It’s often the first question charity comms teams ask me, and one of the hardest to find a straight answer to online. So here’s an honest breakdown of what goes into the price, and how to get the most from your budget.
How charity photographers and filmmakers price their work
Most freelancers price charity work in one of two ways:
- A day rate: you pay for each day of shooting, plus time for planning and editing.
- A project fee: one price for the whole project, worked out from the number of days, the editing and what you need delivered.
I work on a day-rate basis and turn it into a clear project quote, so you know the full cost before anything is booked. No surprises.
What’s included in the price
A good quote should cover much more than the time with a camera. For my charity projects, that includes:
- Planning: a call with your team, shaping the stories and agreeing the approach
- Getting to know participants: calls or visits before the shoot, so nobody meets a stranger on the day
- The shoot itself: photography, film or both
- Editing: selecting, editing and colour grading the best images or footage
- Delivery: web-sized and full-resolution files, captions and any formats you need
- A licence to use the images for the purposes we agree, such as your website, social media, reports and press
What affects the cost
1. The number of days. One location in one day costs less than several families across the country. The Kinship project, for example, covered seven families from London to Glasgow, so it needed far more days than a single-site shoot.
2. Photography, film or both. Film takes longer, especially in the edit. Combining them in one visit is often better value than booking two separate shoots.
3. Editing and deliverables. A 2-minute film with subtitles and social media cutdowns takes longer than one edit. A large photo library takes longer than 20 key images.
4. Travel and accommodation. Shoots outside London may need train travel or an overnight stay. I always include these in the quote upfront.
5. Planning and participant care. Work with vulnerable people needs more time before the camera comes out. It’s worth budgeting for, because it’s what makes people feel safe, and it shows in the images.
6. Working with models. If the people you support can’t be photographed safely, working with models can be the more ethical choice. Model fees and casting add to the cost, so it’s worth mentioning early. Here’s more on when working with models is the right choice.
7. Usage. Images for a one-off social post are different from images for a national campaign, a press feature and an exhibition. Tell your photographer everything you plan to use them for.
Example project sizes
My day rate for charity and non-profit work is £350. Every project is quoted from the number of days needed for planning, shooting and editing, plus any travel. As a rough guide:
- A single-day photography shoot, for example at one service or project, with an edited gallery: from £1050
- A short documentary film telling one person’s story, like Victoria’s story for The Salvation Army: from £3000
- A multi-day or multi-location campaign, like my Kinship Care Week series: quoted individually, depending on the number of days, locations and deliverables
These are guides, not fixed packages. Tell me what you need, and I’ll give you a clear quote.
How to make your budget go further
- Plan one shoot for several uses. Your annual report, social media, website, funding bids and press can all come from one well-planned shoot.
- Combine photo and film in the same visit.
- Share your budget upfront. It’s not awkward. It means your photographer can suggest what’s realistic, rather than quoting for something you can’t afford.
- Book early, especially for awareness weeks and fixed launch dates, so there’s time to plan around the people involved.
- Write a clear brief. It saves time for everyone. Here’s how to brief a photographer for your charity campaign, with a free template.
Is it worth the money?
That depends on what you need the images to do, and how you compare it with stock photos, AI images or photos taken by your team. I’ve written an honest answer here: is professional charity photography worth it?
Charity photography cost FAQs
What is a typical day rate for a charity photographer in the UK?
Day rates vary depending on experience, location and whether film is included. My day rate for charity and non-profit work is £350, with project prices worked out from the days needed for planning, shooting and editing.
Do you offer charity discounts?
My charity rates are already lower than my commercial rates. The best way to save is to plan one shoot that covers several uses.
Are travel costs included?
Travel and any accommodation are added to the quote upfront, so you know the full cost before you book.
Who owns the copyright?
I normally keep the copyright and give your charity a licence to use the images for the uses we’ve agreed, such as your website, social media, reports, campaigns and press. If your charity needs to own the copyright, for example for a large national campaign, we can agree that instead. On some projects, the charity has held the copyright and given me a licence to use the images in my portfolio. Either way, I ask to be credited as the photographer when the images are used in the press. Everything is agreed in writing before the shoot, so you know exactly where you stand.
Can you work with a small budget?
Often, yes. Tell me your budget and what you need, and I’ll suggest the best way to make it work, for example fewer days with more planning, or a photo-only shoot with a few short film clips.
How far in advance should we book?
Ideally a couple of months, especially for campaigns with fixed launch dates or several locations. That leaves time to plan, build trust with participants and fit around their availability.
Ready to plan your project? Have a look at my charity photography and filmmaking work, or get in touch and tell me what you have in mind.
