How Much Do Photographers Charge?
Photography Pricing Lists
With strong business growth, Photography Prices have been close to optimal value for both buyers and photographers. Inflationary pressures now dominate rising business costs. As always, how much budget to set aside for quality professional photography is a good question to carefully consider. Part time photographers may be ok, full time photographers will suit some clients more than others.
See the lists below for average prices for many different types of popular photography genres.
Photography Pricing Expectations in an Inflationary Marketplace
This informational pricing guide will help you ascertain both what photographers do charge or what they actually do. The article has information on; per photo, per hour, half day and full day and many pricing lists to help you determine good balance between your needs and photographer ability to deliver. The old idiom ‘You get what you pay for’ has never been truer.
How do photographers’ prices compare in changing market expectations with rising costs? How much do and should photographers charge?
To help answer these great questions, this informative article focuses on listing some actual rates (historical) about how much professional photographers were actually charging. (Price data is always from the past).
Some of the data is from us, a professional photography business in Sydney Australia. Not just outsourced copy writers as on some other sites, and data we regularly research from many hundreds of enquires per year.
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Photography Prices in Australia Compared
Australian Photo Rates
How do Australian photography prices and hourly rates compare with other countries? Big cities are expensive places to live and work and would have a significant impact on how you set your prices. Get in touch and let us know if your rates are much higher or lower. A few examples for comparison below.
Hiring a specialist photographer is going to require some investment, that goes for any specialised field. A professional photographer is also a game changer for your peace of mind and getting great results.
Prices and Hourly Rates Comparison
Type | Units | USD | AUD |
Hobbyist photographer | Per Hour | $110 | $157 |
Amateur photographer | Per Hour | $80 | $115 |
Student photographer | Per Hour | $120 | $170 |
Semi-pro photographer | Per Hour | $170 | $240 |
Professional photographers | Per Hour | $270 | $385 |
Wedding photography | Per Wedding | $1700-3700 | $2430-5286 |
Portrait photography | Per Session | $150-370 | $214-528 |
Headshot photography | Per Session | $120-450 | $170-600 |
Product photographers | Per Image | $35-170 | $50-240 |
Professional photography in Australia prices compared
The London Event Photography Company has these rates listed and covers the basics. Flat rates for all the different genres of event photography. Current rates advertised in 2019 http://londoneventphotography.org
Pound Sterling converted to Australian Dollars (Mid May 2019)
- Two hours photography, £350 – AU$644
- Three hours photography, £400 – AU$736
- Four hours photography, £500 – AU$920
- Five hours photography, £600 – AU$1,104
- Six hours photography, £700 – AU$1,287
- Seven hours photography, £800 – AU$1,471
- Full day (eight hours) photography, £900 – AU$1,655
And in Hong Kong by joshtakesphotos.com. Currency converted to Australian dollars in October 2019
Type of Shoot | Details | HKD | AUD |
Event Photos | 2 hour Shoot | $4200 | $790 |
Studio Portraits Package | 2 Hours approx 100 images | $4500 | $845 |
Studio Portraits Package | 3 Hours approx 100 images | $5500 | $1,036 |
Location & Studio | 3+3 hours 300 images | $7800 | $1,470 |
Print and Frame Packages | Canvas, acrylic, metal | $3000 | $565 |
Image Retouching Packages | 8 images approx | $2000 | $376 |
Photo Booth | 3 hours Photography | $4500 | $845 |
Photo Booth Package | Instant Printing 3 hours, 500 glossy | $9000 | $1,695 |
How much do photographers in Melbourne Victoria Charge?
Event photographers in Melbourne charge on average $250-$350 per hour. Melbourne wedding photography is similar to other major Australian cities at $1100 and $4400 per package.
Approximate Melbourne photographer costs by hours for basic photography coverage.
- 1 hour photoshoot, $350
- 2 hour photoshoot $440
- 3 hour photoshoot $550
- 4 hour photoshoot $770
- 5 hour photoshoot $880
- 6 hour photoshoot $1,100
- 8 hour photoshoot $1,330
- 10 hour photoshoot $1,660
Plus taxes and travel and some may have photo limits and extra charges.
How Much Do Salary Photographers Get Paid?
Photographers get paid depending on years of experience, branding, network and some luck.
For beginner Australian photographers starting their journey, one question they may face is. Do I look for a salary photography job? Or do I start marketing myself and become freelance?
According to the research by Pay Scales, beginner photographers can expect to be paid around 30% above Australia’s minimum wage. Which in October 2019 is $38, 521.60 pre tax. With average photographer salary of AU$54,903.
Below is from data sourced from Pay Scales.
Photographer salaries from 1 to 20 years experience
- 1 year experience or less AU$50,000
- 1-4 years experience AU$51,816
- 5-9 years of experience AU$55,604
- 10-19 years of experience earns AU$60,966
- 20 years or more AU$62,857
Across Australia photography salaries vary;
- Sydney +5%
- Melbourne +3%
- Perth 0%
- Adelaide 0%
- Brisbane -4%
- Gold Coast -9%
- Newcastle -34%
Again according to the data Of note, the data sample size varies quite a bit, the lower years of experience, the sample sizes are pretty small. 1 year experience sample size is 14. Where as a photographer with between 10 and 19 years experience, the sample size is 88.
Would these salaries sway you to work for someone else or yourself? Is the attraction to run your own side hustle and charge as a freelancer instead of working on a fixed salary too much of an attraction for you? On salary you’d also be paying tax with less deductions, so check out the ATO tax calculator for that. And before you dive in too deep in either salary or freelancing talk to a professional on the subject.
For newer or beginner photographers looking to start charging and growing their paid customer base and need information on how to actually price up their photography. This photography pricing calculator might help https://www.themoderntog.com/photographers-pricing-guide-business-projections-and-calculations/
The above commentary from Pay Scales data expressed below in 2 Charts. One, the Australian photographer salaries From 1 to 20 years experience. And the other a chart on the average Photographer salary in Australia by a few locations.

Chart – Australian Photographer Salaries From 1 to 20 Years Experience

Chart – Average Photographer Salary in Australia by Location
What does the above charts and data tell you?
Another data survey by Seek says pretty much the same thing as far as income is concerned. https://www.seek.com.au/career-guide/role/photographer. The salaries are fairly consistent between Pay Scales and Seek. Seek has a data sample of 83 live jobs at the time of the research.
It can be a little daunting when you’re starting out and trying to work out rates that are both competitive and commensurable with your level of skill. So hopefully this section of the article helps.
Do you have a resource that would help others and would like us to link to it? drop us a note and we just might write about and link to it.
Photography pricing Influences
Many factors play a part in determining what photography businesses charge, some of which are:
- Style and Consistency – As you look through our work, you’ll see consistency in a style of photography and post-production that is unique to us, you can depend on this consistency for your event.
- Service – At any point in time, before, during, and after the event, you’ll have easy access to your head photographer, we pride ourselves with responsive personal service.
- Post Production – we personally post-process our raw images, we do not farm them off to some overseas mass production house. We use the latest desktop workstations with the latest specialist software to give you dependable and consistent results.
- Photography Equipment – We use professional grade equipment, use only genuine Nikon lenses, no cheap substitutes. Our Eizo monitors are hardware calibrated and very accurate, We have great confidence in our equipment.
- Backups – All images are backed up immediately upon entering our studio, then they are backed up twice, catalogued and logged into our system. We have strict QA processes we always follow before, during starting the post-production work.
- Qualified Second Shooters – We’ve screened countless photographers to find the right people to work with us. Their experience, manner, can do attitude with an eagerness to offer a high level of service is a must. We also look at their equipment list and their years of consistent results
- Years of dedication to their craft and their own unique view.
- Overheads and location can play a huge role in costs of doing business. Big cities and near the CBD adds convenience and overhead.
This list could be very very long, if you would like more information, contact us.
Orlando Sydney’s Biography
Professional Photographer, Orlando Sydney has over 20 years experience in the commercial and corporate sectors. Over his career he has attended and photographed 100’s of business and corporate events. Service excellence has been demonstrated at events ranging from 100 to over 10 000 people in size.
With professional experience in Marketing, Business Development & Strategy, Sales, Floristry, Construction, FMCG, Commercial RE Interiors, Textiles, Electronics, Manufacturing, Workplace diversity and culture. And has been based in Surry Hills Sydney, Australia for over 11 years serving the business community.
Our Expertise is demonstrated with over 1000 photos that are on display on OrlandoSydney.com, plus over 100 detailed articles and pages about photography, and many hundreds of satisfied clients. Orlando Sydney Photography is a member of 3 National Associations and the local Chamber of Commerce Sydney CBD. That combined with behind the lens experience with his first camera in the early 1990’s gives Orlando Sydney a unique perspective in delivering outstanding service.
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Admin for Sydney in B&W and Monochromatic tones photography group since 2009.
Short Film Credit
Short Film; Room 87 (2015) Associate Producer and stills photographer. Premiered at Cannes Short Film Festival.
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