Demystifying Photography Pricing: 8 Factors that Determine Travel Branding Photoshoot Prices

Aug 15

When wanting to hire a branding photographer, price is a factor that is often difficult to find information about. I believe that it is crucial to know what to expect when hiring a photographer so that you can budget accordingly. There are a variety of factors determining the price of a photoshoot. Today I am going to give a comprehensive guide to what can influence the pricing of travel and adventure branding photography packages. Please note that photographers' fees vary based on their location and currency, experience in the field, and services offered.

So let's look at some of the factors that have an effect on pricing:

1. Photography Experience and Expertise

The first thing that comes to mind is of course the experience and expertise of the photographer. It takes many years and lots of work to build up the skills and portfolio necessary to be able to offer professional services. Photography is a complex profession that has artistic, logistical, and financial aspects. All of these take years to learn and master, and can take anywhere between 5 to 10 years.

Laptop screen with Lightroom open on it and coffee next to it — *Image source: Unsplash*

2. Project Scope and Complexity

The price of the packages can vary depending on the complexity of the project and the assets necessary to complete the assignment. Elaborate concepts, intricate setups, or unique technical requirements can increase costs due to the complexity involved.

3. Time and Resources

Time is money and this is true for photography as well. A professional photographer will charge anywhere between 50 and 300 euros/hour for a session. This can either be built into the final price of the service or the photographer may charge you by the hour. A day’s rate of photography price generally covers a lot more than just the shooting hours. The price usually includes the preparation as well as post-processing costs. If you need the images within a shorter time frame, it might require extra resources to speed up the editing process.

Photographer taking picture of woman in nature — *Image source: Unsplash*

4. Pre-Session Planning

Collaborative pre-session discussions are essential for the success of the photoshoot. These meetings help your photographer understand your vision, goals, and the story you want to convey. Based on this, they can put together the vision board and shot list for you to approve before the actual shoot takes place. This planning phase lays the foundation for a successful photoshoot and it takes time and effort to bring your vision to life.

5. Location and Travel

The location of the shoot is another factor that can impact costs. If your branding requires travel or access to unique settings or specific locations, this will influence pricing. This is especially true to travel and adventure photography where travel and logistics will naturally affect the price of the final product.

6. Equipment and Technology

High-quality equipment and technology are essential for creating stunning visuals. These tools contribute to the cost of the session. Software is a monthly cost that is a necessary tool for delivering high-end pictures. Photography gear is also a high-cost investment. It takes constant maintenance and regular upgrading to produce the desired photographs.

7. Props and Styling

Depending on your brand's requirements, props, styling, and set design might be necessary. These elements can enhance the visual storytelling but add to the expenses.

8. Editing and Post-Processing

Post-processing plays a crucial role in achieving the desired look. Editing time ensures that the images align perfectly with your brand's aesthetics. The time invested in the post-processing once again depends on the number of images delivered and can take many hours to achieve. When calculating with an hourly rate, an average of 3-4 hours of editing is already a considerable chunk of the price. Some photographers will charge separately for this, while others will build it into their packages.

Pleple sitting at table with Macbook Pro, editing photos in Lightroom — *Image source: Unsplash*

Taking the above into consideration, I would like to provide you with a sample calculation. This can give you an idea of the pricing of a photoshoot when budgeting.

I am going to base the sample calculation on a median rate of 150 euros/hour for your photographer’s time. Remember, they might charge you more or less depending on their experience, niche, and expenses. Let’s say that the shoot takes an average of three hours to do, which will add up to 450 euros. Calculate at least 2 hours of preparation. This includes time for a consultation call, shot list, and mood board creation. This adds another 300 euros to the equation.

Then you have to account for editing time, which again varies based on the number of photographs ordered and the type of pictures edited. It takes about 5-10 minutes to edit a landscape photo and anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour to edit a portrait, depending on the shot. In an outdoor or travel brand photography session you generally have a variety of portraits along with landscapes/cityscapes/events mixed in. So let’s calculate with an average of 4 pictures edited/hour, at an hourly rate of 150 euros.

Now let’s take the above information and apply it to a real-life situation. Say you are an outdoor gear brand that needs 20 images for your social media feed to market your innovative, lightweight pop-up tent. You want to run a month-long campaign beginning in March for the start of the camping season. You hire a photographer for the shoot which will take approximately 3 hours with an hour travelling each way to the location of the shoot. At this point, the photographer is putting in 5 hours of work (150x5=750 euros). Add the 2 hours of preparation, which will bring you to 1050 Euros. You agreed on 20 high-quality images, that will take an average of five hours to edit (150x5=750) bringing your total costs to 1800 Euros.

Please note that there are as many ways to calculate rates as there are photographers doing work out there. Some photographers will give you a day rate for their work, others will work on a per-image basis, while others will give you comprehensive, all-inclusive packages and let you decide what fits you best. I hope that with the above information, I could give you a rough idea of how pricing works in this niche. With the help of the above template, you can calculate your budget for an outdoor or travel branding photoshoot.

An experienced photographer will have an idea of how much work they will need to put into a specific project and can quote you a precise amount on that. The above example was meant to give you an insight into the possible factors of the pricing of a photography package. It is important to have clear communication with your photographer from the get-go and find out right at the beginning whether or not their prices are within your budget.

If you have any questions about this or you would like to know more, please reach out to me through my contact form or leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.

Szidónia Lőrincz

I'm Szidonia, a globetrotting freelance photographer hailing from Transylvania, on a passionate mission to inspire sustainable travel and help travel and adventure businesses by sharing my knowledge and experience in the industry and offering high-impact photography services.