Accounting Guide for Photographers: Photography Accounting 101

There’s no risk for you to try it out and see how awesome and helpful it is for yourself. Our detailed User Guide (a super-detailed PDF) and several how-to videos will get you up to speed in no time. And just in case you forget something, there are reminders throughout the workbook that help keep you on the right track. Spend more time capturing the right image and less time balancing your books.

• As a business owner, you’ll likely want to get familiar with developing a reliable balance sheet.
• Using this accounts receivable template will help streamline the process by providing a place for you to track the amounts due to your company and help prioritize collection efforts.
• Whenever you or your team are scheduled for business trips, it’s helpful to have a travel itinerary that lists the details for transportation, lodging, car rentals, meetings and more.
• Read the details on streamlining your small photography business here.
• And when your whole team uses FreshBooks accounting software to track their hours, everyone’s productivity is in one clear place.

We provide different levels of support for customers who use different features and services from Wave. Set aside some time each day or week to put down the lens and stay on top of your finances. By doing a bit of maintenance every day or every week, you will know your business more deeply and end-of-the-year tax time will be a breeze. You incur expenses when purchasing products or services from another vendor, like buying new camera equipment. The idea is to pay off your expenses (and keep them to a minimum in the first place), so the expenses don’t turn into liabilities. A statement showing the money you receive and the money you spend.

How to Choose the Right Accounting Software

While few people do that, it’s best to keep a running Excel file with the clients/locations you visited each month. That way you can come up with a reasonable estimate of your business mileage accounting for photographers and can prove it- if anyone asks. I asked our friend Josh Zweig, a certified public accountant with LiveCA, Chartered Accountant, for some tax return tips specific to photographers.

This includes tracking business expenses, tax preparation, using the right accounting software, and so much more. Photography businesses can keep track of business expenses and income using accounting software, spreadsheets, or a mix of both. Tools like Wave Financial and FreshBooks offer streamlined accounting solutions too, making it easier to manage finances. Additionally, regular review and reconciliation of financial records, along with proper categorization of expenses, can help maintain an accurate picture of the business’s performance. ShootQ is a photography-specific software solution, offering accounting features alongside photo management tools.

Best Practices for Photography Accounting

That way your client can see exactly what they are paying for. Now find out how much more Wave can do for you and your business by trying our 100% free invoicing and accounting software. FreshBooks helps photographers like you zip in and out of chores like estimating, invoicing and tracking expenses — helping you make the most of your creative time. However, it’s overwhelming once you realize how much work it is to keep track of your business finances and make sure you’re delivering everything to your clients on time. Overall, selecting the most compatible and accurate accounting software is a crucial step for photographers looking to achieve a sustainable and successful business. By doing so, they can strike the right balance between managing their creative work and keeping their finances in check.

This accounting journal template includes each step with sections for their debits and credits, and pre-built formulas to calculate the total balances for each column. Included on this page, you’ll find an accounting journal template, accounts payable template, accounts receivable template, and more. You want to make it as easy as possible for your clients to pay you.

Bill To Invoice Template

You should also include a due date for the invoice, the type of payment you accept, your company logo, services rendered, and any other project-related costs that may be included. Weddingphotographers, for example, may be able to include any agreed-upon travel expenses in the invoice. Retain all of your receipts proving these expenses in case there is any dispute regarding the invoice as well as for tax purposes.