As a photographer, you love your craft, and when it’s professional, you also have to care for finances. To keep your business going, you need to bill your clients and before that, you can give them time to prepare for the payment by sending a photography invoice.
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Photography Invoice Templates
What does a photography invoice look like?
As a photographer, your clients will consider you as an artist. Therefore, even your photography invoice template should also look professional. To accomplish this, start off by including the following information:
- How clients may contact you for work.
- Details about payment terms.
- A breakdown of costs depending on the work you will do.
- The total amount due.
- The date of the project.
It’s recommended for you to break down the total cost into subsections. This way, your client will see precisely what they’re for. Since the invoice comes from you, your client expects it to look well-designed, beautiful, and professional.
Photography Invoice Samples
How do I make a photography invoice?
Even in the photography business, there will be clients who might try to “pull a fast one” on you – and this is the reason why a photography invoice is important. It ensures that you will get paid on time. Here are some steps to follow when making your photography invoice sample:
- Your name or the name of your photography business
It is important for your clients to clearly know the sender of the invoice. If you have a logo, you should add this too. - The term, “Invoice”
The best and clearest way to inform your clients about the purpose of the document is by placing the term, “Invoice.” This avoids confusion where your client might assume that it’s either a price sheet for your services or a receipt for an invoice that they have already paid. - Details of your client
There are two benefits of adding the details about your client in the photography invoice example. First, it makes it clear who you’re sending the document to. Second, it makes clear that the invoice is for your client, which is very useful for their own record keeping. - Invoice Number
You should assign a unique invoice number for all of your invoices. This is important for you and your client as you will use the invoice for reconciliation and tax purposes. - Date of the invoice and the due date of the payment
You should clearly state the terms of payment in the photography contract you give to your client. Providing this same information on the invoice will serve as a reminder for your client. It will help when you send follow-ups and is also ensures that your client won’t feel confusion in terms of the payment deadlines. - Line items about the work you have done
Add a breakdown of all the items that you provided. For this, a good practice is to use the same formula to get the price total and include this in the line item on your invoice for clear results. - Prices and taxes
Each of the line items that appear on the invoice should have a corresponding price with the applicable taxes. Remember to include the total cost at the bottom. This is the main purpose of the invoice – to tell your client how much they must pay. - Tax number
If your project involves another business, the invoice requires your tax ID number for the proper filing of taxes. Including this as a part of your standard template makes this step easier. - The payment methods that you accept
The invoice should not only inform your client about the amount that they owe you. It should also inform them how to pay you. Mentioning this step increases the speed on how you can get paid as you will remove all of the possible obstacles to getting paid. - Notes
Almost all invoices usually include a note at the very bottom. You can use this portion to explain anything in your invoice that requires more detail. You can also use the notes as a reminder to the client of your policies regarding late fees.
When to send your invoice?
As a photographer, you’re a lot like other contractors. You may request your payment after the completion of the project or you may request full or partial payment upfront. Either way, you should prepare a photography invoice for your clients.
If you plan to charge after completion, make sure that you will get paid as soon as possible. The best way to do this is by sending your photography invoice template along with the final image files. Doing so informs your client exactly what they have to pay.
If you plan to request full or partial payment upfront, this is not an unreasonable request because you have a business to run, materials to buy, and technical equipment to maintain. For projects that take a considerable amount of time to finish, you may request a percentage of the total cost upfront, with the remainder to get paid upon completion.
Another alternative is to send your client invoices every month. Whatever payment method you choose, make sure to reflect this on each invoice then clarify the percentage of the final “cost” that the client has already paid.
Photography Invoice Examples
Billing your clients for photography services
One of your biggest responsibilities is to see to it that your clients feel satisfied and happy, starting with your first shot. When it comes to managing your finances, it is also essential to get everything right.
Today, many businesses engaging in photography use accounting software or hire an accountant to manage their business affairs. These options could get confusing or too expensive. Instead, you should opt for using a simple photography invoice.
When it comes to billing your clients for your services, you can make your own professional photography invoice sample and get paid quickly. You can use this invoice for:
- Advertising
- Aerial
- Architecture
- Art
- Corporate
- Events
- Freelance
- Landscape
- Photojournalism
- Portraits
- Real Estate
- Sports
- Travel
- Weddings
- Wildlife
- … and more
Creating your own invoices allows you to outline the details of your photography services, inform your clients about your payment information, and stay on top of things. Well-planned invoices help you prevent any issues and confusion, especially when it’s time to compute your taxes.