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How much will your sports photography cost?

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Columbus, OH 43215

Sports Photographers on Thumbtack cost$150 - $180

National average hourly price

Most common low price:$150
Most common high price:$180

How much does sports photography cost?

By Thumbtack Staff

Last updated Thu, Jan 23

The national average cost to hire a professional sports photographer is $150-180 per hour, according to Thumbtack data. In total, customer report paying an average of $333 and prices range from $251-$441.

Sports photography pricing

National average hourly rate	$150-$180 per hour
Average total cost	$333
Average low-end total cost	$251
Average high-end total cost	$441

Sports photographers snap all types of sports photographs, including individual portraits, team photos, sporting events, action shots, fitness modeling and more. Some specialize in a specific sport, and others can cover a range of sports, including basketball, baseball, football, gymnastics, martial arts, hockey, tennis, track and field, soccer, swimming, and dance. Athletes may be at any level in their sport and any age, from youth to seniors. Photos can be for editorial use, personal use, print or catalog advertising, or websites. Several factors affect the cost of sports photography.

Hourly rate

Some sports photographers charge an hourly rate for their services. The rate may include some post-production work (retouching), or it may solely be for photographing the event or game.

Don't hesitate to ask questions to make sure you understand what services are provided at what rate.

Reputation and experience

Sports photographers who have worked with famous athletes or those with a strong reputation and long career often charge higher rates than those just starting out in the field. The geographic location of a pro can also affect their rates. Photographers in regions with a higher cost of living generally charge more for services.

Packages

Many sports photographers offer on-site services in half- or full-day pricing bundles. A package deal can give clients a discount from the photographer's usual hourly rate, ensure more coverage of their sporting event — or a more extensive photo shoot — and can benefit the professional by consolidating work with one client.

Sports portraits

Some photographers specialize in sports portraits and fitness modeling as an element of their work. Often these photo shoots are on location (yoga studio, swimming pool) to best showcase the athlete. Costs for portrait sessions can vary depending on the city, photographer background and more.

Event photography

Sports photographers can also be hired to shoot a sporting event. As with taking team portraits, they will travel to the game's location, but will take action shots instead of posed photographs.

Generally, the photographer will charge an hourly rate. For a complex event like a tournament, it may be more cost-effective to ask for a daily rate or half-day rate.

Alternatively, some sports photographers offer a per-game photo fee. They may also include a disk with all of the digital images on it as part of the fee. They may also offer a sports package to cover several games, such as a high school's homecoming game and playoffs; the package may include a print for each player as well as a coach's gift photo. Some photographers will even assemble a music slideshow of the best images on disc.

Before the day of the event, be sure to go over your list of desired shots with the photographer. Provide a list of the photographs you absolutely want to have. For example, at a baseball tournament, you may want a shot of each player at bat as well as each player in the field, plus shots of the winning teams receiving trophies.

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Tips for hiring a sports photographer

Not every professional photographer is the right person to shoot a sporting event or even take team portraits. Before hiring a photographer, follow these top 5 tips for finding the best match for the job:

Ask about the photographer's expertise. Make sure his or her style suits the job — a portrait photographer, for example, won't necessarily have the skills or photographic equipment to take fast-moving action shots of a football field.
Look at the photographer's portfolio. Each photographer has a different style, and you want to choose the one that will deliver the look you want, whether it's photojournalistic or highly stylized.
Understand the contract. Make sure the photographer carries appropriate professional liability insurance, particularly if he or she will be shooting action photos on a field or court near the players. Ask, too, about copyrights and the usage of the images so you know what rights you have to the photographs. Finally, review the payment schedule as well as the product delivery dates.
Make sure the photographer is experienced. Ask if they've photographed your type of sporting event — a wedding photographer probably isn't the best choice for a ballgame. If they specialize in studio portraits, make sure they've photographed sports players and teams, not just families.
Find out what's included in the fees. Some photographers provide a set number of prints, while others charge a fee for every print. Some will include untouched photos and charge extra for editing. Know exactly what you're paying for before you sign the contract.

For more, check out our tips for smart hiring.

Additional services

Photography is not just taking photos. It involves setting up the shoot properly, retouching images, and perfecting final outcomes. Instead of charging one high rate, some sports photographers break down costs for different services to give customers options and make their pricing more transparent.

Camera equipment

Photographers who use higher-grade cameras and lighting equipment typically charge higher rates to help cover their overhead for equipment and insurance. In general, better equipment also results in a higher-quality photo outcome, which is worth the extra cost.

Prices for professional cameras range from about $1,500 at the entry level to well into the tens of thousands. Lenses and other equipment are also very expensive. It's critical that sports photographers have the right gear to capture the action, however. Fast action games and other sports require a camera capable of high frame-per-second (fps) shooting.

Printing

Many photographers shooting digital images will post their digital contact sheets to a private site (including watermarks to prevent people from downloading and printing them at home), then allow customers to access them. Customers can preview the prints and choose just their favorite shots to order as stand-alone prints, in bundles, or even assembled into high-quality hardcover photo books.

Of course, physical prints of photos increase total costs. Depending on the quality and size of the print, prices can range greatly.

Many sports photographers offer a variety of packages that include different sizes of player portraits plus a team photo and additional products. The cost of the packages largely depends on the number of photos ordered.

Photo products

In addition to prints, most sports photographers offer a range of products that can have a player's image printed on them — collectible mugs, refrigerator magnets, buttons, keychains, calendars and more. These products are usually ordered along with the prints as part of a bundled package.

Travel

Some photographers charge a travel fee for arriving at sporting events or photo shoot sites to cover additional time and transportation expenses.

Pro tips

Always make sure you read the contract and understand how the deposit works. Some deposits are nonrefundable And others are more flexible, offering a full refund with a two-week written notice.
Read client reviews and follow up with references to make sure you're choosing the right pro for your project.

How do we know these prices?

Millions of people ask Thumbtack for help with their projects every year. We track the estimates they get from local professionals, conduct our own research and then we share those prices with you. The prices reflected in the article above are for informational purposes only and are subject to change at any time. Contact a professional near you to receive a personalized cost estimate for your project.

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