Traveling and photography goes hand in hand. While it would be lovely if you didn’t have to ever leave the studio to take photos, that is very rarely the case.
There are several costs I pass on to my clients with regards to traveling costs. Here are a few of my guides when it comes to charging for travel.
- I never charge for my time – While some photographers do, I love traveling too much to warrant this added cost.
- If it’s within 25km’s of my studio I don’t charge anything – It’s a given that I will need to travel a small distance with the nature of my work.
- 50 cents per km above the free 25km area below - While the IRD suggests the rate should be 77 cents per km, I again love driving so feel 50 cents/km is a lot fairer to pass on to clients. This obviously takes into account vehicle costs, insurance, running costs, and fuel. Have a look on Google Maps for the distance between Whitby and your event, and don’t forget to take off the 25km free area shown below.
- If it’s cheaper to fly to a main center and hire a vehicle, I will often do this. Depending on the nature of the work, sometimes driving is the best option (if I require a lot of my gear), or if the airport is a remote one that often incurs higher costs than the main centers.
- I charge a flat rate of $150/night for accommodation. I do like to splash out a bit with accommodation but don’t think my clients should have to pay for that. $150 is the average price for an average room in New Zealand, so I cover the amount over and above this. If the client is a couple for their wedding, I will often require the night before the wedding too. This allows me to be there for rehearsals, and as you’ve paid for me to get there and sleep for the night I’m often happy to photograph an event taking place the night before your big day (family BBQ or dinner etc).