As photographers, we wear a lot of hats: creative, marketer, bookkeeper, editor, and sometimes even part-time lawyer and accountant. But when tax season rolls around, one of the most common questions I hear is: “Can you deduct personal expenses as a photographer?”

The short answer? Not usually. But the truth is a little more nuanced, and it’s so important to understand. Mixing personal and business expenses the wrong way can either cause you to miss out on big savings or raise red flags with the IRS.

I’m Heather, a wedding photographer turned tax educator, and I help photographers like you make taxes suck less. Today, let’s break this down clearly so you know exactly what you can and cannot write off.

The Golden Rule: Ordinary + Necessary

The IRS uses two keywords: ordinary and necessary.

• Ordinary = common and accepted in your industry.
  
• Necessary = directly supports your business.
  

So yes, a new camera body or your Lightroom subscription is deductible. But your Starbucks latte while editing? Not deductible. Netflix as “editing background noise”? Also not deductible.

Common Confusions Photographers Have

Here are a few spots I see photographers tripping up:

• Cell Phones → Deduct the percentage you use for business.
  
• Home Office → Must be used exclusively for business (not your kitchen table).
  
• Clothing → Only deductible if it’s not wearable outside of work (think logo gear, not your new dress).
  
• Meals → Deductible at 50% only if with a client, vendor, or second shooter.
  

A Practical Test You Can Use

Ask yourself: “If I didn’t have my photography business, would I still pay for this?”
If the answer is yes, it’s probably not deductible.

Want More Help with Deductions?

At the end of the day, the question “Can you deduct personal expenses as a photographer?” comes down to keeping clear boundaries between your personal and business finances.

If you want to dive deeper, I created a free masterclass called Maximizing Your Tax Deductions as a Photographer where I walk you through the five most commonly missed deductions that could save you hundreds, or even thousands, this year. You can find a link to this class in the description of the YouTube video

XOXO – Heather

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Few things make me more excited than getting the chance to help another photographer prepare for an easier tax season (and keep more of their hard-earned income! So, don’t forget to sign up for my free class — Maximizing Your Tax Deductions as a Photographer.  

Give me an hour of your time, and I can show you:

➡️How to reduce your tax liability and improve your cash flow with tax deductions.

➡️The 5 key deductions every photographer needs to know about (and should probably be using).

➡️What qualifies for these deductions, and what doesn’t.

➡️How to calculate the deductions that aren’t simple and straightforward. 

Last year I cut my taxable income by $12,817 just by utilizing the 5 key deductions I’m going to be sharing with you, so this is a class you won’t want to miss! 

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Let’s Prep for Tax Season – Together

Keep more of what you make inside of your business with these 5 key deductions for photographers. I’m sharing all inside of my free class — Maximizing Your Tax Deductions as a Photographer!

Make tracking your numbers easy with my Tax Prep Spreadsheet and ensure that tax season is a breeze.

Transform your passion into a thriving business and unlock success for your photography business with my free guide to setting goals for the first year of your photography business.

Mastering your business taxes starts with understanding the different tax categories. Grab my free tax category guide to take the first step towards stress-free taxes today.

Want taxes to suck less? Learn how to correctly prepare your taxes for your accountant with the Photographer Tax Course – and say hello to a confident and calm tax season!

Don’t know what you don’t know? You’re just 90 minutes from a custom tax prep system with my 1:1 Tax Prep Mentoring sessions!

Other Blogs for Photographers:

Taxes for Part-Time Photographers
Sales Tax Myths That Could Cost Photographers