Weddings, headshots, real estate, product, brand video — whatever you shoot, the CRA sees a business, and your bag full of expensive glass is one of the biggest tax deductions you’ve got. The catch: most of it gets depreciated over years, not written off the day you swipe the card.
Your income goes on Form T2125, and getting the gear math right is the difference between a smart return and money left behind.
You’re a business from the first paid shoot
Every paid booking is self-employment income — weddings, mini-sessions, that $300 headshot gig, prints, digital galleries, licensing. No tax is withheld, you pay both halves of CPP (roughly 11.9% of net income), and you set aside 25–30% of each payment as it comes in. Deposits count as income when received.
Camera gear: the depreciation reality
Here’s where photographers lose money by misunderstanding the rules. Most of your gear costs over $500, which makes it a capital asset — deducted gradually through Capital Cost Allowance (CCA), not all at once.
| Gear | CCA class | Yearly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Cameras, lenses, lighting | Class 8 | 20% |
| Computers / editing workstation | Class 50 | 55% |
| Editing software (purchased licence) | Class 12 | 100% |
| Drones | Class 8 | 20% |
A $4,000 cinema camera in Class 8 comes off at roughly 20% of the declining balance each year — a real deduction, just spread out. Gear under $500 (a $120 SD card stack, a $300 speedlight) is a full current-year deduction. Keep every receipt and the purchase date; CCA needs both.
There’s also a half-year rule in the year you buy a capital asset — you generally claim CCA on half the cost in year one. Your software or accountant handles the mechanics, but it’s why first-year gear deductions feel smaller than expected.
Subscriptions and current expenses
These are fully deductible the year you pay them:
- Adobe Creative Cloud (Lightroom, Premiere), Capture One
- Cloud storage and client gallery platforms (Pixieset, ShootProof, Pic-Time)
- Booking/CRM software (Dubsado, HoneyBook, Sprout Studio)
- Website, domain, and portfolio hosting
- Stock music and SFX for video
Travel, second shooters, and props
Wedding and destination shooters rack up deductible travel: mileage to venues (keep a log), flights and hotels for out-of-town weddings, and parking. Client meals are 50% deductible with who/what/why noted.
Hire a second shooter, an editor, or an assistant? Those payments are deductible subcontractor costs — get their invoice and mind the employee-vs-contractor line in our subcontractor guide. Props, backdrops, and rented gear for a specific shoot are deductible too.
Prints and product: cost of goods sold
If you sell physical prints, albums, or canvases, the cost to produce them is cost of goods sold, deducted against the revenue from selling them — separate from your service income. Track what you paid the lab against what the client paid you.
Your home studio / editing space
Editing happens at home for most photographers. A dedicated office or editing space lets you claim the business-use percentage of rent (or mortgage interest), utilities, and internet. A shooting space at home counts on the same basis.
GST/HST on shoots
Cross $30,000 over four consecutive quarters and registration is mandatory. Wedding photographers especially clear this quickly — a dozen weddings can do it. Photography services are taxable, so once registered you charge GST/HST on bookings and claim back the GST/HST on all that gear, which for a photographer is substantial. See the GST/HST registration guide.
Deadlines
| Deadline | What’s due |
|---|---|
| April 30 | Tax balance owing (payment) |
| June 15 | T1 + T2125 filing (self-employed) |
Let Accountly handle the gear math
Accountly separates under-$500 gear from capital assets, calculates CCA on your bodies and glass, sorts subscriptions and travel, and flags the $30,000 GST/HST line. Snap the camera-store receipt and it lands in the right place.
Start free. About five minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I write off my camera and lenses the year I buy them?
Only gear under $500. Cameras, lenses, and lighting over $500 are capital assets deducted over several years through CCA (Class 8, 20% per year), with a half-year rule reducing the first-year claim.
Are my Adobe and gallery subscriptions deductible?
Yes, fully. Software and platform subscriptions (Lightroom, Pixieset, Dubsado, hosting) are current expenses deductible in the year you pay them.
Can I deduct travel to weddings and shoots?
Yes. Mileage (with a log), flights, hotels, and parking for shoots are deductible. Client meals are 50% deductible with the business purpose noted.
How do I handle paying a second shooter or editor?
Their fees are deductible subcontractor costs on your T2125. Get an invoice, and structure it as a genuine contractor arrangement to avoid the CRA treating them as your employee.
Do photographers have to charge GST/HST?
Once revenue exceeds $30,000 over four consecutive quarters, registration is mandatory and you charge GST/HST on your taxable photography services — while claiming back the GST/HST on your gear.
How much should I set aside from each booking for taxes?
Reserve 25–30% for income tax and CPP, plus any GST/HST you collect once registered. Treat deposits as income the moment they land.
The information in this guide is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as accounting, tax, business, or legal advice. Accountly does not provide professional services or act as your accountant, tax advisor, or lawyer. No client relationship is created by your use of this material. Always seek advice from qualified professionals who understand your particular circumstances before acting on any information contained herein.
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