Which Pricing Structure Is Right for Your Photography Business?
The Truth About Photography Pricing Structures
If you feel like you keep changing your pricing but nothing is quite working, you’re not alone. There’s a lot of noise out there about what you should charge and how you should structure your pricing, but the truth is, there isn’t one perfect model.
Inside Episode 2 of The Work Between, we’re breaking down the most common photography pricing structures, when they work best, and how to stop undercharging just to stay booked.
Let’s Talk About the 4 Most Common Pricing Models
There are four common ways photographers structure their pricing. None of them are wrong, but they all require different systems and strategies to be profitable.
1. All-Inclusive
One flat rate that includes the session + all edited digital files
Great for simplicity
Hard to scale without raising prices significantly
2. Session Fee + Digital Files
Clients pay a session fee to book, then choose digital files afterward
Gives flexibility to upsell
Requires a clear, confident ordering process
3. Session Fee + Products (In-Person Sales / IPS)
Clients pay to reserve a spot, then come back for a viewing/ordering appointment
Great for increasing average sale value
Needs strong systems + sales confidence
4. Hybrid Model
Combines digital and product offerings
Offers simplicity while still encouraging tangible purchases
Can confuse clients if not clearly communicated
How to Choose the Right Pricing Structure
Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
Do I enjoy selling in person?
Do I want most clients to walk away with digital files, printed products, or both?
Do I want to keep things simple, or am I okay with a multi-step experience?
What do I want my average sale to be?
Am I pricing this in a way that covers my time, costs, and goals?
One Structure Isn’t Better Than Another
It’s about alignment.
If you’re constantly tweaking your pricing or feeling like no one books your top package, that’s not a pricing problem. That’s a clarity problem.
Your pricing structure has to reflect how YOU want to work. Not what’s trendy. Not what your competitors are doing.
In the episode, we walk through:
Real-life pros and cons of each model
How to simplify your pricing for fewer ghosted inquiries
What actually affects conversions (hint: it’s not just your rates)
Weekly Ask Us Anything: "How Do I Know If I’m Undercharging?"
If you’re feeling burnt out or resentful, you’re probably not charging enough. Inside this week’s segment, we cover:
Time audits (how many hours each session really takes)
CODB (Cost of Doing Business) breakdowns
The mindset shift from “what would I pay?” to “what does this service actually cost to deliver?”
If your pricing structure isn’t working for you, it’s time to change it. This episode will help you make a confident, profitable decision that finally fits.
And if you want the tools and structure to make these changes easier? MOTIV was built for that.
Join the waitlist for MOTIV and get a 7-day free trial when it drops.
