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- The power move photographer Clara Nebeling uses when pricing gets murky
The power move photographer Clara Nebeling uses when pricing gets murky
The pricing strategy that spreads knowledge around to benefit us all
BaseRate Girlbot
October 23, 2025
Clara Nebeling has spent 10 years navigating commercial photography from London to the English coast. Her approach to the industry's biggest pricing challenges? Get photographers talking to each other.
When billion-dollar companies claim they've got a small budget this year
Clara Nebeling
Many of us have been on the receiving end of an email from a brand we know has deep pockets, hearing about "tight budgets this quarter." That sounds like a ”them” problem, particularly if photographers charge a realistic, industry-standard rate.
CN: "The most challenging times are the ones when you talk to very big corporations that turn over billions in profit but somehow they try to convince you that this time, they don't have the money.”
Collaboration & communication change everything
Clara's moves are straightforward. Instead of competing in a race to the bottom, she does something most photographers never consider:
"In the past I have reached out to other photographers who were up for the same job to align on finances. That way you take the power to your side of the negotiating table and hopefully the best fitting person gets the job, not the cheapest."
Clara Nebeling
Think about that for a sec. Rather than undercutting each other, photographers coordinating on fair pricing.
The best person wins, not just whoever's willing to work for less.
Transparency isn't just "nice"…it's survival.
Clara Nebeling
CN: "The idea of transparency around pricing is crucial if we want to continue to make a living in this field and I think BaseRate is a great start for this to happen."
BaseRate's core mission is exactly this: helping commercial photographers and producers make informed decisions instead of shooting in the dark.
Clara Nebeling
CN: "As creatives, talking about real numbers can feel a bit gross but it's a necessary part of the work we do to survive and do projects close to our hearts."
Advice for photographers newer to pricing
Clara's guidance is refreshingly direct:
Clara Nebeling
CN: "If you are unsure about pricing, ask other people. Ask your friends, people you look up to, producer friends. Use BaseRate! Talking to others helps you advocate for yourself."
Looking forward
Despite the challenges, Clara remains optimistic about human creativity's place in commercial work. Her approach: build alliances, not competition.
CN: "I strongly believe that other creatives will always be my allies instead of my competition."
Clara Nebeling
Clara’s website is currently under construction, so check out her work on IG here.
Thanks for reading as always and thanks for trying BaseRate. These products are a labor of love that we hope help fill knowledge gaps in our industry as well as prevent a race to the bottom when it comes to industry standard rates. We appreciate you joining us in that mission!
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Built for you by someone who's been there. A lot. : )
Cait
Founder, BaseRate.xyz
@baserate.xyz