Now Reading: This is the first time I’m showing my face on this page, and I just need to get this off my chest. A $350 photoshoot sounds like a lot, until you actually run a photography business. Client pays: $350 Before you even touch it, you set aside taxes. $350 → about $262.50 after 25%. Then the real costs start showing up: – Storage and backups. One bad card can ruin everything. (~$20–$130+) – Batteries, chargers, and gear that always fails at the worst time. (~$15–$80) – Software and subscriptions (editing, galleries, cloud, website, bookkeeping). (~$40–$100+) – Gas, parking, tolls, and wear on your car. (~$15–$50+) – Equipment upgrades and repairs. Cameras and lenses don’t last forever. – Insurance, because one accident can wipe you out. (~$20–$100+/month) – Props, client closet, styling items. (~$25–$200+) – Education, presets, workshops. Staying sharp isn’t free. (~$50–$500+) – Advertising, because no visibility means no bookings. (~$20–$300+) Then there’s the work: Planning, shooting, emailing, culling, editing, delivering, bookkeeping, and chasing payments. Hours of unpaid labor. And that’s still not the full story. Photographers deal with flaky clients, last-minute cancellations, ghosting, rushed timelines, endless revisions, and the pressure to make everything look effortless. You’re expected to be creative, fast, technical, professional, warm and affordable. But the hardest part is emotional. You’re helping people feel confident, seen, and safe. You’re calming nerves, reading energy, fixing awkward moments, and turning chaos into something lasting. So when someone sees “$350” and assumes it’s all profit, it stings. Because what they’re really looking at is stress, responsibility, hidden costs, and a lot of invisible work. Photography isn’t just showing up and taking pictures. It’s carrying a business, a camera bag, and everyone’s expectations at once. And honestly, that’s a lot. — Photo credit, the most prolific photographer in Vancouver, BC: @william_orsua —