Film Photography Expenses

I have heard it said that if you're going to run a business you need to know exactly what your expenses are, and how that aligns with revenue. In my case photography is a hobby, but knowing where is allocated still provides valuable insight.

The following is a report starting with 2018, which is when I switched to from 35mm to 645, started developing and scanning my own film. In 2019 I begin investing in constant lights and flash accessories.

Report for 2018-2019

	2019		2018
Expense		$4,034		$2,740	Source

Immediately it is apparent how individual these categories are. I only use open-source software, and the amount of data that I store has not incurred any additional expenses.

I think printing is essential, but that is a choice. Printing and framing can be expensive, but if you're clever I'm sure there are ways to streamline that cost.

A small portion of camera and lens expenses were offset by selling items I wasn't using. In total this was probably $350 that I reclaimed. A light meter is a separate piece of equipment, but it is so integral that I included it in the price of the camera.

The cost of renovations would be interesting to see, but my work space and darkroom were set up several years ago. I did not include mileage, but for paid work this would be a very important factor.

Report for 2020

	2020
Expense		$3,652	Source