Creative & digital
MTD software for photographers.
Focus on the shot. Keep tax admin out of the frame.
Wedding seasons, commercial commissions and editing days leave little time for receipt hunting. Avona helps photographers organise shoot payments, creative subscriptions and kit purchases without another complicated desktop workflow.
- Who it is for
- Photographers working as sole traders, managing their own business records and MTD for Income Tax updates.
- Available now
- Digital records, bank feeds, statement imports, transaction categorisation and quarterly self-employment updates. Pro adds customer invoicing, VAT accounting and reporting.
- Monthly price
- From £15/month for Lite. Pro is £20/month.
- Free trial
- Full access for 7 days. No credit card required.
- Annual-return limitations
- Quarterly updates do not replace your annual tax return. HMRC lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development. Check the listing and confirm support for your income sources before relying on Avona for your annual return.
Making Tax Digital
It’s what comes in.
Before costs go out.
Booking receipts and image sales count before studio hire and new lenses. Investing most of a busy season's income in equipment does not reduce gross turnover for MTD.
Understand Making Tax Digital →When does MTD apply?
Combined qualifying self-employment and property income, before expenses:
- Over £50,000 in 2024/25
- From 6 April 2026
- Over £30,000 in 2025/26
- From 6 April 2027
- Over £20,000 in 2026/27
- From 6 April 2028
Eligibility and exemptions matter. These are income thresholds, not tax-free allowances.
Check HMRC’s eligibility guidance ↗From the work to your records
Clear records for your portrait commission.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your portrait commission, shared purchases and a wedding photography booking.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £650 for your portrait commission £150 spent on studio and lighting hire | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for studio and lighting hire. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £650 as the sale and the £150 cost separately. The £500 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for prints ordered for a customer; £20 for prints for your own home | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify prints ordered for a customer separately from prints for your own home. | Only the eligible £80 business portion belongs in business costs. Exclude the £20 personal purchase, and check that importing both the bank transaction and the receipt has not counted the spending twice. |
| £200 booking payment, then £600 £800 agreed total | Keep the agreement for a wedding photography booking and review both customer receipts against it. Bring in the payments through your bank feed or statement import. | The two payments account for the £800 total. Do not count the full invoice again as another receipt. Use your accounting method for timing, and retain evidence of any later cancellation or refund. |
Keep supporting documents alongside your figures, review business use and apply your accounting method consistently. HMRC: keeping business records ↗
The costs behind your work
Six expenses worth
keeping records for.
Examples for photographers. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Camera and lens purchases
Editing software
Online gallery hosting
Studio hire
Memory cards and storage
Equipment insurance
One thing to watch
Depreciation is not the tax deduction
Keep the purchase details for cameras and lenses. The relief depends on your accounting basis and business use, rather than simply deducting the annual depreciation in your accounts.
HMRC: office, property and equipment ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your portrait commission.
Capture equipment receipts, match shoot deposits and balances, and review recurring gallery subscriptions before approving your quarterly summary.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for studio and lighting hire. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish prints ordered for a customer from prints for your own home.
How document capture works →Reconcile your portrait commission payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for a wedding photography booking available alongside the bank entry, so fees, refunds or timing differences can be explained.
How bank review works →Review before you submit
Review Avona AI’s suggested categories, check that your portrait commission income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for a wedding photography booking ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from photographers.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers photographers working as sole traders. Your start date depends on combined qualifying self-employment and property income before expenses, and any exemptions. Employment and limited-company work have different reporting arrangements.
How do I record a camera I also use on holiday?
Keep the invoice and a reasonable basis for business use. A camera used for paid commissions and personal photography needs a mixed-use review, with treatment matched to your accounting method.
How do I record a wedding photography booking?
Example: £200 booking payment, then £600 (£800 agreed total). The two payments account for the £800 total. Do not count the full invoice again as another receipt. Use your accounting method for timing, and retain evidence of any later cancellation or refund.
Which bookkeeping issue should I watch for?
Depreciation is not the tax deduction. Keep the purchase details for cameras and lenses. The relief depends on your accounting basis and business use, rather than simply deducting the annual depreciation in your accounts.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your portrait commission income records and evidence of studio and lighting hire into Avona using supported spreadsheet uploads. Check dates, categories, personal spending and duplicates against the original documents before you approve the records.
Do quarterly updates complete my annual tax return?
No. You still need the annual tax return and any relevant adjustments or other income. HMRC currently lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development for Avona. Confirm support for your own income sources and circumstances before relying on Avona for the annual return.
Built for the way you earn
Get a clearer picture of your photography records.
Choosing Avona
Your questions, answered.
Can I create customer invoices?
Yes. You can create customer invoices with Avona Pro.
What if I am VAT-registered?
Full VAT accounting is available with Avona Pro, so you can manage your VAT-registered business with Avona.
Can my accountant review my records?
Yes. You can connect your Avona account to your bookkeeper or accountant so they can review your records.
Can I use my phone on site?
Yes. Every feature has a mobile-friendly version, so you can manage your accounts from your phone while you are on the move.
Can I keep using my personal bank account?
Yes. Avona supports Open Banking connections and PDF bank statement uploads. You can clearly separate personal and business transactions to keep your business records organised.