How Much Does Product Photography Cost in 2024
When you know how much product photography costs, arranging a shoot becomes a lot easier. Still, many newcomers end up spending more than what is needed. We have surveyed the industry and listed standard product photography pricing to follow. Check out the pricing chart and explanation right now.
To be specific, product photography costs can vary in different aspects. But you could get a rough estimation of the price according to the type of project. For example, the pricing can be based on per hour, day, or product.
We will talk in-depth on all possible project categories pricing right below.
Pricing for product photography can differ a lot depending on the photography projects. But on average you would cost around $170 per hour to hire a professional photographer. Plus, the pricing could go up and down based on the photographer’s skill level.
In fact, below we have created a table explaining product photography pricing based on different categories and their quantity. Have a check on it.
Product Photography By Hour
Like on wedding occasions, many photographers continue their projects according to the hours. If you want to arrange product photography according to hours, it could cost from $20 to up to $500, depending on your photographers.
While deciding upon the hours, try to fix the hours beforehand. It helps you cut extra costs as you specify the total hours of the product photography.
Product Photography Per Day
Going for a per-day rental fee of a photography studio would cost you around $400 to about $1000. Plus, the pricing gets higher with the additional equipment as well. The pricing can fluctuate according to the studio you are renting.
Make sure you calculate the required days for your photoshoot. Otherwise, you might end up spending more than what it needed to be.
Product Photography Per Products
When you have a lot of similar products, go for pricing per product. To be specific, it could cost you from $20 up to $100 depending upon the product numbers. Our main idea is to reduce the total cost while capturing many products.
The best part about this sort of pricing plan is, the pricing get’s lower as the product number goes higher. So it’s the best option for you in case you need a large number of images per product.
Product Photography Per Image
As the last option, you may want to go for the per image payment. Depending on the total image numbers, the pricing could start from 1$ to 50$ as in professional projects. Most of the time, the pricing stays below the 10 dollar mark.
Like the previews category, the pricing can differ according to the total number of images, which makes it affordable for you when you need a large number of images. Thus, make sure you keep up with current prices for images.
Product Photography Pricing Plan for Different Categories
Below we have created an infographic covering how much big brands pay per photograph based on category. Have a check on it.
Apart from the photography projects, we could go onto different styles of photographs. It would help you to understand the basic pricing of product photography. No matter which product category you most likely own, you would need one of the below-mentioned photographs.
Amazon Product Photography
Among e-commerce product listing photography, Amazon is the most popular one. While shooting for e-Commerce, most of the time, you would get standard product photography pricing templates. But the Amazon product photography pricing could increase as you may need extra photography equipment.
Like you need, pure white background, proper lighting and product photo editing, and others. You need to consider these items like an extra cost of product photography if you need any. For example, additional equipment can cost you $50 to $200.
Real-Life Product Photography
In the following category, we try to capture real-life images of products. These photos feature real people using products in everyday life. In this type of photography, you need to hire models and arrange a space to shoot in.
To arrange a model, you might need to hire a model. When you hire a model through an agency, you might need $100 to $300 per hour. The prices of the model could vary from one agency to another. Make sure to search for reasonable ones.
Close Up Product Photography
Most of the time, close-up products feature small-scale products like jewelry, electronics, beauty items, and others. At close-up photography, you need a quality zoom lens for product photography.
With the photographer and lens equipment cost, you may need a lightbox for better lighting. The lightbox can cost you around $40 to $150 based on the quality and size. In short, close-up photography is manageable for most small business owners.
Additional Product Photography Cost
When you are looking for product photography rates, the pricing can include additional costs. Below we have listed some of them.
Post-Production
At the post-production phase, we rely on photo retouching. Therefore, your product photo would be clean, optimized, and ready to upload on e-commerce platforms with quality editing service. We prefer you to choose the best service possible.
Model Release
Consider having a model release when you photograph a model to use on online platforms, advertisements, and print media. It’s a must for all sorts of commercial usage. But, on the other hand, it’s not mandatory for non-commercial stuff.
Equipment
Depending upon the type of products, you might need camera and lighting equipment. While you create a budget for your photoshoot, make sure you calculate all the equipment and props. You could either lease a tool or buy a new one.
Why Does Product Photography Cost Differs?
The product photography cost differs based on specific parameters. One of the most important factors is the experience of the photographer. Below we are talking about individual vs. studio in detail.
Solo Photographer
As for individual photographers, the cost is a lot lower than a team. Moreover, independent photographers – freelancers – can give you a lot of affordable pricing as well. You get a lot of benefits from working with solo photographers. Yet finding a skilled person is a challenging and tiresome process.
Photography Studio
Hiring a professional studio can be a little bit more expensive than the solo photographers. But you get a lot better service in a shorter time. In case you need consistent quality photos in a shorter period, the photography studio can help you a lot.
Let’s talk a bit about how much eCommerce pays for product photographs. In general, big brands spend somewhere near $1 to $300 per product photo. It’s our surveyed information, and it would provide you with solid information on their budgets as well.
According to Glassdoor, the national average annual is approximately $44,193. Moreover, the salaries and earnings can vary depending on the photographer’s location. You should consider the location of the photographer before deciding on the earning.
As a product photographer, you should consider charging hourly rates. For any amateur photographer, $25 to $120 would be perfect. On the other hand, if you are a professional product photographer, charging from $100 to $150 would be a considerable range.
Product photography plays a great role for e-commerce brands to generate sales. Furthermore, when you are creating commercials and digital ads, high-quality images become essential. Controlling the budget is so essential for any business.
Conclusion
Getting used to the fact on how much does product photography costs will help you better prepare your budgets. As you are aware of the additional costs, narrowing down the cost would be a lot more seamless. Thus, you could complete product photography at a lot lower price.
This is why try to consider your budget first and afterward arrange your photoshoot according to that. It would help you to arrange an efficient photoshoot without extra costs. It would be crucial for you to get started on product photography right away.
Bordie Capron
Author
“Bordie Capron is a Sr. Content Maker who is working in The Clipping Path Service an US-based image and video post-production company for over 7+ years. She completed her degree in graphic designing and worked as a graphic designing expert for several years. She always loved writing”
One Comment
Jasmine
I’ve found this article extremely useful for a beginner photographer looking to do product photography. Thank you!