Should I tip my photographer?
You’ve booked your photographer. You’ve planned out the details, picked the outfit, and survived the session… or maybe even the whole wedding day. Now you’re wondering should I tip my photographer?
To put it curtly: you absolutely can, but you absolutely do not have to.
Is tipping expected?
Generally no.
Photographers set their own pricing with the intention of being paid fairly for their work—or at least I do.
You probably know that when you hire a photographer, you aren’t just paying for the time they took pressing a button. You are paying for their experience, equipment, insurance, editing time (hours! Hours and hours!) software, communication, planning, location scouting, gallery delivery, and all the other labor of love that they put into your session before you ever get your photos back.
I’ve been told that my prices are too high and I’ve also been told that they’re too low. At this point in time, I think that they’re fair—which is why I don’t expect a tip. However, if you feel that your photographer went above and beyond, you can absolutely tip them.
If I do tip, how much should I tip?
There isn’t really a general ‘rule’ for this, at least not to my knowledge. It doesn’t need to be the 15-25% you probably allocate at a restaurant. For a smaller couples or family session, some clients choose to add a small tip or round up their payment. For weddings or larger events, some clients choose several hundred dollars because of the length and intensity of the day.
But again, there is no required percentage!
I don’t have the budget to tip but I want to show my appreciation!
For small businesses, there’s something that you can do to show you appreciation without spending any money at all: talk about them.
If you loved your experience, leave your photographer a thoughtful review! Tell people what made the experience great. Share their photos and tag them. Recommend them to anyone and everyone.
Or, simply send them a message when you receive the gallery and tell them how much you love your gallery. Tell them which photos made you cry. Tell them which ones you’re printing.
Just knowing our art is loved is often enough.
If a tip doesn’t feel like you, here are other ways you can thank a photographer:
- Leave a detailed review
- Write them some kind words for their website
- Tag and credit the photographer when you share their photos
- Refer refer refer!
- Send them a thank you card
- Send them a message after receiving your gallery
So should I tip?
If you feel that your photographer went above and beyond and you want to make a grand gesture, yes.
But even smaller ways of showing your appreciation, such as writing a review or telling them you love your photos, can mean just as much.
