At Strast Media, we believe in transparency, collaboration, and care when it comes to creating meaningful visual stories. To help you plan ahead, we’ve put together this guide to explain how our pricing works and what might be included in your final invoice.

Whether you're booking portraits, coverage, or promotional content, we want you to feel confident and informed every step of the way. All services include consultation, collaborative planning and option for custom packaging building.

Things to Consider When Budgeting

When you hire us, you're investing in more than just the time spent taking photos. Here are some common factors to be aware of when planning your budget for visual media needs:

Licensing in Canada

Each of our bookings includes a standard image licensing agreement that gives you non-exclusive rights for limited self-promotion and personal advertising. If you are curious what my licensing is based off of, please check out this handy licensing fee scheduler by CAPIC (THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL IMAGE CREATORS) This includes:

• Website use (your personal or organizational site)

• Social media content (e.g. profile pictures, Instagram, Facebook posts)

• Small-scale promotional posters (e.g. flyers for events, talks, or community gatherings)

Important: Licensing does not include third-party use, editorial print, or extensive commercial advertising unless agreed upon in writing.

Additional Licensing Consdierations:

Depending on how you plan to use your media, you may need an extended license. These are available for:

• Editorial use (magazines, newspapers, online articles)

• Print publications

• Large-scale promotional campaigns (ads, product launches, billboards)

• Third-party usage (e.g. media outlets, sponsors, collaborators)

• Exclusive, rights buyout licensing

Licensing helps ensure fair compensation and proper usage—especially when images are shared widely or used in revenue-generating campaigns.
We encourage clients to review the CAPIC Licensing Guidelines (PDF) for a deeper understanding of usage rights.

Travel & Parking Fee – Ottawa & Surrounding Area

If your session takes place outside of central Ottawa, or requires travel to multiple locations, a travel fee may apply. This helps cover:

• Mileage or transit fares

• Paid parking at event venues, offices, or institutions

We always strive to minimize travel costs and will confirm any applicable fees in your quote.

Administrative Fee

Behind every great visual campaign is thoughtful coordination. The administrative fee supports:

• Pre-shoot communication and planning

• Booking and confirming time slots

• Preparing contracts and invoices

• Uploading and delivering your final images securely

This ensures a smooth experience from start to finish. This fee is applicable to large commercial campaigns and when we plan visuals from pre - production to post production. For smaller scale work projects the administrative fee is accounted for in our rates.

Editing & Retouching Fee

Your photo or video project will always include basic editing for:

• Lighting & colour correction

• Cropping and framing

• Consistent visual tone

Additional editing (e.g. skin touch-ups, background edits, object removal) is available for an extra fee. You’ll always be informed and in control of how your images are treated. We always encourage and ask our clients to inform us during the proofing (selection of images or review of rough cuts) to let us know if there is anything we need to address that we may not be aware of.

Team - Stylist, Make up Artist, Assistant, Digital Technician, ETC Rate

For larger productions, we may bring on additional team members to support your production. The roles needed for the production vary, but they will be included and a separate line item on your quote for each respective team member. Their rates are non - negotiable. Fees are based on hourly or daily rates and will be outlined in advance if needed.

• Equipment setup

• Time management

• Lighting or backdrops

Gear Fee

Some productions require specific equipment that goes beyond the usual camera kit. This may include:

• Lighting, Modifiers, Audio Equipment

• Backdrop stands

• Specialty lenses or grip gear

When applicable, a small gear rental or usage fee will be added to ensure your shoot looks its best.

Why This Matters

Being clear about pricing and usage upfront helps protect your investment, respects creative labour, and ensures everyone gets the most from the collaboration. At Strast Media, we work with you to find solutions that honour both your budget and your vision.