Second Shooter Photographer Bookkeeping Spreadsheet

About this template

This bookkeeping spreadsheet is made for a photography business that mixes second shooting for others with bookings of its own. It is for photographers working in wedding photography and events who want to see which kind of work actually pays, once albums, galleries and kit are counted.

Please read: This is a tracker tool only, not financial, tax, legal, medical or any other professional advice or advisory service. It records and calculates what you enter; you are solely responsible for checking all figures, rates, dates and results and for every decision you make. By purchasing, downloading or using it, you accept these terms (your statutory consumer rights are not affected).

Income and expense lines for photographers

A generic template opens on product sales and service income. These photographer books describe the work instead, and both lists are dropdowns so entries stay consistent.

• Income: Second shooting, Own bookings, Editing for others, and Album and print sales
• Expenses: Equipment, Equipment rental, Storage and media, Software and subscriptions, and more

Second shooting apart from your own work

Shooting for somebody else and shooting for yourself are two different businesses. A second shooter day rate has no album cost and no gallery subscription behind it, and mixing the two can lead you to the wrong conclusion about which work to chase. With them on separate lines, the ledger doubles as a day rate tracker.

Mileage with your own reasons

Each trip in the mileage log gets a reason from a dropdown: wedding, shoot, second shoot or client meeting. The year's total is ready when you need it.

The rest of the ledger

• Income and Expenses: 500 rows each
• Monthly and Quarterly: the totals tax is filed on
• Profit and Loss: built from the same two lists
• Clients: 10 client records with what each has been worth
• Balances and Dashboard: what the business holds, and the whole picture
• Start Here and Setup: setup in a few minutes

A bookkeeping spreadsheet, not an accountant. Tax rates and what you can claim are yours to set and yours to check.

Works with

• Microsoft Excel 2016, 2019, 2021 and Microsoft 365, on Windows and Mac, and LibreOffice
• Google Sheets with a free Google account. The Google Sheets version is a real workbook you copy, not a PDF with a link in it.
• No dynamic arrays, no macros, no add-ins and no subscription

What you download

• Two Excel files: a worked year with 228 income entries and 328 expense entries kept at a 20.8% margin, and a blank copy
• The instruction guide, which has one-click links to the Google Sheets versions
• The terms of use as a PDF

Your files are ready the moment payment clears. The spreadsheet is for personal and business use on your own devices, so please do not share or resell the files. Questions? Reach us through our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need Excel, or can I use Google Sheets?

Either. The download has Excel files for Excel 2016 or later on Windows and Mac, and the instruction guide has one-click links to copy the Google Sheets versions with a free Google account.

Can I track second shooting separately from my own clients?

Yes. Second shooting and Own bookings are separate income lines, alongside Editing for others and Album and print sales.

How does the mileage log work?

Each trip has a reason from a dropdown, such as wedding, shoot, second shoot or client meeting, and the year is totaled.

Is there an estimated tax tab or invoices?

No. This file covers income, expenses, mileage, monthly and quarterly totals, a profit and loss, clients and balances. Tax rates and what you can claim are yours to check.

How many entries does it hold?

500 income rows and 500 expense rows, plus 10 client records.