Photography Invoice Template

If you’re a photographer, you may already deal with clients who push back on your prices. With the right photography invoice, though, you can show clients that their money goes toward a whole creative process, not just the time it takes to snap a photo.

Choosing Your Pricing Method

Before you write your first photography invoice, you’ll need to decide on a pricing method. These are some common ones:

• Cost-Plus: Add up your expenses, plus your desired profit margin.
• Hourly: Set an hourly rate for shooting time and another rate for editing and post-processing.
• Per Image: Charge a set session fee and then allow clients to buy edited photos.

Less commonly, photographers may use value-based pricing, where they charge based on value to the client.

What to Include on the Invoice

So what goes on a photography invoice? Some of the essentials include:

• Your company’s name and contact details
• The client’s name and contact information
• The invoice number and the date it was issued
• A description of the services the client received
• An itemized price breakdown for services
• Any fees or deposits the client has already paid
• Any applicable sales tax
• The total amount due
• The due date and how the clients may make payments

You should also cover any other relevant information, like applicable late fees.

How to Build and Brand It

Your invoice is an important part of your brand. Consider adding the following to make it your own:

• Your logo
• A color scheme that uses your brand colors
• A font that matches your brand identity

With these elements, you can create a photography invoice template that you can later use for further invoices.

Billing Travel and Extra Costs

Your time isn’t the only factor that matters when it comes to pricing. Travel expenses, equipment costs and rent or other overhead are critical as well.

If you draft an independent contractor agreement with an assistant or have employees, make sure to factor wages into your pricing.

Adding Licensing and Usage Terms

Your image licensing and usage terms should cover the following:

• Where the photo may appear
• Whether the client has the right to sell or license images
• How long the client has the right to use the images
• Whether the client is allowed to edit the photos

You should also specify whether the client must credit you for the photo if they publish it.

Setting Payment Terms and Deposits

Many photographers require clients to pay a 50% deposit (or retainer) to book a session. They then require the remaining balance to be paid on the date of the shoot or before.

Your payment terms and any required deposits should be clearly detailed when you draft a photography service agreement.

Why Having the Right Documents Matters

During the process of building your business, having the right documents is critical. If you do need to pursue litigation or otherwise have to deal with a payment dispute at some point, a paper trail can protect you.

If you’re not sure what documents you need, ConsumerShield is here to assist. Explore our collection of legal document templates and guides today.