1
Your Real Monthly Costs
These exist whether you shoot one job this month or twenty. Estimate if you don't know exactly — round numbers are fine. Honesty matters more than precision.
Gear payments or replacement savings
Camera, lenses, drone, lighting — what you pay or set aside monthly
Software subscriptions
Adobe CC, Lightroom presets, Capture One, cloud storage, gallery delivery
Vehicle & fuel (business portion)
Estimate the percentage of your vehicle costs that are work-related
Insurance
Gear insurance + liability — you need both. Monthly equivalent.
Phone & internet (business portion)
Estimate what percentage serves your business
Website & marketing
Hosting, domain, portfolio platform, business cards, paid ads
Other regular business expenses
Studio rent, props, memberships, accounting software, education
Total Monthly Costs (A)
$0
2
Your Time
How many hours per month can you realistically devote to photography? Include everything: shooting, editing, driving, client communication, and admin.
hrs total
hrs overhead
Billable Shoot Hours / Month (B)
Available hours minus non-shooting overhead
0 hrs
3
What You Need to Take Home
What do you need to earn from photography each month to make it worth doing — or to eventually replace other income? Be realistic, not aspirational.
After this worksheet, this becomes your floor — not your ceiling.
The Calculation
(A + C) ÷ B = Your Minimum Hourly Rate
(
$0
+
$0
)
÷
0 hrs
=
My Minimum Rate
Based on your costs, time, and income target
—
per hour
4
The Honest Reality Check
Compare your minimum rate to what the market actually pays. This is where the worksheet earns its keep.
| Niche | Entry-Level (no portfolio) | Experienced (6+ mo. + proof) |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate (residential) | $100 – $175 / shoot | $200 – $400+ / shoot |
| Architecture / Interior | $150 – $300 / session | $500 – $1,500 / project |
| Food / Restaurant | $100 – $250 / session | $400 – $1,200 / session |
| Commercial / Industrial | $200 – $400 / half day | $800 – $2,500 / day |
| Corporate events | $150 – $300 / event | $800 – $2,500 / day |
| Portrait / Headshots | $75 – $150 / session | $250 – $800 / session |
| Aerial / Drone | $125 – $250 / shoot | $400 – $1,500 / project |
Complete Parts 1 – 3 to see your verdict.
Once you enter your costs, time, and income target above, this section will tell you exactly where you stand — and what to do about it.