
Estimate a shoot quote from planning time, shooting time, editing, expenses, usage, overhead, and profit margin.
Start with the complete job
Include briefing, preparation, shooting, selection, editing, delivery, and administration. All amounts here are USD. These are your assumptions, not a market-rate survey. If you need an hourly starting point, use the cost of doing business calculator first.
Use either a labor rate that excludes overhead plus the overhead allowance below, or a rate that already covers those costs with overhead set to zero. Keep assistant, rental, and outsourced retouching costs in one place. The same expense should not appear twice.
Profit margin is the profit allowance divided by the final quote. For example, a $100 subtotal at 25% margin gives a $133.33 quote. This model includes your usage fee in the subtotal before adding profit; taxes are excluded. Margin is limited to 95%.
Suggested Quote
$2,093.33
Deposit: $837.33 · Balance: $1,256.00 · Total tracked hours: 10
| Line Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Labor10 hours at $85.00/hour | $850.00 |
| Direct expensesStudio, props, travel, assistants, rentals, parking | $250.00 |
| Usage/licensingCommercial value and usage rights | $300.00 |
| Overhead allowance20% of labor | $170.00 |
| Profit allowance25% of the final quote | $523.33 |
Worked quote: ten product images
Imagine five matte products with two finished views each: 2 hours of preparation, 3 hours shooting, and 5 hours editing at $85/hour. Add $250 direct expenses, $300 usage allowance, and overhead at 20% of labor. This assumes one setup and one consolidated correction round.
Labor is $850; overhead is $170. The subtotal is $1,570. A 25% margin gives $1,570 ÷ 0.75 = $2,093.33 before tax. A 40% deposit is $837.33; the balance is $1,256.00. The example usage amount is illustrative, and the license scope must be agreed separately.
Margin is different from markup
A 25% markup on $100 gives $125 and a 20% margin. A 25% margin requires $133.33. This calculator divides the subtotal by one minus your margin. With your current inputs: $1,570.00 ÷ 0.75 = $2,093.33.
Here, usage is included before margin. If you negotiate a final license fee outside this model, set usage to zero and add that fee separately to your proposal. Do not enter a final fee here and then charge it again. Payment processing and taxes are not added automatically.
How to use this estimate
- Treat the result as a quoting floor, not a universal market rate.
- Add usage fees for commercial, paid ad, packaging, or broad brand use.
- Mirror studio cancellation terms in your client agreement.
- Track actual hours after the job and adjust future packages.
What this calculator does not include
- Taxes, payment processing, and local legal requirements.
- Advanced licensing models for major advertising campaigns.
- Retouching specialists, stylists, models, permits, or rush delivery unless added as expenses.
- Your local market positioning and portfolio strength.