Holy Sh*t! How Expensive To Become A Pro Photographer

In this video, I'm sharing a full break down of the price to be a professional commercial photographer. From gear to studios to retouching, this video tackles everything you need to know to get started as a photographer.
No matter what your skill level, you'll be surprised by just how much it costs to be a professional photographer. In this video, I'm sharing everything you need to know to make an informed decision about photography career. From pricing to the different types of photography, this video has it all!
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[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Come and join our friendly facebook community facebook.com/groups/1893064874281393

[@mtmccornack]

My current studio is a small 13x15 room, However, I think I've cracked the secret to usable/affordable office photography space for my photobooth company. I rented a band rehearsal space for $600/mo (USD) with electricity and internet included. I also have a ground level commercial address with my own 24 access. I have my own bathroom, and surprisingly, it came sound treated,which means I get to bump my PA system all night long. Ticks a lot of my boxes, which is good, because it's a glorified box with electricity.

[@SteveAshdown]

I previously rented quite a large studio. When I moved across the country I ended the lease which was an unexpectedly expensive and painful experience. I vowed never to lease another studio but to rent a space by the day as and when I needed it. It has worked out much better financially and also allowed me the flexibility to chose the most suitable space for the project.

[@corbinpearce7686]

My current studio is $439 a month. I’ts not super big, but it’s about big enough for getting work done, and it’s downtown, much closer to people I need to interact with daily than my home. I remember being really nervous when I signed the lease, but I also figured that if I wasn’t making the money to pay rent, I could pick up an hourly job again and pay bills. I actually had to do that for a few months, but I did get through, and in the end, having that space has done a lot both for giving me working space, and bolstering my reputation and legitimacy.

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

I had to do the same in my first space agfter about 9 months of it going well. Had to swallow my pride and pull pints.

[@malemyr2]

$439… wow cheap! Where do you live? I’m in Toronto Canada and I pay $850 for 250 sq feet… 😕

[@kaczynski2333]

You had me at "heroin addicts" *giggle* This is probably the most important video you've produced for aspiring professionals.

[@ohnoflicks]

Yes reality bites, that’s for sure. When a friend of mine was building his first portfolio, he did it out of a storage unit. With kids at home he had very few other options. The storage unit mgr said it was ok as long as he had no models & stuff coming and going, and didn’t conduct any face to face commerce there. It worked for him as he got his bearings in product world. Scott, I don’t know what youtube is doing with the algos these days, but in the right hand column of suggested videos , a 3 yr old one of yours came up 😂 The How I Got My First Photoshoot one. Personally I wish YT still had the old option of letting you go back quickly to the old videos because I went back and watched a lot of your early ones. Old stuff is just as good as the new stuff 😀

[@Gdphoto.info_]

Thanks for how honest you’ve been throughout all these videos and helping many of us set realistic expectations. Definitely helped me out a bunch.

[@cipher7548]

I've been an agency represented advertising photographer for 15 years now. I don't have a studio, I hire whatever type/size of studio I need when I need it depending on each job and the cost is paid for by the client. I own a couple of camera kits, lights c-stands, light shapers etc., and hire anything extra I need for each specific job. He's right - it's not the studio, computers & gear that costs the money. For me it's the marketing you have to constantly do, updating print folios throught the year, 20% of everything to your agent (who bring in a decent % of your work), funding personal work & tests that get new work in & drive/influence the direction of your business and the kind of work you want to do and to get etc., etc. that should be your biggest outlay. When I'm not working (on set) my only real costs other than marketing costs are direct debits on websites, software, general home office stuff, utilities & fuel etc., etc. I get really cheap rates for studios for test & personal work from studios that I hire regularly, sometimes if I've been using them a lot they'll let me have it for free.

[@Popa_Bogdan_Light_Drawing]

Studio is the place where you can be you with you and think all that you need how to make something. thanks!

[@MarkDuffyPhotography]

I've had this dilemma with deciding what to do in terms of studio space. I'd love it... F%$k a duck I'd love it, but I think I'm better off having a grip van and renting conference rooms in hotels and I found a gym with a room for cheap which is local and cheap.

[@jimpix8019]

Probably the biggest lesson i learned first time round was, that overheads can be a killer. Finding 8k p.m. just to break even was very stressful. Let’s just say it Concentrated the mind. It took me about 7-8 years to get that monkey off my back. I always consider this before I leap now. As I get older, peace of mind comes first. The rest follows. As usual, great info, Scott. That’s what I relate to. May the Force be with you.🌀 Jim🌀 (-: :-)

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

yeah removing the stress is so important if you also want brain space to be creative

[@Sonybo100]

Im considering renting a space since I was blessed with an inherited one room apartment to live in, where I currently shoot it. I don't have work as a photographer just yet, but I can see how influencial a studio space can be. Many times when I try to shoot , a lot of the problems I face are just because of the tight space I try to shoot in or the fact I can't leave my equipment and have to take it apart after every shoot which can be quite annoying when you've worked 8 hours and try to shoot some images before it hits 12 AM

[@samcooper5539]

This is exactly why I love the studio space I have right now. Its cheap and its enough space for me to do most of my work. When its not, I rent. I'm like you, I like having my office away from home and a place for test projects. I don't anticipate getting a bigger studio space for a long time.

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Cheap is deffo the way to go

[@Lucy-dk5cz]

I hear you about renting, but in my location, despite having a lot of studios to rent, many don’t have the modifiers or gear I want and need. Want a stand with a junior receiver? Maybe there is one or two, none of which have paper roll. So what do you want to bring, paper roll or heavy duty grip.

[@geranraath]

Excellent video!

[@Greg.Mika.]

I love it when you talk numbers!

[@carlosperezsegura5811]

Nice video Scott !!! It´s more important to know your real expenses before to take the first picture for a job.

[@Steaphany]

​Since my photo subjects are rural Texas scenery, landscapes, and some meteorological /astronomical I have my 67 acre rural Texas back yard and photo drives around to the area. Just a little overhead for me.

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

I am very jealous

[@philliphickox4023]

Yes it is expensive, even at the lower end scale of photography. Quality comes at a price.

[@chumleyk]

Hope this matches your HMRC declarations at the end of the year...

[@pauldarville3843]

Great advice, Thanks!

[@martinlawrence8427]

Very interesting and educational…superb!

[@BooTangClan]

This guy has perfected the clickbaitiest titles.

[@dubschloss]

it must have worked, seeing as you're commenting on it. lol. i found this video quite informative and i find this guy consistently has level-headed, logical takes. It's just smart business.

[@TheNewArtSchool]

So inspiring once again! Did you ever consider buying a space?

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

I did, but its not worth it round here sadly.

[@thomasmccormick9259]

I'm looking for a studio so I can spend more time doing test shoots. £200/day to rent a studio where I am currently, if I spend more than 2.5/3 days a month doing test shoots I'm cheaper having my own space.

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Sounds like a win win

[@darkphotographer]

i don t when studio and house , my studio is my home , for the 3 studio i had i find i big wearhouse or shop build a bathroom and kichen and have a part of it wher i sleep and live ,this have work out for the last 15years , my current studio is 90 sqakre meter shop and i have a room 6x9 m dedicate for shooting , a 3x4 for my desk and a room wher i sleep , cost around 400-500 per month to run , i dont have kids just have a cat , and am in greece the avrage cost for flat 2rooms 40-60m is 300-600 euro , and my shop is 300 for 90m so is ok , :) it use to be a hardware store , my old studio use to be a shoe factory ,

[@ViewportPlaythrough]

how do you add overhead cost when your price is already at the market price ceiling? does that mean that the business simply isnt profitable at my current location?

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Yeah. It’s just not a viable business plan on those instances

[@ViewportPlaythrough]

@@TinHouseStudioUK thanks for the no-bs answer. i would still continue building up a business plan, but now with an open mind that it might really not work out... at this point, if when i execute the plan, i would be on a better mindset. thanks again

[@RandomTask1207]

Are you going to hedge at all given product photography is probably right in the wheelhouse of AI image generation?

[@dubschloss]

Possibly why he is doing so many KZbin videos?

[@kiwimike2330]

Product and advertising photographers are pretty safe. If anything, it’s just another service you can tack onto your existing services.

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Nah, you can’t AI food for legal reasons

[@tlopez5069]

Use the law of attraction when it comes to being available too much.

[@kevinrichards1667]

These videos keep getting better and better what an inspiration

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Thanks for the support

[@lichtgestalt9540]

You forgot the cat food!