Day rate calculation	
Working out a typical set of overheads has required many assumptions.  The equipment referred to is the equipment that a competent professional might reasonably be expected to have and know how to use.  Clearly a student photographer is unlikely to have the complete set up as to purchase it all in one go would be in excess of £25,000.
The equipment listed is what a staff member would reasonably have access to or supplied for his/her own personal use.
What is listed is loosely based on my own equipment, but I have consulted with five other photographers ranging from a regional press photographer, a magazine features photographer, a London news and NGO photographer, a regional news photographer and an overseas based news and feature photographer, all are digitally based and have well over 100 years experience between them.
Much of this equipment could be leased, which would give a monthly cost; indeed I have assumed that the car would be lease hire/lease purchase.  For simplicities sake I have assumed purchase of the equipment except where explicitly stated.  Our photographer would therefore have purchased this equipment outright and there might well be interest payments to be added into the calculation.  
I am assuming that our freelance will want to take four weeks holiday a year (20 days), and will not be earning during these times, and will therefore work a 48 week year.  I am also assuming that our man/woman is working 4 days out of seven and spending one day a week doing office work, which gives 192 (potential) paying days a year.

Equipment	£Gross	Renew every ? years
	£ Per annum	£ Per day	
Camera bodies and disks	9329.00	80 renew every two years	4664.00	24.29	
Lenses, flash, etc             	11583.00	renew every five years	2317.00	12.07	
Studio equip etc	1439.00	renew every five years    	288.00	1.50	
Computer Equipment     	9014.00	renew every two years	4507.00	23.47	
Software purchase	2445.00	£500 per annum update	989.00	5.15	
Tripods etc	340.00	replace every five years	68.00	0.35	
Cleaning Kit	50.00	replace every three month	199.00	1.04	
Office Equip	525.00	replace every five years    	105.00	0.55	
Mobile Phone	720.00	Annual fee	720.00	3.75	
Insurance (kit & 3rd Party)	1000.00	Annual cost	1000.00	5.21	
Car – lease hire	2156.00	Annual cost paid monthly	2156.00	11.23	
Car Insurance	1000.00	Annual cost	1000.00	5.21	
Specialist clothing	250.00	replace every five years	50.00	0.26	
Internet, web site	1000.00	Annual Cost	1000.00	5.21	
Accountant	750.00	Annual Cost	750.00	3.91	
National Union of Journalists	177.00	Annual cost	14.75	0.93	
Professional Org.	75.00	Annual cost	75.00	0.39	
Equipment Servicing	1000.00	Annual cost	1000.00	5.21	
Annual cost 	21070.08	109.74	

	per week	per day	
48 weeks working 4 days = £21,070 per annum,  	438.96	109.74	
Unit cost of £5.21 per £1000 (annual) per day	
144 days (48 weeks working 3 days)	438.99	146.33	
192 days (48 weeks working 4 days)	438.96	109.74	
240 days (48 weeks working 5 days)	438.95	87.79	
250 days (50 weeks working 5 days)   	421.40	84.28	
200 days (50 weeks working 4 days)   	421.40	105.35	
150 days (50 weeks working 3 days)   	421.40	140.47	

The annual cost of all items is £21,070.08.  The final figure can be corrected to remove items if required, and in the case of specialists such as cricket photographer’s new items can be added.  Take all the items in the ‘per annum’ column and divide by the number of days you are working (weeks worked by days per week) the resulting rate will be your daily overhead.
	As a rough and ready guide, providing the initial calculation has been done (Cameras & Computers = gross cost/ two (years), Lenses and others = gross/five years, a basic figure of £5.21 per thousand pounds per day

An alternative way of looking at these figures is to compare the cost of hiring.

Using the Calumet website one can get the following hire costs (per day).

For the most basic outfit (minimum required)

2 professional camera bodies	£100 each (less obviously if one is semi-pro)	
17mm – 35mm lens	£32.00	
28mm – 80mm   	£30.00	
80mm – 200mm  	£30.00	
300mm  2.8    	£47-50.00	
flashgun 	£15.00	
laptop computer  	£75.00	

That is about £430 per day. 
Add 10% insurance, and then VAT
Multiply by 3.5 for the week.