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What Your Photography Business Owes the IRS (And How to Stop Being Surprised by It)
Business & Finance

What Your Photography Business Owes the IRS (And How to Stop Being Surprised by It)

Every January, I pull up my studio’s P&L from the previous year and go line by line. It’s a habit my accountant husband started for me years ago, and it changed how I run everything. The first time we did it together, he pointed at my boudoir sessions and said, “You know this is your highest-margin work, right?” I had no idea. I had been pouring energy into family portraits because they felt more prestigious, while quietly leaving money on the table.

The Real Cost of AI-Generated Marketing Photos—and How Photographers Can Win Back Clients
Business Strategy

The Real Cost of AI-Generated Marketing Photos—and How Photographers Can Win Back Clients

I had coffee with a fellow photographer last week who lost three headshot clients to AI. Not because they were bad at their job—she’s genuinely talented. But a potential client told her they’d already generated a “good enough” batch using Midjourney, spent $20, and didn’t need to book a session. That conversation stuck with me because it’s not an outlier anymore. It’s a real shift in how some clients are thinking about visual content.

The Photography Business Tax Guide: Stop Leaving Money on the Table
Business

The Photography Business Tax Guide: Stop Leaving Money on the Table

The Photography Business Tax Guide: Stop Leaving Money on the Table When I first turned my photography hobby into a real business, I made a rookie mistake: I tracked nothing. Zero. By tax season, I’d left thousands in deductible expenses unclaimed because I had no documentation. That one year of sloppy record-keeping cost me roughly $4,200 in unnecessary taxes. I’m sharing this because I know you’re probably working just as hard as I am—shooting sessions, editing late into the night, managing clients.

The Photography Business Owner's Tax Playbook: Deductions, Strategies & Real Numbers
Business

The Photography Business Owner's Tax Playbook: Deductions, Strategies & Real Numbers

I spent my first three years as a photographer paying way more in taxes than I should have. I’d earned roughly $120,000 across those years, and my accountant told me I’d missed over $8,000 in legitimate deductions. That’s when I decided to stop being reactive about taxes and start being strategic. If you’re running a photography business, you’re probably focused on perfecting your craft, landing clients, and delivering stunning images. But here’s the reality: how you structure your business and track expenses directly impacts how much of your income you actually keep.

Stop Leaving Money on the Table: Pricing Strategy for Photography Businesses
Business Strategy

Stop Leaving Money on the Table: Pricing Strategy for Photography Businesses

Stop Leaving Money on the Table: Pricing Strategy for Photography Businesses I used to undercharge. Badly. I’d quote $800 for weddings while competitors charged $2,500. I was busy—booked solid—but I wasn’t making real money. That changed when I stopped guessing and started strategizing. If you’re running a photography business and your pricing feels fuzzy, you’re probably leaving thousands on the table every year. Let me walk you through the framework that tripled my revenue.