Asking “how much is product photography?” is akin to walking into a car dealership and asking “how much is a new car?“
There are a lot of variables to consider before the price can given.
In this article I’m going to walk you through some of these variables so you can have a better idea of what you want.
Communicating your exact needs to a product photographer is going to make the process much smoother. Even if you aren’t sure of your needs, a clear goal for the product photos will help them create a more accurate quote.
Let’s start with how important are these images to you?
According to market research by ViSenze, three quarters of consumers are inspired to make purchases from visual media. This makes quality product images pretty important for increasing online sales.
Even with the best iPhone cameras, unless you’ve studied light, composition, photographic styling, advertising and marketing, your photos won’t compare when competing with a professional brand.
Your photos not only help sell your product, they reflect on you and your business. Great looking images build trust, awareness, help drive traffic and increase sales. Low quality images do just the opposite.
Importance guides your search for a photographer …
All types of people offer product photography.
Cheap Product Photography:
At the low end of the scale you have hobbyists, students and beginners. They usually promote their services through websites like Fiverr and Upwork.
Their photos may or may not be better than what you could take yourself. Professional quality will usually be lacking because as part-timers, they simply aren’t experienced in the genre.
How much is their product photography? If they charge by the hour, you will likely pay around $50 to $100 an hour. If you pay by the image, you are probably looking at $10 to $25 per photo.
While definitely cheap, they will also be far from professional.
In-Expensive Product Photography:
There are a lot of product photographers that work in other countries. India, China, Malaysia and the Philippines tend to dominate this category.
You generally deal with an intermediary who translates your needs to the photographer. This can make it difficult to get exactly what you need.
While it seems like a good deal at the start, it can also make shipping your product expensive and add to the turn around time.
These companies tend to charge between $30 – $100 per image, depending on how many you need and the preparation that goes into them.
Mid-Range Product Photographers:
Mid-range is a pretty wide open area. No two photographers are the same. They will have different levels of experience, equipment and shooting & editing styles.
Creativity, client service and demand also play a part in the pricing structure of a product photographer. The benefits are that you are usually dealing directly with the photographer. This makes the process much easier for you.
Some mid-range product photography companies also exist. They hire photographers to work in their warehouse and have a huge volume of product going through every day.
You would need to decide if you want to work with a boutique photographer who can create your brand style, or a major retailer that provides cookie cutter imagery.
Product photography pricing for mid range product photographers can range from $100 to several thousand dollars per image. Some provide a commercial license and others charge for theirs. Photrography packages usually help small businesses keep their investment reasonable for the return in increased sales.
High-End Product Photography:
These are the photographers that shoot for brands like Chanel, Porsche and major brands. Many high end commercial photographers work through advertising companies designing major campaigns. Far from inexpensive, their work makes so much revenue for these brands the investment is well worth it.
If the photos are important to helping your business make sales and grow, don’t skimp on the investment. Find a product photographer that is creative and will help your business to grow.
What type of product photos do you need?
In addition to asking questions of your photographer, they will need you to answer some of their own to create your quote. Product photography pricing will depend on what type of photos you want. There are:
Ecommerce Product Photos – usually taken on a pure white background for online sales. These are often found on marketplace sites like Amazon. In these settings, your images need to stand out to generate clicks and sales.
Ecommerce product photo pricing is fairly straight forward. It may depend on how many images you want, how many products you have and how large they are.
Lifestyle Product Photos – which show your product in a specific setting. These images involve sets and other props to draw attention to your product. Consumers can then associate the product with a particular lifestyle, helping them to imagine using it.
Lifestyle images may also require the hiring of hand models, models, location fees and travel expenses.
360º Product Photos – let’s give your product a spin to see all sides of it. There are simple spins using gif files or video. Interactive spins allow the user to control the rotation, allowing consumers to interact with your product and increasing time on your listing.
360º product spins will vary depending on the photographer but the pricing is generally fixed and easy to quote.
Macro Images – need jewelry close ups? Detail shots? Macro images can show the quality of your product the way no other image can. These can be shot in coordination with ecommerce or life-style images. The setting and number of shots will affect the pricing.
Specialty Product Photos – want your product to be sitting in a rainstorm? Floating in the air or on or underwater? On top of burning coals or surrounded by fire?
These specialty type photos are time intensive in planning, execution and editing. They also create eye catching imagery that makes folks do a double take.
It is best to communicate your idea with your photographer to generate a custom quote.
How do you want to use your product photos?
How you intend to use the images will play a big part in how your photographer takes the photographs. Are they for online sales? Social media? Your website? Print advertising? Posters? Tradeshow displays? Bill boards?
Talking this over with your photographer allows them to make sure your images are the proper quality for your use. Each of these details may affect the pricing.
Other considerations:
When a product photographer generates a quote for you, understand exactly what you are getting. Things like an included commercial license, editing, product styling, prop shopping, backgrounds and reshoots are all valuable additions.
Paying for those things separately can result in thousands of addition expense. So realize the value if they are offered. If they aren’t, understand what is provided and what these additions cost.
So “how much is product photography?” Great question, do you want a clunker that may get you there? A reliable car or a sporty Lamborghini?
The first part to getting a quote that will cover all your needs is talking to a product photographer who’s style you like. The conversation and quote are free. All you have to do is fill out the form below or text me to set up a time to talk!
Let’s Talk About Your Product Photography Needs:
Please fill out the form below to give me an idea of photographic needs. I will then call you and discuss the project in detail to create a quote that will meet your requirements.
You may also text me at: 410-596-4127 or E-mail me at: tom@tomcrowl.com