How to Respond When the Client Asks: "What are your rates?"

How to Talk About Pricing as a Freelance Photographer or Content Creator in 2025

Photographers, designers, and creative freelancers of all kinds—we all kind of cringe at this question:

"So, what do you charge?"

It's a completely fair thing for a client to ask, but that doesn’t make it any easier to answer. The truth is, pricing creative work is rarely straightforward. Every project is different, every client has different needs, and that means pricing depends on a lot of variables.

Still, just saying "it depends" isn't super helpful, and it can come off as vague or unprofessional if you don’t have a system in place to explain why it depends.

Think of Yourself Like an Insurance Broker (Stay with me)

Years ago, I worked briefly at a car insurance agency (yes, really). People would walk in off the street and ask, “What does car insurance cost here?” I’d explain that it depends on a variety of factors—driving record, age, experience, type of vehicle. And once I explained the logic, they got it.

Now, photography is a lot more fun than car insurance. But the principle is similar: no two clients or projects are the same, and your pricing should reflect that.

Your job isn’t just to set a price—it’s to guide the client through your quoting process with clarity and confidence.

Here’s a simple framework I use in 2025. When a client asks about pricing, I ask for the following five things before ever sending an estimate:

1. General Info About the Client & Project

Understanding who you’re working with changes how you work. If I’m working with a global spirits brand, the scope, expectations, and usage will be very different than working with a neighborhood bar down the street.

Before you quote anything, ask:

• Who is the client? (i.e. even a local distillery will have different goals and budget compared to your local bar or restaurant)

• What do they do? (i.e. not all "beverage brands" are the same, or even do the same thing)

• What are they hiring you to create? (i.e. are you creating THE marketing assets for a new product launch? Are you capturing lifestyle imagery for evergreen marketing content? etc.)

Some clients will have detailed creative briefs ready to go. Others will expect you to handle the entire shoot—concept, logistics, styling, everything. That extra work? You should be charging for it.

Do your research. Check out their social media and website. Figure out if their aesthetic and brand align with yours. This early research shapes your creative approach and your pricing.

2. Timeline

This one is often overlooked, but it matters a ton.

Ask your client:

• When do you need the project completed?

• Are you on a tight deadline?

• How long after the shoot do you need the assets to be available?

If their deadline requires a faster-than-usual turnaround, that’s a rush project—and that means adding a rush fee. Good creative work takes time, and most clients don’t realize how much goes into editing, file prep, and delivery. It’s up to you to educate them and protect your time.

Also consider pre-production needs. Do you need to:

• Rent special gear?

• Coordinate talent (bartenders, models, stylists)?

• Scout and secure a location?

All of this adds time and complexity, which should factor into your estimate.

3. Deliverables: What and How Many

This one gets missed all the time, especially by newer freelancers.

You absolutely need to know:

• What specific deliverables are needed?

• How many final images or videos?

• What formats or orientations? (i.e. does the client expect video in both portrait and landscape format?)

Let’s say I’m doing a shoot for a restaurant that wants photos of cocktails and dishes. I generally tell them I can shoot 4–5 items per hour, depending on styling and lighting. If it’s a big commercial shoot with props and a creative team, we may spend three or four hours on one image.

The more details you can get here, the better your estimate will reflect the scope.

4. Budget Range

This question might feel uncomfortable, but it’s crucial.

Here’s what I say: “I can tailor a few pricing options for you, but to make sure we're aligned, can you share your ideal budget range or ballpark number?”

You’d be surprised how often clients do have a number in mind, they just don’t say it until you ask.

And here’s your reminder: don’t lowball yourself. You’re not "too new" or "too small" if someone reached out to hire you. You don’t need a big following to command fair pricing. If a client is inquiring about your work, then it means your work has value. So charge accordingly.

5. Usage Rights

If you’re not asking about image usage, you’re leaving money on the table.

Usage determines how your work can be used, and for how long. A small bar posting to Instagram isn’t the same as a liquor brand using your photo in national print ads.

By default, you own the rights to your work— unless you explicitly sell or license them. I usually grant usage for a defined time frame, like 2 years for digital use. When that time is up, I either:

1. Renew the license for a fee, or

2. Pitch a new shoot to refresh their visuals.

Either way, it keeps the conversation (and income) going.

If a brand wants unlimited, forever-and-ever usage? That’s a massive value and should come with a premium price tag. Again, it's your job to explain that clearly.

Make Things Easier With an Intake Form

One of the best things I ever did was stop quoting projects based on emails or DMs.

Instead, I now ask all new leads to fill out a project intake form. It collects all the key info above, saves me from endless back-and-forth, and filters out non-serious inquiries.

Want to use mine as a template? Here are two I use (feel free to make your own versions):

• Photography Project Intake Form

• Social Media Partnership Form

I build and manage everything through Bonsai (affiliate link), the platform I use to create proposals, contracts, invoices, and get paid—all in one place. I’ve been using it since my very first month of freelancing, and it’s still the best all-in-one client system I’ve found.

👉 Try Bonsai for free here

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