An invoice does two jobs. It tells your client exactly what they’re paying for, and it gives them everything they need to pay you without a follow-up email. Most slow payments I’ve seen come from a missing piece: no PO number, no due date, no clear way to pay.
Below is a sample invoice for a half-day corporate headshot job, the kind I send every month. Copy the layout, swap in your own lines and prices, and keep every section. Business clients in particular will check for each one.
One note first: I’m a photographer, not a lawyer or an accountant, and this isn’t legal or tax advice. Sales tax and late fee rules differ by state. Have a professional in your state look over your setup once.
Sample photography invoice
Everything in the box is the invoice. Replace the sample details and each [BRACKETED] item with your own.
Invoice INV-0042
From: Your Studio
[STREET ADDRESS, CITY, STATE ZIP]
name@example.com · (805) 555-0100
Bill to: Client Company
Attn: Accounts Payable
[BILLING ADDRESS]
name@example.com
Invoice date: November 3, 2026
Due date: November 18, 2026
Terms: NET 15
PO number: PO-4417
Shoot date: October 27, 2026
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Headshot session, half day on location1 × $1,200.00 | $1,200.00 |
| Retouched images12 × $35.00 | $420.00 |
| Usage licenseWebsite, social media, and print marketing. North America, 2 years from delivery. Non-exclusive. | $500.00 |
| Travel and setup1 × $150.00 | $150.00 |
| Subtotal | $2,270.00 |
| Sales tax (5%, sample rate) | $113.50 |
| Total | $2,383.50 |
| Deposit paid October 6, 2026 | −$600.00 |
| Balance due | $1,783.50 |
How to pay
Pay online by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or bank transfer (ACH) at [PAYMENT LINK]. Checks are payable to Your Studio and mailed to the address above. Please include the invoice number with any payment.
Late payment
As agreed in our signed contract, invoices not paid within [3] days after the due date incur a one-time late fee of [10%] of the past-due amount.
Usage
The usage license above takes effect once this invoice is paid in full. Your Studio keeps the copyright to all images. Final full-resolution files are delivered when the balance is paid.
Thank you for your business. Questions about this invoice? Reply to name@example.com or call (805) 555-0100.
What each part does
- Invoice number and dates: a unique number for every invoice, the date you sent it, and a real due date. “Due on receipt” tends to mean “due whenever.”
- Terms and PO number: business clients often pay on NET terms, like NET 15 or NET 30, meaning the bill is due that many days after the invoice date. Many accounts payable teams can’t pay an invoice without their PO number on it, so ask for it when they book.
- Session fee: your time on the shoot, priced by the hour, half day, or day.
- Retouching per image: listing the count and the per-image rate makes extra selections an easy yes instead of a negotiation.
- Usage license: its own line, with the use, territory, and length spelled out. It shows the client what the license fee buys, and it’s the line that grows when they want ads or packaging later.
- Travel: mileage, parking, or setup for on-location work, priced separately so the session rate stays clean.
- Sales tax: some states tax photography, prints, or digital files, and some don’t. Check yours before you add it, and leave it off if it doesn’t apply.
- Deposit already paid: credit the deposit on the invoice so the balance is the real number left to pay. Nothing confuses a client faster than a total that ignores money they already sent.
- Payment methods: the easier it is, the faster you get paid. Offer a card and phone wallets, and bank transfer for big invoices, which costs you less in fees.
- Late fee terms: only charge one your client agreed to in the signed contract, and show it on the invoice up front.
Split a big invoice
For a large job, offer a payment plan: a deposit when they book, then the rest in a few scheduled payments. Clients say yes to bigger packages when they don’t have to pay it all at once.
Send it and get paid in Edit
In Edit, every part of this invoice is built in, on every plan. A booking deposit is credited on the invoice automatically, and you can add a PO number, a billing address, and NET terms for business clients. Split any invoice into a deposit and up to 12 payments, each with its own due date and reminders. Turn on an optional late fee that’s capped, follows your state’s rules, and is shown on every invoice. Clients pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or bank transfer (ACH) through your own Stripe or Square account, and Edit takes 0%.