I price my real estate photography services per photo for several different reasons.

First, I price my photo services by every 5 images, rather than by every single image. This allows me to over deliver sometimes which always makes my clients happy. If they order a 30 photo package, I’ll usually delivery 31 or 32 so they feel like they’re getting a couple photos for free.

Second, the per image model allows me some flexibility with my longterm, repeat clients. Once they understand my pricing model, which only takes a few shoots, I’m usually trusted to deliver the correct amount of images rather than the client deciding how many photos I should deliver.

Finally, there is never any question about how much they need to pay. As we’ll discuss, sometimes the true square footage of a property can be debatable. There’s no debating the delivered amount of images.

With my personal experiences in mind, here are the pros and cons of a per image pricing model.

Pros

1. By pricing per image, I’m able to offer my clients “free images” nearly every shoot. If they purchase 35 images, I’ll always try to deliver at least 36. They notice my willingness to give them “free” photos and it 100% helps with client retention.
2. You can use the same pricing model for other services. For example, if you offer drone photography, it makes the most sense to price that by the photo as well. The same can be said for twilight images and virtual staging. This keeps your pricing model consistent across the board.
3. Once clients understand your pricing model, the transaction can be more flexible. For example, a client can say something like “No more than 40 photos” or “I need at least 25 photos”. This allows you the ability to properly photograph the property and inspires trust with your clients.

Cons

1. A client might be adamant that the house only needs 20 images when in reality it will need 30 photos for total coverage. It allows the client to be cheaper, which leads to the house not being properly photographed.