Should you tip your Boudoir photographer? What is the proper etiquette?

To Tip or Not to Tip Your Boudoir Photographer?  That’s the golden question. Should you tip your Boudoir photographer and what is to be expected?   Of course, the decision is completely up to you, but here are a few pieces of advice for the intrigued.

You just had an amazing boudoir photo shoot and you’re wondering whether or not you should tip your photographer. It’s a valid question—after all, you would tip your hair stylist or massage therapist, so why not your photographer? Here, we’ll give you the lowdown on boudoir photography tipping etiquette so you can make an informed decision.

Should You Tip your Boudoir Photographer?

Let’s start with who you should tip. If you had a positive experience with your photographer and they went above and beyond to make you feel comfortable and help you get the best photos possible, then it is customary to tip them. That being said, tipping is never required, so if you don’t have the extra cash on hand or simply don’t feel compelled to do so, there is no obligation to tip.  And of course, with any larger purchase, it may be hard to come up with an additional sum of money.  But in all honesty, if you are willing to spend $2000 towards a boudoir session, what will an extra $50 do?

Here’s a common misconception.  When you are paying your Boudoir photographer $2000 for a photo session, he or she does not get to keep all of that money. They are lucky if they see less than half.  After putting the money towards expenses such as paying the professional makeup artist, the album and prints (which reputable printing companies cost a pretty penny as well), it can be up to $700 in luxury albums and prints.   Then you have to take into consideration, are there other staff assisting, or how about the rent for their studio space?  What about all of the props and lingerie that they buy to stock the client closet, or the amount of laundry and cleaning they have to do in between sessions. So when your Boudoir photographer is only doing 2 or 3 of these types of sessions a month, it’s definitely hard to have a living.  I’ll speak from experience that most photographers chose this career because they aren’t in it for the money but rather the larger picture of how we are helping others.  Click here for more information on why are Boudoir Sessions so expensive?  It further breaks down the details.

How Much Should You Tip your Boudoir photographer?

Now that we’ve established that you *can* tip your boudoir photographer if you choose to, how much should you give? A standard industry rate is 15-20% of the total cost of the shoot, but again, this is by no means required. If you’re on a budget, a smaller amount—or even just a kind word of thanks—would be appreciated.  If you have to ask, “should you tip your boudoir photographer”, then the answer is most likely yes.  If you even have to think about it, there’s your answer. I mean, when we go out to restaurants, we pay our waiter 15-20% tip based off of our bill amount.  Your photographer did a 2 hour photography session with you, edited for 6 hours, took their time to make you feel comfortable, and then scheduled another appointment to have you see your amazing images, but we don’t think to tip them, only our waiters who had us for 40 minutes.

When Should You Tip your Boudoir photographer?

The best time to tip your boudoir photographer is at the end of your shoot when everything has wrapped up and you’re saying your goodbyes. This allows them to put the money away without having to worry about where to keep it safe on set. Plus, it shows that you appreciated their work and are eager to recommend them to others.  If your photographer has you pay at the photo reveal or pre-pay beforehand and you don’t have the option, cash is always good to have on hand.

Should you tip your Boudoir photographer? Standard Gratuity in the Photography Industry:

In the photography industry, it is customary to leave a 15-20% gratuity for services rendered. Boudoir photography is a luxurious experience and one where you are putting a lot of trust in your photographer to make you feel comfortable and capture stunning images that you will cherish forever. If you had a fantastic experience and your photographer went above and beyond your expectations, it is always appreciated to show your gratitude with a little something extra.

On the other hand, if you don’t feel like your photographer provided the level of service you were expecting, then you are under no obligation to leave a gratuity. The decision is entirely up to you and should be based on your own personal experience.

There are other factors that could influence your decision to tip or not tip your boudoir photographer. For instance, did they give you a promotional rate? Did they send you any discount codes or special offers? If so, then they may not be expecting a gratuity on top of that.

Secondly, have you worked with this photographer before? If so, then they may already have established a rapport with you and understand your needs and wants going into the photo shoot. In that case, a gratuity may not be necessary.

When it comes down to it, there is no right or wrong answer when considering whether or not to tip your boudoir photographer. It ultimately comes down to personal preference and how satisfied you were with the overall experience. Whatever you decide, be sure to communicate openly with your photographer so that there are no misunderstandings about expectations on either side.  If you are wondering How much should I spend on Boudoir photos, just remember, if you are looking for a high quality, professional photographer and expect an amazing experience, then you need to go with one that will make sure that will be the case.  Finding the right Boudoir photographer is extremely important when it comes to establishing trust and relying on their skills and expertise.

Tipping your boudoir photographer is not required but is always appreciated if you had a positive experience with them.  Heck, even by leaving a positive review on their site helps immensely, in more way than you can even imagine.  So if you ever find yourself wondering, should I tip my Boudoir photographer, go with your gut because it most likely will lead you in the right direction.   Photographers are not paid hourly, but based off of the amount of sessions they can book per week, and unfortunately there are some slower times of the years than others.  So do your photographer a favor and pay what you can.  Any amount is greatly appreciated.

Click here to see how you can add tipping into your every day budget so you won’t have to ever worry again about whether or not should you tip your Boudoir photographer or other similar services.