What’s on the photography invoice template
Extra fields on this template: Session.
| Service | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session feeFamily portrait, 2 hours on location | 1 | $450.00 | $450.00 |
| Edited high-resolution imagesOnline gallery download | 40 | $15.00 | $600.00 |
| Print package1 × 16x20, 4 × 8x10 | 1 | $220.00 | $220.00 |
| TravelBeyond 30 miles, per mile | 46 | $0.70 | $32.20 |
| Total | $1,302.20 | ||
| Amount paid | -$500.00 | ||
| Balance due | $802.20 | ||
Example prices in US dollars. Replace them with your own; in the generator, any currency works.
What to include
- Session details: type, date, location and duration.
- Creative or session fee, separately from images and prints.
- Deliverables: number of edited images, galleries, albums, prints.
- Usage license: personal or commercial use, where and for how long.
- Retainer already paid, credited against the total.
- Travel and expenses, such as mileage, permits or second shooter.
Licensing and copyright
Under US law the photographer owns the copyright unless it’s transferred in writing. Your invoice should say what the client is licensed to do: “personal use” for portraits, or for commercial work the media, territory and duration (for example “web and social, US, 1 year”). Price commercial usage separately from the shoot, since it’s often worth more.
Frequently asked questions
Is a photography retainer refundable?
Usually not: it holds the date and covers the work you turn down to keep it. Say so in your contract and on the invoice.
Do photographers charge sales tax?
Often on prints and physical products, and in some states on the whole sale. Digital files and services are treated differently from state to state.