How Much Do Photographers Charge in 2023?

Beginner photographers typically aren’t paid, or they don’t usually ask for a fee.

Some beginners and hobbyists are pretty good. Others are really just starting out and have only basic camera equipment. If they are taking a couple of shots for their mate, hopefully, they will buy them a beer. In major capital city CBD, that’s about $10. So when thinking about photography prices for beginners, they just might be happy with the value they are getting from the experience bank they are building.

Do Amateur Photographers charge fees?

Amateur rates are up to $50 per hour. One could argue that by description, an amateur would not earn money from their effort. Let’s go with the idea that they sometimes do, and it’s only a side interest.

There are a lot of the upcoming photographers that will get a free ticket to a show and photograph it. If you don’t mind late nights and solo work this can be fun if you like live music. So a ticket just may be worth $50.

How much to pay photography tertiary Student?

Photography Student’s fee is up to about $120 per hour. That’s about right in AU dollars if they are part way through a multiyear structured photography course.

What are Semi-pro Photographer freelance rates?

Semi-pro rates up to $150 per hour. This description get a few people riled on up photography forums? Like most of the categories, there’s a fair amount of variation up until this point in their career development.

At semi-pro level you’d be building your own network, might start to pick up semi regular shoots with a client. Developing or building your contacts list should be an active part of their process.

How much are Corporate Event Photography Rates?

Professional Corporate event photography prices are from $220 per hour or around $400-$600 for a typical 2 hours run and gun type shoot.

Our recommendation is to book a minimum half day shoot for better value.

See this page for Corporate Headshots in Sydney CBD

This page for Sydney Headshot Prices

And this one for Portraits rates.

The costs to start a photography business can easily amount to around $20,000 in camera and simple lighting equipment. You don’t need to have everything day one, but keep the investment required in mind when you are working out your margins for profit. This will buy enough camera kits for most freelance photography assignments.

Like most professional services providers, there will be a considerable time investment pre and post-event. Take into account booking preliminaries (aka preparation). Time is money, you’ll need to calculate the time required for doing research, educating yourself, hiring graphic designers for collateral. Market research on understanding your target market and demographics.

To do this properly it can take a fair amount of time and it gets allowed for in the prices or rates quoted. One business mistake entry-level photographers make is not allowing for the fact you are a freelancer and all the extras that mount up quickly that will cost you big dollars at some point.

What are the hidden costs of running a photography business?

• Super contribution of 11%
• Personal Tax average 30%
• Allowance for 4 weeks paid annual leave
• Allowance of 10 days paid Sick leave and Family Leave

Super guarantee rate increase

The minimum super guarantee (SG) rate you must pay for each eligible employee is 11% of their ordinary time earnings (OTE). This is scheduled to progressively increase to 12% on 1 July 2025

You’ll need to ensure your payroll and accounting systems are updated to incorporate the increase to the super rate. The scheduled rate increases and dates can be found at ato.gov.au/SuperRate

And if you’d like to make co-contributions, allow for that in your calculations of the cost of doing business.

Do photographers listed on aggregate booking services websites take this into account. Maybe or probably not. Should they, yes.

Cost fee structure

Professional Photographers average out their total costs of doing business when creating their fee structure. One factor that is often overlooked is the processing of the photos.

All our event photos are processed in house using professional software such as Capture One Pro on Eizo monitors that are hardware calibrated. Back of house costs add to the rates charged. They also add a significant amount of value in the quality of the delivered photos.

We understand the cost of doing business. If your budget is tight we don’t always recommend the hour by hour price method. It may cost you more as the hourly fees or rates may be higher. We suggest hiring for either half or a full day. When hired on full day rates basis, usually the professional photographer stays on location much longer than just the standard 8 hours. For half day rate, they may need to get to their next booking, not always but…

Sustainable photography pricing?

With anything much under $180 per hour pricing, we doubt you’ll get very useful image content that captures the essence of the occasion and your business.

For example, if you require a photographer to relate to your executives or be comfortable in the boardroom. Or in front of a very large audience who would you select as the photographer?

Someone who is starting out that you found on a third party aggregation website, or with no experience in the business world? Nope, you’d want someone who has spent a fair amount of time in similar situations. All professional photographers we see have invested in their own branded website and has shown commitment to their craft for a long time.

If they are running a business and spend considerable time in; the prelim preparation phase, on location hours and then post assignment work they certainly won’t be charging only $100 an hour.

How much does it Cost to Start a Photography Business?

Gaining years of experience has a time cost. The time and effort of being on location and $20 000+ in tools and camera equipment, you’d want an appropriate return on investment.

Most Studios invest even more than that as quality specialist Lighting equipment for off camera shooting can easily add up to $10 000 on it’s own.

​Business Start Up ​Camera ​Equipment ​Budget

• Basic lighting from $2000
• Camera bodies from ​$​5000
• Lens kit $12 000
• Accessories ​$​1000
• ​Camera ​Bag ​$​500

One cost that also needs some consideration is the time gaining experience and education. Building up a solid Portfolio of work takes time and planning, so allow for that cost.

Would you only pay yourself less than $20 an hour as a professional photographer ? And that’s before tax. Wouldn’t cover insurance or transport, not in Sydney at least. Once you factor in the 20%-30% tax photographers have to pay as an independent contractor, that time may have as well have been volunteer work. We’re not dissing volunteering, we think it’s incredibly important and do so ourselves. Check out our about page.

Happy to hear your point of view on this, send us an email if you agree or otherwise.

Do I pay Tax on Photography Fees?

While on the subject of Tax. If you are in Australia you will need to select Code 69910 for your tax return or BAS quarterly submissions. And don’t forget to pay your GST. The tax office is very diligent in collecting every dollar owed.

Tax Code 69910 applies to most “Professional Photographic Services”
Generally described as “providing still, video or computer photography services, including the video taping of special events such as weddings.
Primary Activities includes; Portrait photography service, Professional photography service, Street photography service, Studio photography service, Video filming of special events (e.g. birthdays, weddings) and Wedding photography services. This is very similar to insurance certificates for public liability for photographers.