Photographer bookkeeping: client payments against the gear, software and second shooters behind them
A photographer's income lands as Stripe transfers from a booking tool plus the odd Zelle from a couple; the costs are gallery software, a camera or two, a second shooter and the print lab. The bank statement holds all of it, so the month's profit starts there.
Worked example: one October
The tool ships a synthetic statement for a wedding and portrait photographer (fixtures/photographer-checking.csv): three deposits and eleven costs. Both Stripe transfers and ten of the eleven costs get a suggested account; the couple's Zelle stays in review, because it could be a client paying you or a friend paying you back.
| October 2026 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Stripe transfers (two) | $3,500.00 |
| Zelle from a couple (left in review; you file it) | $1,500.00 |
| Money in | $5,000.00 |
| Adobe, Pic-Time, HoneyBook, Lightroom storage (software) | −$138.98 |
| B&H Photo, camera purchase (office supplies; see questions) | −$1,299.00 |
| WHCC albums (supplies and materials) | −$186.40 |
| Second shooter (contract labor) | −$400.00 |
| PPA membership (education and dues) | −$29.00 |
| Equipment insurance (insurance) | −$42.00 |
| Fuel (vehicle and fuel) | −$48.20 |
| Meta ads (advertising) | −$120.00 |
| Profit | $2,736.42 |
The profit counts the Zelle as income; if part of it is not client money, file that part as a transfer and the profit drops by the same amount. The camera is counted as a cost in full, which is one tax treatment among several. Stripe transfers are net of Stripe's fee, so the deposits understate what clients paid.
What the tool does for a photographer
- Imports the bank CSV and suggests Sales for Stripe transfers.
- Files the recurring costs: gallery and booking software, dues, second shooters, print labs, insurance and ads.
- Reports a P&L and a Schedule C worksheet, with the asset register for gear you depreciate, a mileage log for travel to shoots and quarterly estimated-tax dates in the tax calendar.
Rules are written from company names; no real photographer's statement has been tried.
Questions
Where does the second shooter go?
A payment to a second shooter or associate photographer is filed under contract labor. If you pay someone more than $600 in a year the 1099-NEC worksheet in this tool lists them; collect their W-9 before the first payment.
How are gallery software, dues and print-lab costs filed?
ShootProof, Pic-Time, HoneyBook, Dubsado, Pixieset, Adobe and Lightroom subscriptions are filed under software and subscriptions, PPA and WPPI dues under education and dues, and print-lab orders such as WHCC under supplies and materials. A Zelle from a client stays in the review queue because the tool cannot tell a client paying you from a friend; you file it.
Is a camera body an expense or an asset?
The importer files a B&H or Adorama purchase under office supplies. Whether a $1,299 camera is expensed or depreciated is a tax question: the asset register in this tool handles depreciation, and your accountant decides which applies to you.
Is it free?
Yes. It is open source (MIT), runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded. Not tax advice: a self-employed photographer owes self-employment tax on profit, the Schedule C worksheet in this tool shows the figure, and your accountant decides what applies to you.
Open AI Bookkeeper and import your bank statement.