Photographers & Videographers
Stated Income Mortgages for Photographers and Videographers
Photographers and videographers
The short answer
Photographers and videographers qualify for a stated income mortgage using documented business revenue across a full year, which smooths out project-based billing and heavy gear write-offs that make a tax return look weaker than the business really is.
Why the usual approach undercounts you
- Camera bodies, lenses, lighting, editing suites and travel are large legitimate deductions in the years you buy them.
- Revenue lands in bursts — wedding season, campaign cycles, a single large commercial contract.
- Multiple income streams (client work, licensing, prints, retainers) rarely fit one tidy pay stub.
What lenders ask for instead
- Business licence or incorporation documents
- 12 months of business bank statements to capture seasonality
- Invoices or contracts for recurring or retained clients
- T1 General and Notice of Assessment for the last two years
- Photo ID
Required documents vary by lender and by file.
How the numbers usually change
A wedding and commercial shooter may bill most of the year's revenue between May and October. A twelve-month deposit review presents that as a stable annual figure, while an equipment-heavy tax year would have shown almost nothing on the net line.
Not sure what your business income qualifies for?
Send a few details and we'll show you the number a self-employed lender would actually use.
Common questions
I had one very slow year. Does that disqualify me?
Not automatically. Lenders that assess case by case will look at the trend, current bookings and the reason for the dip.
Do I need to be incorporated?
No. Sole proprietors qualify too, provided the business banking and filings support the stated income.
Other occupations we work with
Ready to see what you qualify for?
Send your details and we'll review your business income the way a self-employed lender does — no credit pull to start the conversation.