Nobody gets into photography to chase invoices. But the business side decides whether you get to keep shooting. The good news: most payment problems are solved before the shoot, with a few habits.
Take a deposit when they book
A deposit (or retainer) holds the date and filters out people who aren’t serious. Common amounts are 25% to 50% of the total, or a flat amount like $100 for a headshot session. Take it at the moment they book, not “sometime before the shoot,” and credit it toward the final invoice.
Send a real invoice
A Venmo request isn’t an invoice. A real one makes you look professional and makes it easy for businesses to pay you. It should have:
- Your business name and the client’s
- An invoice number and date, and a due date
- Clear line items: session, retouching, extras, travel
- The deposit already paid, and the balance due
- Sales tax, if your state requires it on photography
- For businesses: their PO number and terms, like NET 15
Make paying easy
The easier it is, the faster you get paid. Let clients pay online by card, and offer Apple Pay or Google Pay for phones. For bigger invoices, bank transfer (ACH) costs you less in fees, and business clients often prefer it.
Get paid before the final download
Release final, full-resolution files once the balance is paid. Clients can still see and choose everything in a watermarked proofing gallery in the meantime. This one rule ends most chasing.
Remind without being awkward
A friendly reminder a few days before the due date, and another when it’s past due, gets most invoices paid without a hard conversation. If you charge late fees, say so in your contract and on the invoice up front, and check your state’s rules.
Keep the processor fees in mind
Card processors charge a few percent per payment. Build that into your prices, push big invoices toward bank transfer, and avoid platforms that take an extra cut of your revenue on top.
How I do it in Edit
Clients pay a deposit when they book from my booking page, and it’s credited on the session invoice. The invoice lives on the project, they pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or bank transfer through my own Stripe or Square, and Edit sends the reminders. Final downloads unlock when it’s paid. Edit takes 0%.