What are Photography Subscription Packages – Tips and Pricing

Everything has a subscription nowadays, so why not your photography? Photography subscription packages are a pricing model that more photographers are adopting. I’ve been testing this pricing model with my students lately and we’re seeing great results. 

So today, I’m going to be breaking down what they are, which niches see the most benefit, and how to craft your own photo subscription package.

What are Photography Subscription Packages?

A photography subscription package is a pricing model that offers clients multiple sessions over time. The client then pays the photographer monthly quarterly, or every six months to have a photoshoot. The price per session is often lower than a full session and includes only 10-30 photos. 

I first saw this pricing model for photographers who serve bloggers, and influencers. They sell photoshoot subscriptions that include a session every quarter to refresh the client’s images on social media and their website. Now I’m seeing this model transcend into all niches. Some include one full session and a mini-session or two, while others are all mini-sessions. 

Photography subscriptions are great because your clients get enough images to fit their needs, without paying for multiple full sessions. For you, it’s a way to create recurring income.

What Clients Need Photography Subscriptions?

As I said, a year or two ago this pricing model was only seen by photographers serving influencers and bloggers. That’s not the case anymore. Subscriptions can fit into nearly every niche.

Brands

This is the most common type of photo subscription because brands constantly need high-quality photos for social media and websites. Brand photographers who serve businesses, product companies, eCommerce shops, social media influencers, bloggers, and other creative entrepreneurs like you and me can incorporate a photo subscription into your offer suite. 

Families

Do you offer family mini-sessions? What if you were able to pre-sell those mini-sessions without ever having to do an entire marketing campaign? Offering families a full session plus a mini session or two allows you to increase your revenue per client. Family photographers can offer a Fall mini-session for their Christmas cards or go crazy and offer them two additional sessions. One with a Summer vibe and one in Fall. Put them on a payment plan and allow them to choose from a handful of options.

Expecting Parents

The same expecting parents who are looking for professional maternity photos WANT photos of their newborns. Most maternity photographers offer both full maternity and full newborn sessions. Instead, you can offer a subscription to cover ‘from belly to birthday cake’. This would include a full maternity session, newborn mini-session, and mini-session at one year old. Not only are you able to make more revenue per client, but offering two mini-sessions means:

1. Less editing than a full newborn
2. More money in session fees
3. 3 sessions worth of prints to upsell
4. More time “in mind” to generate referrals
5. Your clients feel like they’re getting more.

New Parents

If you skipped ahead to this section, go back and read the maternity section. Newborn photographers can offer a similar package as maternity photographers. Instead of a maternity session, offer a full newborn session, a one-year mini, and Christmas mini session. To keep things simple, schedule all your clients to do their mini-sessions on the same day or two. Your new parents WANT to capture these milestones, you’re just helping them lock in the pre-planning. 

Brand & Marketing Companies

I’m going to lump a few people into this category, so listen up! Marketing agencies, brand strategists, and web designers are silently praying for their clients to surprise them with amazing photos as you read this. (Desperately!) If you’re a brand photographer, headshot photographer, or portrait photographer then a great revenue strategy is to hook up with these creative companies. You can offer a preferred referral program to companies in your area to send you their clients. Offer their clients either a standard photography package or a subscription package to serve them beyond their launch date. Seriously, these creatives will invite you to their weddings, they’ll be so grateful for the images you provide.

How Do You Create Photography Subscription Offers?

Everyone’s offer structure will look different. I’ve given you a few examples throughout this blog to get your wheels turning, but ultimately it comes down to two things: what your clients want and what you want to offer. Craft a few offers on paper first.

Things to consider when crafting your subscription package:

• What Types Of Sessions To Offer – Full sessions, mini sessions, etc.
• Choose Your Frequency – Monthly, quarterly, or at specific milestones
• Opt For Simple Photo Packages – 10-25 digitals and optional prints
• Use Value-Based Pricing – Make these worth it for you and your client

Now that you have an idea of what you’re comfortable with, get validation. Understanding and predicting what your client wants can be tricky. I recommend going back to past clients and asking them if they would have loved whatever package and pricing you have in mind. Explain that you’re looking to serve others just like them more deeply. They’ll be happy to lend their expert opinions! 

This is What Recurring Revenue Looks Like For Photographers

We’ve all drooled over the idea of recurring revenue. Presets..prep guides…emailing clients to ask if they want to buy more photos from their gallery before deleting it a year later. They sell but nothing has offered a viable opening for photographers to see recurring revenue quite like subscriptions. The best part is that it can seamlessly integrate into your offer suite alongside your full sessions. 

I’m excited about the possibilities this opens up for my clients, and I hope you find a subscription model that works for you. I will be posting another article in the next couple weeks on how to use subscriptions as upsells and downsells! Make sure you subscribe to my email list to get notified when it’s posted.

In the meantime, let me know in the comments if you’re planning to give one of these a try or if you’re already doing it! I’d love to cheer you on.