Professional product photography is a worthwhile investment. Most customers make purchase decisions based on product images and will immediately disregard an item if it doesn’t look good in pictures. However, small business owners have a limited budget and are often wary of investing in professional photography. They believe that sophisticated phone cameras and some quick editing on free software platforms are sufficient.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t work in the current competitive business environment. You need good-quality images that look great on a wide range of platforms from mobile phone screens to smart TV displays. Here’s a look at product photography pricing facts so that you can make the best decisions.
1. Average Cost of Product Photography
Product photography pricing varies from one studio to another. Well-established and experienced studios with sophisticated tools will cost more than new studios with little experience in this field. The average cost of photography can range from $25 to $40 per product based on the number of products you want to shoot.
Most studios will charge less for bulk orders. For example, they may charge $40 if you just need pictures of one or two products and $25 for pictures of five or six products. A reputable photography studio will explain the pricing in detail so you can decide what fits into your budget. Clients can also negotiate with the studio or photographer to settle on the right price.
2. Different Types of Photography
Expert photographers provide different kinds of photography options. You can choose a product on white, creative in-studio, or lifestyle photography. All of these options have several distinct advantages and different pricing. Here’s a look at three alternatives:
- Product on White – Product on white requires minimal planning and set-up, which is why it is often the most affordable option available. The item is placed on a white background and shot from different angles.
- Creative In Studio – Creative in studio photography requires a little more effort and can be a little more expensive. Photographers will add a few relevant elements to the background to showcase the product’s overall purpose.
- Lifestyle Product Photography – Lifestyle product photography can be a little more expensive because it involves placing items in real-life situations. These sessions can happen in a studio or at an outdoor location and usually involve a model or two. The additional elements can increase the cost so most lifestyle photography plans are anywhere between $150 and $500.
Ideally, you should have all three types of images to showcase the product in the best possible light. However, businesses on a tight budget can choose just product on white for their campaign. This style of photography provides a detailed image and showcases the product clearly. There are no distractions in the background so the customer’s full attention is on the product, which has a big impact on their purchase decision.
3. Different Types of Product Photography Pricing
Different photography studios have different approaches to pricing. It is important to look at the approach and decide if it is the right option for you. Here’s a look at some of the options available:
- By Hour or Day – Some studios charge hourly or daily fees. This flat-rate option is great if you want to get pictures of a large inventory. For example, some studios will charge around $150 per hour or $1200 per eight-hour days. However, most experienced photographers and business owners consider this option expensive because there’s no fixed ceiling on cost. Sometimes businesses end up paying much more than what they get from the session.
- By Product – By product photography is a good option because you will get multiple images per product. Most studios will place a cap on the number of images but you will still get enough images for most of your campaigns. Studios may charge more for some aspects of the product than others. For example, taking macro shots of a particular component will be more expensive than full product images. The studio will provide a comprehensive quote for all of the images so you can make an informed decision.
- By the Image – Most photography studios prefer this option it pays for every image they produce. It covers the cost of capturing, editing, and refining the picture so they get rewarded for all of their efforts. By the image product photography pricing is also suitable for businesses as long as you set the criteria for a good image properly. Divide product into different categories set the number of images for each category, determine how many images you need for the product, and detail what should be included in a successful image. If you are careful, by the image photography will be the best choice.
Discuss the different pricing categories with studios in detail so you can pick the best one. It is also important to discuss what is or is not included in the pricing. Be aware of all included expenses to make an informed decision regarding product photography.
4. Addition Costs Included in Product Photography Pricing
Some factors can influence the cost of professional photography. If your product is difficult to handle or requires special arrangements, the service will cost more money. Some of the considerations in product photography pricing include:
- Product weight
- Product size and dimensions
- Preparation required to make a product photograph worthy
- Product styling
- Product layout and arrangements
- Constructing the set
- Lifestyle images
- Speciality images
- Pictures involving different products or an entire product range
- Cost of shipping items to the photography studio
- The cost of shipping products back to the business location
- Costs involved in packaging and repackaging items
If you have any questions about product photography pricing, reach out to a well-established studio directly. Most offer free quotes and will explain all aspects of the pricing clearly so you can make informed decisions. Spending a little extra on good-quality product photography will benefit you in the long-term.