How much you charge depends on your initial investment, experience, skill set, and how much you want to make. Hourly rates range from $25 to over $100. It helps to consider the going rate for the industry as well. Editorial projects have smaller budgets than commercial work. The average salary for an editorial photographer is about $47,000 a year. If more money is what you want, build your portfolio by supplementing your editorial work with other photography gigs. Learn how to negotiate pay rates.