Product Photography Pricing: Everything You Need To Know

Marketing

Word-of-mouth is still the gold standard when it comes to marketing. But it’s hard to gain cred as a product photographer until you’ve compiled an impressive portfolio or at least a few clients who can refer others.

When you’re just starting out, you’ll have to spend some money on advertisement. How you allocate these resources depends on your market and your target audience. Either you’ll have to learn the art and science of marketing on your own or outsource it by hiring a marketing specialist. Once you’ve built a positive reputation and are garnering followers who translate into sales, you can start to reconsider your marketing budget.

Additional startup costs related to branding, like designing a logo, printing business cards, and generating other promotional materials, all add up, and you’ll need a website or other platform to host or bolster your portfolio and organize bookings.

Rates

Classes, media, gear, locations, and marketing are all predictable costs you’ll need to consider when you’re setting your rates.

However, because product photography is a skilled art, much of the pricing is variable. If you’re in London, you can charge a lot more per day than if you’re in Tulsa, Oklahoma. If your specialization is luxury goods like fancy jewelry, you’ll likely rake in more than if you’re shooting locally produced jam.

Regardless, at first, you’ll likely be shooting locally produced products made by small companies operating on a limited budget. It’s highly unlikely that a megabrand with vast resources is going to hire a beginner – even one with incredible talent. As such, you can anticipate garnering a lower rate to start out.

Freelance photographers charge by the image (about $30 per useable image is the going rate) or by the day if it’s an intensive project. Day rates are the most variable because, again, they depend on the market, the type of item being photographed, the client, and your skill. To start out you can anticipate perhaps $500 for a 10-hour day plus negotiable expenses like transportation and lunch for a custom project.

That said, freelance product photographers are some of the highest-paid in the industry, up there with fashion, architecture, and medical photographers. It’s well worth the time mastering the art and skills necessary in order to turn your passion into a high-income business. Just don’t forget to subtract costs from the gross earnings to determine what you’re netting and set your rates accordingly.