In an era when everyone has a camera built into their phone, it can often be difficult to decide to allocate money to pay photographers for their work, but remember that they are artists, just like you! At the beginning of your career, you might not need a full photoshoot, but as you grow and make some money, and if you want to be taken seriously in some circles, it’s a good idea to partner with someone who has experience snapping bands and/or solo acts and making them look incredible.
One publication pegs the national average cost per hour of hiring a photographer at $175, though that takes into account all different kinds of work. Rabble Media shared an article with different numbers, ones which are more specific to photographers working in the music industry. That site suggests that the “standard rate” is usually somewhere between nothing and $50 per hour, or $10-$25 per photo. For those who have several years of experience, those figures climb to about $50 to $100 per hour and $25 to $50 per picture.