Rates, 2026
What should a photographer charge in a major city?
About $1,100 a day for a photographer who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $700 in the first years, $1,525 when senior. A shoot, delivered runs about $2,625.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$700
a day · $90 an hour
Working, booked
$1,100
a day · $150 an hour
Senior, sought after
$1,525
a day · $200 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$1,100 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$150 per hour
- A shoot, deliveredthe day plus the edit and the delivery$2,625 per project
Sold by the day, a project fee. The day is the unit; half days run 60%.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Headshots, one person$225 to $500 per session
- Half-day brand or product shoot$500 to $1,275 per half day
- Full-day brand shoot, edited and delivered$1,275 to $3,400 per day
- Event coverage$125 to $300 per hour
- Retouching beyond the basics$20 to $65 per image
- Usage for their ads, per year25 to 50% of the shoot fee
How the number is made
Photographers at this level in this market day at about $1,100 ($600 to $2,000 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
A shoot, delivered runs $1,200 to $5,000 and takes about 14 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $2,100. The number is the higher of the two, because the client is buying the outcome, not the hours.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a photographer in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $1,100 a day for someone working and booked, $700 in the first years, $1,525 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a shoot, delivered?
- $2,625 at a working level in this market. The client is buying the outcome, so the price is the higher of what the market pays for it and what your hours in it are worth.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
Pick your level and market, get a card you can send the next client who asks. Then RostrLab quotes, papers, invoices and chases every job with it: free for 14 days, $29 a month, never a cut.