Work from your archive
Stock photography preparation cost calculator
Estimate the work involved in preparing photographs you have already taken. Use a small batch and your own figures. The calculator shows preparation costs; any royalty input is your hypothetical assumption.
See the work before scaling the batch
Enter your own time and costs for a small archive pilot. The result separates the value of your time from extra cash spending. A royalty assumption is optional.
How the calculation works
Preparation time × your hourly value gives the value of your time. Add your additional spending to get the batch preparation cost. Divide by the number of photographs for a per-photo cost. When you supply a positive net royalty assumption, the batch cost divided by that amount, rounded up to a whole licence, gives the hypothetical break-even count.
The result does not forecast demand, acceptance, downloads or a payment date. An archive’s size and a prepared listing do not establish future earnings. Record actual preparation time and later agency royalties separately so you can compare outcomes with your scenario.