A photographer's guide to invoicing gig work

Is Keikkalasku right for me?

Absolutely! Keikkalasku suits beginners and experienced professionals alike who want to invoice their work without a company of their own. You can invoice, for example, a one-off wedding shoot or photography commissions for companies. The invoice goes to your client under Keikkalasku’s business ID, and you receive your fee as salary.

What does light entrepreneurship mean for a photographer?

As a light entrepreneur you work independently: you find the gigs, agree with the client on the content and the price of the work, and take care of the shoot and of delivering the finished photos. Keikkalasku handles the invoicing, the withholding tax and the necessary reports to the authorities. That way you can focus on your craft without setting up a company. Read more about light entrepreneurship.

What kind of work can a photographer invoice?

Through Keikkalasku you can invoice many kinds of photography work, for example:

• Weddings and celebrations
• Portrait and family shoots
• Corporate and staff photos
• Event and press photography
• Product and e-commerce photography
• Advertising and marketing shoots
• Photo editing and delivery

Note: drone photography can't be invoiced through invoicing services.

Before the shoot

A professional contract gives you security

You can agree on a shoot by email, but a written contract helps you avoid later misunderstandings, for example about the usage rights to the photos. Think carefully about which usage rights you hand over to the client and whether they’re included in the agreed price. Broad or all-encompassing usage rights should be reflected in your pricing! A thorough, solid contract template also gives a professional impression.

At a minimum, the contract should cover the fee, the schedule, the number of photos delivered, the usage rights, the post-processing, any rights to edit or crop the photos, and how the photos are delivered.

You can also agree on things like file formats, colour profiles and bleed requirements. Depending on the client, for example when shooting for a magazine, the article’s content, angle and type have a big effect on the result they want. You’ll find a thorough look at freelance contributor agreements on the website of Suomen Freelance-journalistit, the Finnish association of freelance journalists.

Travel, materials and licences

Travel expenses related to a shoot can be paid to you tax-free, for example mileage allowances, daily allowances and other travel costs. You add travel expenses easily on the Keikkalasku form when you create the invoice.

Tip: if you visit the location or meet the client before the gig, agree in advance on how those travel costs are reimbursed!

Sometimes a shoot calls for props. If you buy them yourself, the supply costs can only be taken into account as expenses for the production of income, so they can’t be paid tax-free.

Equipment purchases, such as new camera gear, can’t be taken into account in invoicing. If you buy software licences or equipment that you use in your work on an ongoing basis, you can however deduct them in your taxation as expenses for the production of income.

Agree in the contract exactly what the invoice will include, so it can be handled correctly when invoicing.

How does a freelance photographer price their work?

A photographer has several ways to price their work, and the right one often depends on the kind of project.

A package or day rate suits weddings, for example. Factor in the time spent shooting, any location scouting, the post-processing and the number of photos delivered. Tell the client clearly what the price includes.

Tip: if you send photos to the client to choose from, remember to send them in low resolution.

Hourly pricing suits event photography, for example. Also factor in the time spent selecting and post-processing the photos, so the whole job is covered by your fee.

Per-photo pricing can suit product photography, for example, when the number of photos and the content of the work can be clearly defined. Also agree whether the price includes editing and what usage rights the client gets.

In press photography fees and contract terms vary from one media house to another. Find out in advance what the fee covers and what usage rights to the photos are transferred. The Suomen Freelance-journalistit website has information on the contributor agreements of different media houses.

Advance payment: for a wedding shoot, for example, you can agree on an advance payment. Write down the amount, the due date and how the payment is taken into account in the final invoice.

Good to know: the client may later want more photos or other work on top of the original commission, such as extra editing. Agree on the prices of extra photos and additional work in advance, so invoicing goes smoothly.

What details do I need from the client?

Good to know: with Keikkalasku you create an invoice for a company in our online service just as you would for a private client. We take care of sending it, the withholding tax and the reports to the authorities.

VAT in photography work

How do I account for VAT?

Photography services are generally subject to the 25.5% VAT rate, so add it on top of your price.

Usage fee: a fee for the right to use photographs is also subject to 25.5% VAT.

If you’re unsure about the VAT rate for your commission, ask Keikkalasku’s customer service.

How it works: a wedding shoot

1. You agree on the commission. You agree on €2,200 + 25.5% VAT for the wedding shoot. You make a contract that defines the shooting schedule, the content of the shoot, the number of photos and how they’re delivered, and the usage rights to the photos.
2. You create the invoice. Once you’ve delivered the photos to the client, you fill in the invoice details on the Keikkalasku form. It only takes a few minutes.
3. We send the invoice. We check the invoice and send it to the client on your behalf.
4. We run payroll and you get paid. When the client’s payment reaches our account, we deduct the service fee and withhold tax according to your tax card. If the payment arrives on a working day by 4 pm, your salary is in your account the same day.

Can I invoice just one commission?

You can. Using Keikkalasku doesn’t tie you to anything: no monthly fees and no contract period. Most photographers who use our service invoice through us regularly, though, and that’s where the flat price shows best: the service fee stays the same however many commissions and however much invoicing you have.

Common questions from new users

This guide is general information, not personal tax advice. Check your own situation with the Finnish Tax Administration.