Guide · Plan your photography
What affects a product photography quote?
Count the finished images, understand the work and compare quotations on the same basis.
The cost depends on the finished views you need, how difficult the products are to photograph and the agreed editing and file requirements. Start with a shot list and request a quote for that scope.
Count finished photographs, not just products
The most useful starting point for a photography quote is a list of the finished images you need. Ten products could mean ten photographs, or forty if each needs a front, back, detail and packaging view. Those are different jobs even though the box arriving at the studio is the same size.
Make a row for each product or stock keeping unit (SKU). List its colour or size variants, required angles and any group photographs. A bundle photographed together is an additional composition; it does not automatically replace the individual product photographs.
A worked shot-count example
For an illustrative range of 12 products, one main view and two detail views per product means 36 finished photographs. Add one photograph of the full collection and the brief becomes 37. These are planning quantities, not a package or a quotation.
If a price is stated per shot, ask whether that means a finished image. The number of times the camera fires is not a useful way for a buyer to compare the final deliverables.
Explain what makes the products difficult
Send a quick reference photograph before requesting a price. Glossy packaging, transparent glass, polished metal and fine jewellery need different lighting from a simple opaque box. Small lettering may need a separate close-up. Products that will not stand unaided can need supports and additional retouching.
Dimensions matter as well. State the largest item’s height, width and depth, and mention assembly, fragile finishes, loose components or contents that must be arranged. This helps the studio assess the work before the products arrive.
For jewellery, ask whether the required view needs focus stacking: several captures combined to keep more of the piece sharp. Agree the required finished view rather than assuming a standard packshot and a stacked jewellery image involve the same work.
Compare the scope behind each price
Our photography prices page sets out shot bands and separately listed services. Use it as a starting point, then request a quotation for the actual brief. Keeping current rates there avoids relying on an old number copied into a guide.
| Item | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Retouching | Background treatment, dust removal and the finish included in the quote |
| Shadows | Whether the agreed shadow or reflection is included or priced separately |
| Files | Master files, website crops, dimensions, naming and any resizing charge |
| Changes | The review process and how extra views or changes to an approved brief are priced |
| Total | Any applicable tax, delivery, return carriage and other agreed extras |
| Usage | The intended website, marketplace, advertising or print uses covered by the agreement |
A lower per-image figure is only a useful comparison when the image count, finish and deliverables are comparable. Ask about unclear items before booking, especially when several people are approving the project.
Control the budget through a clearer brief
Prioritise the photographs customers need to understand each product. A straightforward range may need a consistent main view plus a meaningful detail; a product with a hidden mechanism may need an extra angle. Avoid commissioning an identical number of views for every item if the information needed differs.
Decide the background, crop and product orientation before the shoot. If you are matching an existing website, supply an approved example and explain what should stay consistent. A reference marked “match the angle and framing” is much clearer than “make it premium”.
Separate essential launch images from optional campaign photographs so the quote can show both. This is a way to make the decision visible, rather than asking the photographer to guess where to reduce the work.
What to send for a useful quotation
- Your product list, approximate dimensions and a reference photograph of each product type
- Required views and variants, including packaging and group photographs
- Where the images will appear and examples of the finish you want
- Your launch date, preferred delivery date and whether files need review by a wider team
- Delivery and return requirements, including anything needing special handling
Our studio is in Loughton, Essex, working with clients in London and across the UK. Contact us to agree arrangements before sending products. The studio FAQs explain the existing process, and the photography brief guide turns the list above into a practical shot plan.
Service information and further reading
Request a photography quote
Tell us what you sell, how many products and views you need, and your preferred deadline.