Chartered Financial Analyst specializing in small business finance and creative sole proprietorships.
Determine how many photography sessions you must book each month to cover your overhead. Enter any three variables—Monthly Fixed Costs, Avg. Price per Session, Variable Cost per Session, or Breakeven Sessions—to solve for the fourth.
Photography Breakeven Calculator
Photography Breakeven Formula
The breakeven formula for a photographer finds the number of sessions (Q) they must book for total monthly revenue to equal all fixed and variable costs.
Q = F / (P – V)
Solve for Monthly Fixed Costs (F):
F = Q * (P – V)
Solve for Avg. Price per Session (P):
P = (F / Q) + V
Solve for Variable Cost per Session (V):
V = P – (F / Q)
Variables Explained
- Monthly Fixed Costs (F): Your total, recurring monthly overhead (e.g., studio rent, insurance, software subscriptions, gear payments).
- Avg. Price per Session (P): Your average revenue from one client session or package.
- Variable Cost per Session (V): The direct costs per session (e.g., outsourced editing, travel, prints/albums, second shooter).
- Breakeven Sessions (Q): The total number of sessions needed to reach $0 in monthly profit.
Related Calculators
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What is a Photography Breakeven Point?
A **Photography Breakeven Point** is the number of sessions a photographer must book and complete each month to cover their total costs. It’s the essential first step in pricing your services profitably. Knowing this number separates a hobby from a sustainable business.
**Fixed Costs (F)** are your monthly operational expenses, or “overhead.” This includes all costs that do not change with the number of sessions you book, such as studio rent, equipment insurance, software subscriptions (e.g., Adobe, client galleries), website hosting, and any gear payments.
**Variable Costs (V)** are the costs incurred *specifically because you booked a session*. This includes any outsourced editing, travel/gas, prints or albums included in the package, a second shooter’s fee, and payment processing fees. The **Contribution Margin** (P – V) is your net profit from one session, which then goes to pay down your fixed costs.
This calculator helps you find the number of sessions, each contributing this margin, needed to cover your total monthly overhead. Any sessions booked *after* this breakeven number generate your net profit.
How to Calculate Photography Breakeven (Example)
Let’s calculate the breakeven point for a portrait photographer.
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Identify Monthly Fixed Costs (F):
The photographer has $2,000 in monthly studio rent, insurance, and software.
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Identify Avg. Price per Session (P):
The average client package is $500.
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Identify Variable Cost (V):
Each session costs $50 in outsourced editing and gallery hosting fees.
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Apply the Formula: Q = F / (P – V)
First, calculate the contribution margin per session: $500 (P) – $50 (V) = $450.
Next, divide the fixed costs by this margin:
Q = $2,000 / $450 = 4.44 -
Conclusion:
The photographer must book 5 sessions (rounding up) each month to cover all costs and start making a profit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
If you are paying off gear with a monthly payment, that payment is a **Fixed Cost (F)**. If you bought the gear outright, it’s a sunk cost and not typically included in *monthly* breakeven, but you should “pay yourself back” for it via your pricing.
This calculator determines your *operating* breakeven (profit = $0). It does not include income tax, self-employment tax, or what you need to pay yourself (your ‘owner’s draw’). You must add those on top of your breakeven point to find your true *profit* target.
You should use your weighted average package price. However, the simplest way is to use your *most popular* package price as the (P) value for a quick, reliable estimate.
This is the best use! Set your (F) (e.g., $2,000), (V) (e.g., $50), and a realistic target for sessions per month (Q) (e.g., 4). Solve for (P) to find your minimum price: `P = ($2,000 / 4) + $50 = $500 + $50 = $550`. You must charge at least $550 per session.