How to Price Your Photography Sessions to Cover Studio Rental Costs

If you're renting a studio for a client session, are you charging correctly to cover that cost? Far too often, we see photographers underprice their sessions and end up paying out of pocket for studio space instead of passing that cost onto the client. Your time, talent, and overhead should all be accounted for in your session pricing.

This is the second post in our series, It Really Is That Simple, where we help photographers break down complicated concepts or ideas and make actionable steps to improve your business. If you haven't already, check out our other article about Camera Settings for Studio Photography.

Here’s how to make sure your rates are sustainable and studio rental fees don’t cut into your profits.

The Biggest Mistake: Eating the Studio Rental Cost

Many photographers make the mistake of absorbing studio rental costs instead of pricing sessions to include them. If your session fee doesn’t reflect the price of renting a studio, you’re essentially working for less (or even for free) once expenses are factored in.

For example, if you’re charging $200 for a session but paying $75 to rent a studio, that means you’re only taking home $125—before even considering editing time, gear costs, or taxes.

Always build the cost of a studio rental into your session pricing so it’s covered by the client, not you. And it is totally okay to charge more for a studio session, studios can be a luxury not a neccessity.

How to Factor Studio Rental Costs Into Your Pricing

Here's a simple way to calculate what you should be charging: 

Start with Your Base Rate

What do you want to earn per session before expenses? For the sake of this example, let's say you are doing Grad Sessions and charging $300 per session.

Add The Studio Rental Fee

If the studio costs $75 an hour, and maybe you need lights or your client wants to shoot with a couple of different Seamless Colors, then a studio rental could easily start to creep up to $120.

Account for Extra Expenses (Optional but highly recommended) 

Like we mentioned above, your session might require more than one color of paper or studio lights. What happens when your client runs late and you only have 5 minutes to take photos, clean up, and leave the studio? Who's responsible? It shouldn't be you, the photographer, but you should consider those variables when pricing your sessions.

Final Price = Base Rate + Studio Rental + Any Extra Costs 

So if your base rate is $300, and you're renting a studio for $75, your session pricing should be at a minimum $375 to ensure you're not making any less than you deserve.

Be Transparent with Clients About Studio Costs

Here’s the deal... most clients don’t know what goes into planning a shoot. They see the final image, not the studio invoice, the setup time, or the gear load-in. So if you’re eating that cost silently, you’re doing both of you a disservice.

Being clear and confident about why your pricing is what it is helps build trust, and avoids awkward conversations later.

🗣️ Say it simply, like this:

“This package includes a professional studio rental, which gives us access to high-end lighting, clean backdrops, and total control over the look of your images.”

Now you’ve positioned the studio as an upgrade, not an expense. You’re showing the client they’re getting something better, not just paying more for no reason.

Want to offer flexibility? Give clients options.

Let them know upfront that studio sessions include the cost of renting a professional space, while outdoor or on-location shoots don’t carry that same overhead. On-Location does come with the risk of creepy ole Joe (no offense to anyone not creepy named Joe) at the park making comments, or the wonderful Florida weather taking a turn and raining all of a sudden. Still, some people prefer the look of a studio. Others are happy with natural light outdoors. What matters is that they understand what they’re paying for. Transparency in your photography goes a LONG way.

Don’t Let Studio Costs Cut Into Your Profits

It’s easy to look at a session booking and think, “Nice—$300 in the bank!” But that number isn’t your profit. That’s gross, not net. Once you subtract the studio rental, editing time, travel, and taxes, you might only be pocketing half of that—or less.

Studio rental is one of the biggest hidden costs photographers ignore. If you’re not building it into your pricing, it’s quietly chipping away at your earnings with every shoot.

Here’s a quick example:

• Session Fee: $300
• Studio Rental: –$75
• Editing Time: 3 hours (unpaid labor!)
• Travel + Misc: –$25
• What you actually keep: around $200, probably less

Now do that two times a week for a month, and you’ve given away over $600 in studio time for free!!

So if you want to make $300 before taxes come in, your session should realistically cost closer to $450 after you factor in your expenses and taxes.

And yes, it might feel weird at first to raise your prices, but pricing with intention protects your business. You’re not just charging for 60 minutes of shooting. You’re charging for years of experience, the time you spend prepping and editing, the studio you booked, and the quality you consistently deliver.

Bottom line: If your pricing isn’t leaving you with a clear, healthy margin after expenses, it’s time to raise your rates.

Look For Photography Studio Memberships to Maximize Profit

If you shoot in a studio regularly, consider joining a studio membership program. At BLNK Studios, for example, members get discounted hourly rates, lights and seamless included, huge savings on extra studio time every time, and even the ability to block out time in bulk for multiple shoots.

This gives you flexibility and saves you money—especially if you’re shooting 3+ hours worth of sessions per month.

💡 Example: Instead of paying $105 per session with studio lights three times a month ($315 total), a $250 membership with reduced hourly pricing could save you $50+ and include extra perks. Talk about a super-easy way to enhance your photography business's offerings, and put more money in your pocket at the end of the month

Stack Your Sessions for Efficiency

Another smart move? Book multiple mini sessions back-to-back in the same rental window. If you’ve already paid for the time and set up your lighting, why not squeeze in a second (or third) client?

🎯 Example: Book a 2-hour studio rental, charge $250 per client, and shoot 3 20-minute sessions. That gives you time to set up, clean up, and a few minutes to squeeze in a quick coffee run if you're lucky! Quick math: That’s $750 in income, minus $120 in studio time = $630 in your pocket!! Not bad for an afternoon if you ask me.

This is especially perfect for:

• Headshots
• Quick branding sessions
• Seasonal mini shoots (think: Valentine’s, grads, holiday promos)

Efficient scheduling helps you maximize your shoot time and keep your overhead low without sacrificing quality. Another huge benefit of scheduling like this is that you set clear expectations with your clients on how the session will look, how long it will be, and expect a certain level of professionalism.

Final Thoughts: Set Your Prices Right

Renting a studio should enhance your work, not eat into your income. By building rental fees into your pricing, communicating with clients, and structuring sessions correctly, you can ensure that every booking is profitable, without having to pay out of pocket just to create great images.

Do you have any questions about studio photography or want to bounce some ideas off a fellow photographer? Shoot me an email, I'd love to chat!