How Much Does Product Photography Cost

One of the best ways for a company to market its products is through photographs. Since a lot of people have no idea about how much does product photography cost, some try to do it themselves. Unfortunately, a bad photo can do as much damage as no photo at all, though this can be avoided with the right photographer.

Though there are several tools and resources for DIY product photography, a professional will have much more to offer. Professional photographers know the guidelines of various eCom platforms, have the skills and experience and have extensive knowledge of lighting and styling. Pro photographers know how to sell products via photography. Products are different. While some might be easy to shoot for a pro, others might need a lot of tools and skills to achieve the results.

The results are photographs that show the care and consideration needed to sell your products. To help you choose the right photographer for your next product shoot, we’ll answer the most common questions below.

When searching for a photographer, you may notice that they all offer no set price. That’s why it is so difficult to figure out exactly how much product photography costs. It can vary from company to company, depending on several factors.

The experience level contributes to the cost of a product photographer the most. But don’t make quick decisions and run away if someone’s price is slightly higher than others. Sometimes, more expensive photographers will deliver much better results in the long run. They say, “I am not rich enough to buy cheap things,” which applies here as well. If you go with a cheaper photographer, you will most likely reshoot and pay twice.

Bad images will always cost more to any business. For example, your conversion cost will go up significantly. When you run ads, people might click on the ads but not buy your product, which will result in much higher bills than product photography expenses. Another issue is that bad photography can cause a lot of returns (for example, if the texture or color of a product doesn’t match the real product).

Remember that an experienced photographer will drive you more sales and save you much more headaches over time.

Like with photographers, it’s difficult to place a specific price on a product photo shoot. It can vary depending on the type of photographs you’re looking for.

While for simple eCom imagery, you only pay for the photographer’s work. If you are looking into creative lifestyle shots with models and on location, you will have to count additional expenses. These costs might include hiring MUA, hairstylists, nail artists, models, catering for models, location expenses, props, permits, and transportation fees. You might also have additional expenses like hiring gaffers, renting additional equipment, and many other things

Lifestyle photography is somewhat more expensive.

These are all factors to consider when asking how much a product photography shoot costs.

When hiring a product photographer, it’s best to do your research before choosing one. Really good photographers have the training and experience to create great scenes, choose best angles, build unique lighting, and pick great color harmonies for any shot. They can turn any photograph into a work of art using state-of-the-art equipment and their perfectly honed skills.

Hiring a photographer is not difficult if you know what you are looking for. Is it the quality you are looking for or the number of “snapshots”? Depending on your business and how you treat it, you can decide whether you want to go with cheap amateur solutions or highly experienced pros that will do the job. But don’t forget, “The greedy, as we know, pays twice”.

Of course, a bit more is involved when figuring out how to hire a product photographer. After deeply researching photographers’ portfolios, you may want to contact them for quotes. Many photographers still use contact forms on their websites with email and calling options. Others offer advanced methods, like online quote forms, which allow you to select image types and get pricing almost instantly.

When making a decision, make sure the photographer’s style matches yours and that the photographer has experience in your product’s niche. Also, make sure everything is included in the provided pricing. The majority of the companies that seem cheap in the beginning, will start billing you for so-called “Pro Services” after the job is done.

One of the most common concerns companies have is how to ask a photographer for a quote. Although it might sound like an easy task, this one of the most important steps. First, you need to build a shotlist, aka a brief. There are two aspects of creating a brief. First, you need to identify which shots you really need. Do you need just a simple eCom shot on a white background to show the product, flat lay lifestyle shots, or perhaps a model to show the product in action (being used)? The answers to the questions will significantly impact your quote.

Usually, the cheapest and least time-consuming shots are images on a white background. Lifestyle images need more time for proper styling, and shots with models will also need a model, MUA, hairstylist, and outfits which add up to your budget.

The second task is building the shotlist itself. When building the shotlist you need to indicate the following details:

1. Type of shot
2. Color harmony (background and props colors)
3. Shot angle
4. Image ratio (based on the platform to be used)
5. Attach samples of similar ideas
6. Ethnicity and demographics of models (based on the targeted audience)
7. Type of outfits used by models
8. Props
9. Number of images
10. Quantity of angles per product

After you have a ready brief, it’s time to request a quote. You will get the most accurate quote if you provide all this information. Below is an advanced quote form that you can use to request a quote from commercial product photographer Isa Aydin. Just answer the questions and pick the type of shots you need. You will have a quote in about 5 minutes.