Affordable Photographers Near Me : my guide for Breaking down photography pricing and expectations for different budgets.
I've been seeing a lot of people search for affordable photographers, and I wanted to cover my pricing breakdown and what that includes for each of my most popular packages and offerings. I also want to explain why photographers often get hit with the brunt of exclusivity or expensiveness, when really, the amount of actual money they are walking away with after each session is much lower than what they're actually charging. That’s because there are so many things that get categorized and built into that cost.
So, here are my current rates as of January 2025 and a general breakdown of what's included with each of the sessions and offerings.
In order of popularity…
Event Photography
I charge anywhere from $250–$300 for events. This is my lowest photography rate. That's because events are a little less complex (photography-wise) than photographing in a photoshoot scenario. Event photography is priced per hour, and my event photography rate includes a little bit of content creation on an iPhone. This content is airdropped to the event coordinator or event host at the end of the event and can be used for social media posts, small-scale YouTube videos, and other disposable media.
Event photography covers the cost of setup time (usually just setting up a flash), includes transportation within a 30-mile radius, and goes toward my equipment fund — every session, I save 10% for upgraded equipment for future sessions. 20% goes immediately toward taxes (income tax — not to be confused with retail tax). The State of Arizona does include photography services as a retail item, which means that we also have to pay tax that is passed on to the consumer.Continuing education usually gets 10–15% of all session rates. Also, a small portion goes toward platform services like Adobe, Pixieset, scheduling platforms, and more.
After we calculate all of those rates, I am left somewhere closer to $75–$80 an hour for my actual time. When you factor in editing (thankfully lighter for events), that brings my rate closer to $30–$40 an hour.
So, when people talk about affordable photographers, you have to consider that I'm actually only making $30–$40 an hour — and I'm only doing events 1–2 nights a week — which, if you're keeping up with the current economic climate, you know is nowhere near enough to survive on.
That's why your "affordable" photographers often have another stream of income — they might work another job or run another business. While photography is a passion, most photographers aren't able to fill their entire income solely from photography.
Not to mention the wear and tear on your body — also included in my fees are funds set aside for a massage therapist once a month and a gym membership, which keeps me physically strong enough to perform the necessary tasks.
Portrait Photography (including sessions like common Family Sessions, Professional Headshots and Senior Photos)
Portrait photography includes all the same pricing breakdowns listed above, but it also includes the skill set of directing and visualizing what the experience is going to look like — which involves a lot of planning before the session.My portrait photography usually comes in two forms: one is a 30-minute session (usually only offered to repeat clients or those highly referred by repeat clients) at $250, and the other is a full-hour session, typically around $500.
The hour-long session allows me to take the time necessary to support the client in visualizing exactly what they want before the session and also covers the investment of time before, during, and after.After the session is when the real work for the photographer kicks in. In person is all play and creative flow, but after is a more formal creative process. I meticulously critique each image to make sure it looks really good. If extra adjustments are needed (lighting, blemishes, etc.), that work happens in Lightroom. It does take time because I have to put my eyes on every single photo and make slight adjustments as necessary.
Branding Photos
Branding photos are probably my current favorite and highly booked sessions with individuals who own their own businesses.
These sessions fuse together portrait photography and event photography — often people are performing the services they offer, and I document them in action, while also capturing headshots or full-body shots that showcase their uniforms or daily work style.
Branding sessions usually fall around $400 per hour, and a client can book an entire afternoon to capture a wide range of services and offerings. This allows for more elaborate setups if necessary for products or service providers and their teams.
Creative Photo Shoots
Okay! My favorite — creative photo sessions. These are the most elaborate, most prepared sessions I offer.These sessions are built from the ground up, often with clients who deeply care about the creative vision and process. We spend a lot of time planning what we want to say and accomplish.
These are my fine art, most proud works.
They require months of preparation — often building sets or props from scratch — and are priced at $800 for an hour of shooting time.
Even though we are only on set for about an hour (sometimes an hour and a half if creatively necessary), the work that happens beforehand is extensive. Sometimes sessions happen in rented studio spaces (studio rental not included), but many outdoor or DIY set spaces are included. These sessions usually include a visual assistant and a "hype girl" to make sure not only is the photo framed perfectly but there’s also someone adjusting hair, fixing outfits, and providing that extra human touch in real-time.
Weddings
And weddings — my literal favorite event photography experience.
I love weddings because they allow candid moments to unfold organically, and the planning from the couple and planner ensures a beautiful experience.
Weddings fuse documentary-style photography with artistic wedding portraits, family portraits, and wedding party groupings — all requiring a lot of skill and attention to detail.
Weddings are priced similarly to my portrait sessions on a per-hour basis, but with weddings, you are receiving that same level of care and creative flow continuously across 6, 8, or 10 hours.
We also offer add-ons like videographers and content creation.It’s not that weddings are "overpriced" — it’s simply that they are a longer, more detailed experience with significant creative and emotional investment, resulting in those several-thousand-dollar price points.