One of the most stressful things about being a service provider is setting your rates. Normally, you would scope out rates of others in your field and place yourself in a range that fits your level of expertise and your target market.
With interior photography, though, it seems like pricing information is impossible to find! Most projects are custom quoted, and most photographers seem to keep their pricing info very hidden from non-clients. So just how are you supposed to know where to start?
Let’s begin with how to structure your rates. Meaning, how is the pricing broken down and presented to your clients? There are a few ways to do this, so we’ll take a look at each one.
- Day rate. You have a rate that covers your services for the day and includes a set number of photos. For example, you charge $2,500 for a full day of shooting and that includes 40 edited images.
- Packages. Pre-planned packages, usually include a set number of rooms/spaces and a set number of photos for a fixed amount. Having a series of packages for varying project sizes gives some flexibility. For example, $1,200 for 2 spaces and 10 photos.
- Per photo. Charging just a per photo rate means that you don’t charge for the shoot itself, but then have a fixed price for each final photo selected. These rates typically have a minimum required purchase. For example, you charge $200 per photo, and have a 4 photo minimum.
- Session fee + per photo. Similar to the per photo model, but this includes charging a session fee for the time and effort of doing the session. For example, it’s $200 for the session fee and then $150 per photo, with a 3 photo minimum.
No matter what rate structure you choose, make sure it feels comfortable for you and is laid out clearly for your clients to understand. The actual rates you charge will vary depending on your market and target clients, so it may take some time to find rates that feel like the perfect fit. The best way to figure out what rates are being charged by other interior photographers is to connect with people! Seek out others doing interior work or ask any current clients about what sort of other quotes they’ve gotten from photographers. If you’re a female photographer, consider joining our community as an official member and access our private Facebook group, where you'll connect with a worldwide tribe of other female photographers ready to support and cheer you on!
Above all, be patient with yourself and remember that you can experiment with different rates and structures until you find the best fit.
xo
Natalia