Product Photography Pricing in 2024: How to Budget for Product Content

Find out how much you should budget for professional product photography pricing. Rates start at $39 per photo with soona.

Claire Oswald

September 19, 2024

• 12 min

Product photography is a critical aspect of selling products online, and sellers often face a common challenge: budgeting for it.

The issue? There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to product photography pricing. And many sellers find themselves unsure of how much they should be paying for professional product photography services. This uncertainty can lead to frustration and potential overspending on photography services.

When you understand what goes into product photography pricing, it’s easier to research and compare multiple photographers or agencies—and you can feel confident working with creative studios like soona.

How much does product photography cost in 2024?

soona’s product photography pricing includes a subscription fee—billed monthly or annually—or a studio booking fee, plus a flat rate of $39 per photo and $93 per video. The one-time studio fee is $149, or you can subscribe to our basic membership for $13/month when billed annually or $19/month when billed monthly. The standard membership is $49/month when billed annually or $69/month when billed monthly—this membership also gets you a 10% discount on models, styling, and shoot upgrades, plus free premium photo and video edits, 24-hour turnarounds, and full AI studio access.

Here’s a better look at how each pricing option breaks down:

Our other product photography and content rates break down as follows:

• UGC by soona : starts at $110
• Styling : starts at $149 per hour—standard membership subscribers get a 10% discount
• Hand model: starts at $79 per hour—standard membership subscribers get a 10% discount
• Full-body model : starts at $159 per hour—standard membership subscribers get a 10% discount
• Premium edits : $9 each, or free for standard membership subscribers
• Video pro edits: $99 each, or $90 for standard membership subscribers

What goes into product photography pricing?

Many factors go into product photography pricing. The photographer’s experience and level of expertise, the type of photo, the type of product, turnaround time, and other factors dictate what you should expect to pay.

Our motto is you pay for what you love! And we value being transparent with our pricing. So there are no hidden fees when it comes to product photography cost at soona.

Basically, we want you to stop paying a $hit load for photo and video services while still receiving high-quality images that are optimized for platforms, websites, marketplaces, digital marketing, social media, and more. We have flexibility when it comes to the type of photo shoot you are looking for. If you have specific project goals in mind, we encourage you to build a custom shoot. You can join us in one of our studio locations or if you’re not available locally, you can join virtually!

Product photography pricing models

Not everyone charges rates like soona. Let’s break down the different pricing models commonly used by freelance product photographers, full-service production companies, experienced product photographers, and creative agencies:

Per photo

Per photo is a common pricing model for both independent photographers and photography services—though it means different things to each.

For independent freelance photographers this probably means per photo taken. This cost usually includes basic editing, and photos are often priced by batch number of images, or collection. You might not get to pick what's included in the delivery. This pricing structure usually lends itself to a tiered approach with a reduction in price the more you buy.

And that doesn’t usually account for the additional costs, hourly rates, studio and specialized equipment rentals, etc. that could be included in a final packaged quote from a freelance photographer or studio.

Per hour or day

In the freelancing world, you can expect to pay an hourly rate on top of the per product or per images produced. At the base price, a local freelance professional photographer can charge upwards of $1,000–$2,000 for a half day or full day price. This pricing could vary depending on your specific and image quality requirements for each product you need to shoot.

Remember, setting up a shot takes time and time is exactly what you’re paying for. Typically, you’ll also be charged for editing time.

Per product

Per product is a pricing model that allows the freelance photographer  to charge you at a set rate per product that they shoot. The downside of this is there’s usually a limit to the number of images that can be produced for each product and different products can have different prices. Meaning, if one of your products is a little more difficult to photograph–the per product setup and post production rate for that product will cost more.

Types of product photography

Product photography pricing depends on the type of services you’re getting. If you need plain white background shots for Amazon, you can expect to pay a lower rate than a lifestyle shoot with models, styling, and props. It also depends on who you hire:

Full-service photography studios

Full-service professional photography studios may be the way to go for your needs. Larger, full-service studio providers like creative agencies can offer you more variety across the board. soona is a great photography studio option to check out.

Pros:

• Easy scheduling. Photography services have one major advantage: more photographers. And, more photographers = more scheduled openings.
• Quick turnaround times. Having more resources also means dedicated editors who help turnaround your images much faster.
• Props + other additions. Most services have a stock of in-house props you can choose from. they also likely have connections to provide models for your shoot. They also are likely to have a wider range of backdrops and settings. Photo studios will often have lifestyle areas to choose from which are great for showing your product in use.
• Ability to handle anything. Full-service studios can handle any size or quantity of product. They’re built to take on bulk!
• Cost-effective. Because these services are only focusing on product photography, they’re able to offer lower rates than independent photographers. They have a well-oiled machine with few variables, so surprise costs are rare.

Cons:

• Shipping costs. You may be dealing with higher shipping costs depending on how heavy or how much of your product you need to have photographed. Though some places offer free shipping—we do!—or an option to come into the studio if you’re local.

Local or freelance photographer

You can check out marketplaces like Fiverr, Facebook groups, Yelp, or Google to find quality photographers in your area. Don’t forget to ask for referrals from the people you already know and trust.

Pros:

• Close proximity. Going local can be helpful if you’re in a pinch and need something turned around quickly but don’t have time to ship your product to a service.
• Save on shipping costs. You can save a little space in your budget by avoiding shipping costs at all or only having to pay a very small fee.
• Price negotiation. Sometimes local photographers are willing to strike a deal on pricing. This could be a price cut or a trade of goods. Since it’s their own business, they’re able to make those kinds of decisions.
• Helping a small business. It always feels good to get your needs met by using a small business.

Cons:

• Limited availability. You may finally pick the photographer you want to work with only to find out they’re booked full for the next several months. Being a single-person business leads to big scheduling limitations.
• Other focuses. Most freelance photographers don’t specialize in one thing. They may do product photography, as well as weddings and portraits. So you may not be hiring the expert commercial photographer that specializes in your industry.
• Expensive. Freelance photographers may have the ability to strike a deal but that doesn’t mean they will. They have to make a living after all! Plus, they need to manage equipment upkeep as well. That costs $$. Because of these reasons, pricing can be confusing and variable.
• Slow turnaround time. You’re at the mercy of your photographer’s schedule. That doesn’t just mean their shooting schedule. It includes their editing schedule too. And, editing takes time. Again, a one-person business has its bandwidth limitations.
• Limited add-on options. It may be more difficult and more expensive than your budget allows to add a model or special props to your shoot. Or they may require you to coordinate your own props and models.

Additional product photography costs

Whether you go with an agency, service, professional product photographer, or a local freelance photographer, you’ll likely end up paying an additional charge for something. You want to make sure what you’re paying extra for is providing both high quality product images and the cost-effectiveness that makes sense for you and your budget.

Editing

Most freelance photographers include basic editing in their base fees. Basic editing usually includes color correction, lighting adjustment, and retouching any areas with small imperfections (think: a dirt smudge on a white backdrop). You can expect an additional fee if you want more advanced editing, like skin smoothing if you have a model, or fixing an imperfection on the product.

Editing at soona is free, unless you want something special. Our premium edits are $9. You can choose from:

• Change background color
• Pure white background
• Product touch-up
• Transparent background
• Buy the raw
• Smooth skin
• Create pattern
• Photoshop edits

Reshoots

If you don’t love the content captured at your first shoot, a reshoot is a possibility! Most agencies, services, and freelancers have the ability to execute reshoots if there was an error on their end. But, depending on the situation, it’s likely you’ll be charged another fee to capture additional shots.

Models

Adding a model to your photo shoot is proven to increase conversions. They can show how a product works, the use-cases for it, and give your customers a better perspective on how it could fit into their lifestyle. There are a few types of models to consider: a hand model, full-body model, and even pet models!

When hiring outside talent for your photo shoots, expect to pay a few different fees, including a licensing fee on top of a model’s fee (this is typically hourly).

Styling + props

Depending on the type of shoot you’re looking for (white ecommerce vs. editorial work), you may need to hire a stylist and purchase props for your shoot. Hiring a stylist can make a big difference in the quality of your photos. A stylist helps create scenes with props and makes sure all the products are smudge free. And if you need swatching, they’re your go-to!

Similar to hiring a model, try to find a service provider that has a one-time flat stylist fee to avoid having to pay an hourly fee and deal with coordination yourself.

Adding props for your shoot is also a key element to kicking your content up a notch. It's amazing how simple purchases like fresh fruit, flowers, mirrors, and other props can change the look of your images. Most larger studios will have a collection of props for you to choose from, but if you are looking for something special, you’ll likely need to purchase those yourself.

At soona, we have a whole slew of props, backdrops, and even faux surfaces to choose from that are located in all of our studios! If you’re looking for something outside of those lists, you work with our pro-services team to help you get the items you’re looking for!

Studio rental

If you’re shooting product content in-house or working with an outsourced professional that doesn’t provide a studio space for shooting, you’ll need to add this as a line item to your budgeting. Rental fees for studio spaces vary widely, especially depending on the location. A studio space in a small town is likely to be a lot more affordable than one located in New York City or Los Angeles.

Create content you love with soona

Determining the right pricing for product photography can be a challenge, but it’s a crucial investment for any business selling products online. Great product photos can improve your user experience, increase conversion rates, and establish trust with customers. There’s no reason not to invest in great product photography for your brand.

Product photography pricing FAQs

How much should you pay per product photo?

You should pay a studio fee of around $149 plus about $39 per product photo when hiring a professional product photography service like soona. Other photographers may be more or less expensive, but you’ll need to carefully vet them to ensure they’re qualified to deliver good product photos.

Why is product photography so expensive?

Product photography is so expensive because it’s a complex art that requires both technical skill and creativity. It also requires advanced technology and equipment that cost money upfront. Photoshop and other photo-editing tools and software are additional expenses product photographers have to make up for in their pricing.

What is a good price per photo?

A good price per photo is $39 per image, plus a one-time studio fee or monthly subscription fee. This may cost more if you want advanced shots or edits.

How much does 360 product photography cost?

360 product photography costs $93 for a simple spin video with a single rotation from soona, plus a one-time $149 studio fee or a monthly subscription fee ranging from $13–$69 per month. You can also pay more to add dynamic elements like multiple clips, hand models, text overlay, and more.