Free tool for portrait and wedding photographers
Photography session price calculator
Session price = (shoot + editing + admin hours) × hourly rate + costs, ÷ (1 − fee %). In the example, a 2-hour shoot with 6 hours of editing and 2 hours of travel and admin is 10 hours; at $75 an hour that is $750 of labor, and $60 of costs makes $810. Dividing by 0.97 for a 3% payment fee gives $835.05, of which $25.05 covers the fee. That is $417.53 per hour on camera.
Last updated 2026-11-12.
- Session price
- Total hours
- Labor (hours × rate)
- Labor + costs
- Fees covered
- Price per hour on camera
Check the inputs: shoot hours and rate above 0, other hours and costs not negative, fees from 0% to 30%.
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Example scenarios
Three sets of example inputs worked through the same formulas as the calculator above. They are illustrations, not averages or statistics.
| Scenario | Inputs | Total hours | Labor | Fees covered | Session price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 1 h shoot, 2 h editing, 1 h admin at $50/h, $20 costs, 3% fee | 4 h | $200.00 | $6.80 | $226.80 |
| Typical | 2 h shoot, 6 h editing, 2 h admin at $75/h, $60 costs, 3% fee | 10 h | $750.00 | $25.05 | $835.05 |
| High | 8 h shoot, 20 h editing, 6 h admin at $100/h, $450 costs, 3.5% fee | 34 h | $3,400.00 | $139.64 | $3,989.64 |
Method: Hours = shoot + editing + travel and admin hours; labor = hours × target hourly rate; subtotal = labor + direct costs (prints, second shooter, gallery, mileage); price = subtotal ÷ (1 − platform and payment fee %), so the fee comes out and the subtotal is left. Figures checked against the same formulas on 2026-11-12.
How the calculator works
A session takes far more time than the shoot itself. Add the hours on camera, the hours spent culling and editing, and the hours for travel, calls, emails and gallery delivery; multiply the total by the hourly rate you want to earn.
Direct costs are what this session costs you in cash: prints, an album, a second shooter, a location fee, mileage or a gallery. Card processors and booking platforms take a percentage of the price, so the subtotal is divided by (1 − fee %) rather than having the fee added on; that way the fee comes out of the price and your subtotal is left.
Worked example
A family session is a 2-hour shoot, 6 hours of editing and 2 hours of travel and admin: 10 hours. At $75 an hour the labor is $750; with $60 of costs the subtotal is $810.
With a 3% payment fee the price is $810 ÷ 0.97 = $835.05. The processor keeps $25.05 and you keep $810. Spread over the 2 hours on camera, that is $417.53 per shoot hour, which is why the session price is much higher than the hourly rate.
Choosing the hourly rate
Your hourly rate has to cover more than your pay: gear, software, insurance, marketing and the weeks with no bookings. One way is to add up a year of business costs and the income you want, then divide by the hours you can really book and edit in a year.
Time a few real sessions from first email to delivered gallery before you trust the hour counts. Sales tax, if it applies to your sessions, is added on top of this price; check the rules where you work.
What this tool does not do
It prices one session and keeps nothing after you close the page. It does not tell you what photographers charge in your area, plan packages or work out income tax; it is arithmetic on your numbers, not business or tax advice.
Questions
Why divide by (1 − fee) instead of adding 3%?
Because the fee is taken from the whole price. Adding 3% of $810 gives $834.30, and 3% of that is $25.03, leaving you $809.27; dividing gives $835.05 and leaves exactly $810.
Should editing time really count?
Yes. If editing is not in the price, it is unpaid work; the calculator counts every hour at the same rate.
Does this page store my numbers?
No. The math runs in your browser; nothing is sent or saved.
Made by Bardach Technologies. We also make Lens & Proof, a separate Notion shoot workflow for solo wedding and portrait photographers: five linked databases (shoots, clients, payments, shoot tasks, email snippets) that follow each shoot from inquiry to delivered gallery, retainers and balances marked Paid, Due or Overdue, a 12-step checklist per shoot and 24 client email drafts you edit (USD 55.99, one-time purchase on Gumroad). It does not price sessions or size prints. This calculator is free and needs no sign-up; nothing is charged on this page. Get Lens & Proof on Gumroad (USD 55.99)