The Real Reason Photographers and Videographers Struggle to Charge Their Worth
Learn how to break free from low pricing habits, recognize the value of your creative expertise, and build a thriving photography or videography business.
Have you ever stopped to think about everything you do for a single project? Most photographers and videographers charge too little—not because they’re not talented, but because they don’t fully understand or appreciate the value of their work. You think you’re just pushing a button, but the truth? You’re building the whole damn table and inviting everyone to sit at it.
1. You’re More Than Just the Creative—You’re the Whole Crew
When you’re scouting locations, you’re the location manager. Whether through Google Street View, driving around, or creating a list on Google Maps, you’re putting in the time to find the perfect spot. (Estimated time: 2–4 hours)
When you’re packing gear, you’re the assistant. You’re buying, organizing, maintaining, and carrying the equipment that makes the magic happen. (Estimated time: 1–2 hours per shoot)
Budgeting? Congratulations, you’re the producer and executive producer, figuring out costs for crew, locations, art department, and post-production. (Estimated time: 1–3 hours)
2. You’re the Visionary
Creating mood boards might sound simple, but it’s an artform in itself. Scouring Pinterest, Tumblr, and Google to build a board that communicates a vision takes time—time that most creatives never charge for. And let’s not forget that you’re also the one explaining that vision to the client and crew. (Estimated time: 3–6 hours)
3. You’re the Organizer
Negotiating crew contracts, managing paperwork, writing call sheets, and sending those critical “here’s everything you need to know” emails? That’s all you. You’re ensuring that everyone shows up on time, knows the rules, and has what they need. (Estimated time: 2–4 hours)
But it doesn’t stop there—you oversee pre-production, production, and post-production. You’re the director of this entire process, but you charge like you’re just there to press a button.
Here’s an expanded list of all the roles you play:
Location Scouting: Finding the right places to shoot. (2–4 hours)
Gear Management: Packing, maintaining, and organizing your equipment. (1–2 hours)
Budgeting: Creating a financial plan for the project. (1–3 hours)
Mood Boarding: Curating and presenting creative ideas to clients. (3–6 hours)
Crew Hiring: Finding, negotiating with, and onboarding the right people. (2–3 hours)
Call Sheets: Drafting schedules and finalizing details for the day. (1–2 hours)
Production Management: Overseeing the shoot itself. (4–8 hours)
Post-Production: Editing, retouching, organizing, and backing up files. (6–12 hours)
Add all of that up, and you’re likely spending 20–40 hours on what you think is a "simple" shoot. Check out the audio below because it gets real!
4. You’re Worth More Than You Think
If you don’t recognize your worth, clients won’t either. They’ll treat you as cheap because you charge like you are. But the moment you realize you’re not just sitting at the table but building it, your mindset—and your pricing—will shift. You’re not just a photographer or videographer; you’re the engine behind the entire operation
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The Wake-Up Call: A Quick Exercise
Here’s a reality check for you:
Write down every job you do for a single project—use the list above if you need help.
Estimate how much time each task takes.
Divide your total hours by what you charge for the shoot.
That’s your hourly rate. Put your hourly rate in the comments if you wish! I’d love to see it. How does it feel to see that number? Probably not great. But it’s also the moment you realize you’ve been undervaluing yourself.
STEP PRICING COURSE: Click here
Final Thoughts: It’s Time to Charge What You’re Worth
If you take nothing else away from this, remember this: the sooner you value your contributions, the sooner you’ll stop being taken advantage of. Your work isn’t just a shoot; it’s a culmination of creativity, leadership, and logistics. Once you start seeing your worth, your clients will too—and that’s when you’ll start winning, bigger and faster.