Running a photography business costs more than just a camera and a few lenses. The hidden expenses pile up fast, and if you’re not prepared, they can drain your budget before you realize what’s happening.
Coming to you from Prince Meyson, this eye-opening video breaks down the costs no one talks about when starting out. Upgrading gear is an unavoidable expense. Cameras, lenses, and lights don’t last forever, and as you gain experience, you’ll want better equipment. Affordable lights work at first, but eventually, you’ll need more reliable options. Computers, monitors, and storage also become necessary upgrades. Faster hard drives, larger screens, and a powerful editing setup can save time, but they aren’t cheap. These costs creep up over time, making long-term budgeting essential.
Software and subscriptions add up quickly. Adobe’s Photography Plan covers Photoshop and Lightroom, but many professionals also pay for Capture One or AI-based retouching tools. If you manage clients online, a CRM service helps with bookings, contracts, and image delivery. Website hosting isn’t free either—Squarespace, Wix, and other platforms charge monthly fees. Then there’s cloud storage. If you need backups beyond physical hard drives, Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar services take another chunk of your budget. By the time you add everything up, software alone can cost hundreds per month.
Marketing and branding aren’t optional if you want clients to find you. Running ads on Google or Facebook isn’t cheap, and results aren’t guaranteed. A strong brand requires a logo, business cards, and a professional online presence. If you can’t design these yourself, you’ll need to hire someone. Even administrative work costs money. Writing emails, creating invoices, and handling contracts take time, and time is money. If you outsource editing, you’re paying someone else to do what might already take up most of your work hours. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Meyson.
