Bottom Line: Traveling for work can be fun and luxurious, but it also takes you far from home and demands a lot of energy. With the right approach, you can rack up sky miles, embrace the glitz and glam, and create unforgettable stories—all while serving your clients effectively.
I’ve been a commercial photographer for 15 years, living in three continents and traveling for assignments both nationally and internationally. I vividly remember my first assignment in another city. The client picked up the tab for flights, accommodation, and meals, and I was proud to be traveling for work. Today, some clients even boast about flying their photographer everywhere in the USA—even if it’s just a one-hour flight. It was, and remains, a match made in heaven.
A few years later, travel became more accessible, but the real challenge is finding the formula that works for you.
Types of Clients You Travel With
Many of us get started when a client’s project takes us to another city—or even another country. Your travel assignments can vary widely:
- Existing Clients: These could be wedding photographers traveling with couples, architecture photographers shooting properties, or portrait photographers covering assignments outside of town.
- Expanding Horizons: As your reputation grows, clients may approach you for projects in new markets, allowing you to build your travel portfolio.
Marketing Your Travel Availability
Testing the waters is always a smart move. For instance, if you’re based in Los Angeles, consider adding San Francisco and San Diego to your website’s service area. If you’re in New York, why not include the entire Tri-State Area? Don’t just rely on local clients—make travel part of your overall marketing plan by clearly communicating your availability for out-of-town projects.
How to Become a Travel Photographer
Let your clients know you’re available for travel. After my first invitation, I reached out to all my contacts and mentioned that I was offering services in various cities. As my family is spread across different parts of the world, I also started accepting assignments in the countries where they reside. It’s all about spreading the word and expanding your network.
How Much to Charge for Traveling
Pricing travel can be a challenge, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. Here are a few methods I’ve used:
- Transparent Quote (As-Is): Visit a travel booking website, and add the minimum flights and hotels to your cart. Either you pay for this yourself or pass the cost to the client. You might also add a fixed day rate (for example, $200) for food and local travel expenses.
- Fixed Price: If you frequently travel to similar locations, decide on a fixed fee. For example, if flights, hotels, and food typically cost around $350, you might charge a flat $450 to give yourself a margin.
- Fixed + Profit: I see travel photography as a chance not only to travel but to simplify things for my clients. I factor in my day rate and avoid overwhelming them with too many line items. This works best when dealing with production companies, agencies, or larger clients unless you work on a commercial project where braking down costs are expected (magazine, agency, advertising firm or production for large company).
How do I do it?
I typically use websites like Booking.com
to find direct flights or choose business seats, which give us flexibility for rebooking, extra luggage, and priority boarding. I add a fixed $500 per day to cover hotels, food and beverage, and transportation per person. We don’t waste too much time on research because prices can change; instead, we include in our quote that the price is valid for five business days if the trip is booked more than a month in advance and three days if it’s under a month, as prices change dramatically closer to the date.
We also make sure to charge our full rate—that is, full rate plus travel costs plus the $500 per day for expenses and time. Sometimes we fly the same day and don’t need hotels; other times, we need to arrive a night before. We love to travel, hold client meetings while on the road, and use these trips to take a vacation and discover different cities.
Keep in mind the downside: traveling takes time for planning, commuting, and even dealing with unexpected expenses—like a security update that crashed airline systems and sent my flight costs soaring from $800 to $2,200. And yes, sometimes it even means missing important family events like your children’s birthdays!
Travel safely, charge appropriately, and always remember to carve out some time for fun—even when you’re far from home.
Until next time.
