Accounting and invoicing for photographers
Shoot, selection, editing, delivery: photographers sell time, skill and usage rights, all in one invoice that clients understand. Saldiqo takes you from the quote through the deposit to the paid invoice and keeps camera, lenses and lighting in your asset register.
What comes up for photographers
Fees and usage rights
An invoice usually has several parts: the shoot, editing, usage rights, travel. Clients want to see what they pay for.
Dates with a deposit
Weddings, events and corporate jobs are booked long ahead. A deposit secures the date, the final invoice follows after delivery.
Expensive equipment
Camera, lenses, flashes, computers and software are a big item. Writing them off over their useful life spreads your taxable profit more evenly.
Working on location
Travel, hotel, rented equipment and meals arise where you shoot. The receipts belong to the billing.
How Saldiqo helps
- Quote with line itemsFee, editing, usage rights and travel as separate lines. The client sees what costs what.
- Deposit and final invoiceFrom the quote you create the deposit invoice. The final invoice deducts the deposit automatically.
- Receipts and travel costsPhotograph the receipt with your phone and capture it as an expense, with a cost centre for the project if you want to look at jobs separately.
- Time tracking for editingIf you bill by effort, you record the time and create the invoice line from the hours.
- Match paymentsUpload the bank statement and Saldiqo recognises paid invoices. Whoever does not pay gets a reminder.
Typical invoice lines
Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.
- Wedding coverage, 8 hours
- Image editing, 120 selected images
- Usage rights, web and print, one year
- Travel, mileage allowance
- Studio hire for one day
- Deposit for the shoot on 21 May
Tax and invoicing in Germany
What applies to invoices in Germany, in short. As of October 2026.
- VAT
- Standard rate 19 %, reduced rate 7 %. Which rate applies to which supply depends on the case. Saldiqo calculates each invoice line with the rate you pick.
- Small business scheme
- Under section 19 of the VAT Act (UStG) you charge no VAT as long as your turnover was at most €25,000 last year and is at most €100,000 this year. Saldiqo shows how much room is left and adds the note to your invoice.
- Mandatory details
- Under section 14 UStG every invoice shows a tax number or VAT ID, a consecutive invoice number, the date of supply and the recipient. Saldiqo checks this before you finalise an invoice. Small invoices up to €250 gross need fewer details.
- E-invoicing
- All businesses have had to be able to receive e-invoices since 1 January 2025. Issuing becomes mandatory from 2027 if last year’s turnover was above €800,000, and from 2028 for domestic business-to-business sales in all cases. Small businesses under section 19 are exempt. Saldiqo creates XRechnung and ZUGFeRD.
- VAT return
- The advance VAT return goes to the tax office through ELSTER, by the 10th after the end of the period. You file monthly if last year’s VAT was above €9,000 and quarterly above €2,000. Saldiqo provides the figures; you file in ELSTER or through your tax adviser.
- Record keeping
- Keep invoices and accounting vouchers for 8 years, books for 10 years and business letters for 6 years. The period starts at the end of the calendar year.
- Late payment
- In the second half of 2026 the default interest rate is 10.52 % between businesses and 6.52 % towards consumers, plus a €40 flat fee that applies to businesses only. Saldiqo has reminder levels with deadlines and fees.
- Getting paid
- Every invoice carries a GiroCode (EPC QR) that customers scan with their banking app. You match payments by uploading the bank statement as CSV or CAMT.
- Tax adviser
- Cash-basis profit calculation (EÜR), a DATEV export and a separate login for your tax adviser are built in.
For photographers in Germany
Camera, lenses, flash system and computer often cost more than €800 net. They run through the asset register over their useful life and the depreciation flows into the cash-basis profit calculation. For computers and software Saldiqo suggests a useful life of one year. Check every value with your tax adviser.
Frequently asked questions
Can I show usage rights as a separate line?
Yes. You create the service as its own item and add it to the quote or invoice. The client sees what they pay for.
How do I bill deposits?
You write the quote, create the deposit invoice from it and later the final invoice. It deducts the deposit that was paid.
Can I depreciate equipment?
In Germany yes: Saldiqo keeps an asset register and calculates the depreciation. For other countries you record the purchase as an expense and clear the depreciation with your tax adviser.
Do photographers in Germany have to charge VAT?
Yes, unless they qualify as small businesses under section 19 UStG. That applies when turnover was at most €25,000 last year and is at most €100,000 this year. The limit is hard: VAT is due on the sale that takes you over it.
Do photographers in Germany need e-invoicing?
Every business must be able to receive e-invoices since 2025. Issuing is mandatory from 2027 if last year’s turnover was above €800,000, and from 2028 for domestic business-to-business sales in general. Small businesses, invoices up to €250 and tickets are exempt. Private customers still get a normal invoice.
How long do photographers have to keep invoices?
Invoices and vouchers for 8 years, books for 10 years and business letters for 6 years, counted from the end of the calendar year. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records and to document your procedures stays with you.
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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.