How usage
works
Your day rate pays for the shoot. Usage pays for where the work ends up. Most artists without an agent never charge it — so they leave money on the table.
An illustration, not a set rate. Same work, same day — the difference is knowing to ask where the images will run before you quote. Every usage fee is negotiated.
What usage actually is
When a brand shoots your work, they're not just paying for your time on the day. They're paying to use the images — on their website, in a campaign, in print, in paid social.
That use has value on its own, separate from the shoot. A licensing or usage fee is how you charge for it. You're not selling the images. You're renting them, for an agreed place and length of time.
With an agent, this is the conversation they'd have for you. Without one, it's yours to have — so this is the part to get right.
Roughly what it's worth
There's no fixed price — usage scales with reach (where it runs), territory (how far) and duration (how long). As a working guide, usage is often quoted as a percentage of your day rate:
- Website & organic socialThe brand's own channels100–150%
- Paid social & digital adsBoosted, one year, UK150–250%
- National campaignPrint, out-of-home, one year250–400%
- Worldwide or perpetualUnlimited, forever — the big oneNegotiated
Wider and longer means higher. A perpetual, worldwide, exclusive buyout means they own the use forever — treat that as a premium licence and never sign it away cheaply.
Before you quote, ask
The number falls out of the answers. Get these in writing first:
- Is usage already in the budget? Some productions include it; some agree it separately. Check first so you don't quote it twice — or miss it entirely.
- Where will the images run? Website, social, print, billboards, TV.
- How long? Three months, one year, or perpetual.
- Which territories? UK only, Europe, or worldwide.
- Exclusive? Does it stop you working with similar brands?
Many productions include usage within the agreed budget, while others negotiate it separately. Always confirm the usage terms — in writing — before you quote.
Charge it properly with SessionOS™
Day rate, overtime, expenses, mileage — and usage. Build a professional invoice that captures everything the job is worth, in minutes.
Open SessionOS™“Agree the usage fee in writing, before the shoot — not after.”
This is guidance, not a rate card. Usage fees are negotiated and depend on your contract. Figures reference UK industry norms and Equity best-practice ranges; confirm terms in writing before every job.