Let’s talk about one of the biggest questions I get inside The Sunroom School (and in my DMs constantly):

“How do I price commercial photography jobs?”

And listen, I get it. Commercial pricing can feel like a mystery box of day rates, usage fees, deliverables, licensing terms, production costs, and ‘what the hell should I even charge for this?’ moments.

But here’s the truth: pricing doesn’t have to be confusing, and you don’t have to guess.

Once you understand the core components of a commercial estimate, you can confidently quote projects that reflect the real value of your work.

In this post, I’m breaking it all down for you — with real-world examples, mindset shifts, and a peek into the system I use to price $10k+ day rates for beauty and lifestyle brands.

Let’s get into it. 👇

First, What Makes Commercial Photography Pricing So Different?

Unlike portrait or event photography, commercial pricing is tied to value and visibility, not just your time.

You’re not just delivering pretty pictures — you’re delivering assets that will generate revenue for a brand. That includes things like:

• Where and how the images will be used (aka licensing)
• How long the brand wants to use them (duration)
• Who the brand is targeting (audience reach & media buy)
• Whether it’s a huge production or a simple content day (usage doesn’t equal effort)

Which is why quoting a flat rate for a shoot without asking questions first is one of the fastest ways to undercharge and overdeliver.

The Core Elements of a Commercial Photography Estimate

Here’s what should be included in every commercial photography quote:

1. Creative Fee / Day Rate

This is your base rate for showing up, directing, and executing your creative skills. It’s separate from licensing and should reflect your experience, creative value, and demand.

📌 Example: $3,500–$5,000 for a day rate is standard in mid-tier commercial work. I’ve personally booked up to $10k/day for larger campaigns.

2. Usage Licensing Fee

This is where most photographers lose money.

If a brand is using your images for website banners, social ads, in-store signage, or email marketing, you should be charging based on reach, exclusivity, and duration.

📌 Example: A small skincare brand using 10 images for 6 months across social + email might warrant $1,500 in licensing. That same usage by a national brand with paid ad spend? $5,000+.

3. Production Costs

This includes things like:

• Studio or location rentals
• Equipment rentals
• Talent (models, hair/makeup)
• Props, wardrobe, assistants

📌 These are reimbursable or baked into your production fee — but you need to line item them so clients understand the scope.

4. Post-Production / Retouching

You can charge hourly or per image here — just make sure it’s not lumped in for free unless that’s your strategy.

A Real-World Estimate Example

Let’s say a clean beauty brand reaches out for a one-day shoot with 3 models, 10 final images, and 3 months of web + organic social usage.

Here’s how I might break that down:

Line Item	Amount
Creative Fee (1-day shoot)	$4,000
Licensing Fee (10 images, 3-month digital use)	$2,500
Pre-Production / Creative Direction	$1,000
Studio Rental	$800
Talent (models, H/MU, assistant)	$2,000
Retouching (10 images)	$500
Total	$10,800

Notice how that quote is not based on hours worked, but on value delivered.

The Biggest Mistake I See Photographers Make

They price based on what feels comfortable, not what’s strategically sound.

They’re afraid to lose the job, so they lowball.

But here’s the kicker: brands have budgets.

When you underquote, you’re not doing them a favor — you’re training them to undervalue creative work (and underpay the next photographer, too).

How to Know If You’re Charging Enough

If you’re still wondering “what should I charge for this?” — I built a tool just for you.

✨ The Rate Calculator GPT is the custom AI pricing tool we use inside The Sunroom School. It walks you through every detail — from deliverables and usage to production costs and licensing rates — and helps you generate a fair, customized quote.

It’s built for commercial photographers and videographers who want to charge what they’re worth without second-guessing.

📥 Join the Waitlist for the Rate Calculator GPT

Pricing shouldn’t be a guessing game.

Join the waitlist below and get first access when the calculator drops — plus a special invite-only training to help you actually start using it to book better clients and raise your rates.

Let me know in the comments or on IG if this breakdown helped! You deserve to be well-paid for your creativity. Let’s normalize thriving, not just scraping by.

See you inside class,

Kayla