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E-commerce photography is a unique genre of photography. Here, the photographers unlock their expertise to capture product photos for online businesses. The main goal is to capture stunning as well as informative images.  

So, e-commerce photographers help online businesses to grab customers’ attention. However, good e-commerce photography is not only about grabbing the viewers’ attention. It had to be conceptual. Hence, an expert e-commerce photographer portrays the product’s story. 

The e-commerce photos influence customers to make purchasing decisions. Moreover, the e-commerce business is ruthless. So, you have to be on your toes. Expert e-commerce photographers will help you to build the identity of your brands. 

To find the best ecommerce photography price, you need a detailed plan. Check your skills, background, and the quality of your work. Investigate what is typical in your field and what your competitors charge. Think about costs such as equipment and the time it takes to finish tasks once the initial work is finished. Consider the specific details for each project.

This includes the number of products that need to be made and the client’s expectations. To succeed in ecommerce photography, balance competitiveness, and fair pay. Invest time in communication, planning, and revisions. This will ensure the business can thrive and make a profit.

The top E-commerce brands are following this trick. They use e-commerce photography to enhance their brand identity. The photographers create specific photos and help them to reach out to the targeted audiences. 

Another thing that has made e-commerce photography inevitable is the customers’ mindset. The product photo is the only weapon to attract customers on online platforms. And, if you fail to do that, they will scroll you down for the alternatives. So, high-quality eCommerce photos are vital to get results from the marketing campaign. 

However, a cover to cover to understating is also necessary. It will help you get the best service at the best price. This article covers all the things you need to know about e-commerce photography pricing. Listen Podcast

Factors Influencing E-commerce Photography Pricing

Getting the best e-commerce photo is the main focus of hiring an e-commerce photographer. But you must consider a few things about the correct pricing policy for e-commerce photography. 

Hourly Rates

The hourly rates of professional e-commerce photographers vary from $25 to $250. Yet, the hourly rates depend on location, experience, expertise, and project requirements. 

Here, the entry-level photographers ask for less than experienced photographers. Moreover, top-level e-commerce photographers may charge as much as $250+ per hour. 

So, you must understand which category of photographers is the best option for your project. If you need simple ecommerce photos, an entry-level photographer can execute them. But, if you need more conceptual and aesthetic images, you should hire an experienced photographer. 

Cost per Photo

E-commerce photography is a time-consuming task. The e-commerce photograph requires a lot of expertise in planning the shot. It is about picking up the right equipment, finding the right angles, styling the products, and creating a shooting model. 

Thus, an expert e-commerce photographer charges more than a photographer from other genres. A standard white background eCommerce photographer can charge between $20 and $90 per image. Also, it may cost between $250 and $1000 to hire a top-rated e-commerce photographer. 

Studio Rental Costs

The studio rental costs depend on the size, location, and the purpose for which you rent a studio. You have to ensure ample space in the studio with the availability of the required equipment and facilities. 

Moreover, the studio provides technical support. So, you will get an expert assist in the equipment setup. The top-quality studios offer convenient background options. It will help you in getting the best shots. As a result, you have to pay $35-50 per hour with a 2-hour minimum rental period.

Location-based Charges

You should also consider the location-based charges before planning e-commerce photography. If the photography location is situated at a long distance, it will need more transportation costs. It may reach up to $200 per hour if you fail to assess the costs accurately. So, conduct deep research before starting the project.   

Varied Rates

The pricing of e-commerce photography also varies from agency to agency and the photographer’s experience. It also depends on the category of your products. For example,  complex products require specialized tools to capture. Hence, it may cost more than the simple products. 

However, amateur photographers may charge you $10-$30 per product photo. But, depending on the product type and ad campaign, the professionals may charge up to  $3000 per day.

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Types of E-commerce Photography

Now you know the factors influencing the pricing of e-commerce products’ photography. Yet understanding the types of eCommerce photography is also essential to selecting the best category for your products.  

Photographers offer several e-commerce photography categories. You have to understand which one you require for a specific marketing campaign. Here are the top two types of professional product photography:

Standard White Background Photography

The standard white background photography is the primary type of e-commerce photography. A white background makes your product more appealing. The customers can concentrate completely on the products. 

Also, a white background is essential for SEO-product listing. You can use a white background photo for all types of products. It allows the creation of a consistent look across the platforms. As a result, it impacts the brand credibility and increases sales. So, you need a white background photo for: 

• Clarity
• Focus
• Aesthetic look
• Versatility
• Consistency
• Search Engine Optimization

Lifestyle Photography

Lifestyle photography is the most stylish way of product photography to showcase the products in real-life settings. It is the best way to create an impression on the customers. They will get a vibe of how the product will look on them. That’s why the top companies like Nike, Apple, Prada, and Glossier are making the best of this product photography. 

Moreover, lifestyle photography is the best way to create photos targeting a specific category of customers. Also, some products like clothing are naturally suited for lifestyle photography. Yet, you can avoid this for electronics products as customers like to purchase these products based on the specifications. Here are the benefits of lifestyle photography:

• Appealing Photos
• Brand Credibility
• Empower Customer Imagination
• Highlighting Products
• Boosting Brand Awareness

E-commerce Photography Services

Image editing has a vital role in ecommerce. You can create more engaging product photos by using photo editing techniques. Moreover, RAW product photos are not suitable for e-commerce platforms. Image editing allows you to make them perfect. 

Here are the reasons to use an e-commerce photo editing service: 

Removing Inconsistencies

Photo editing services allow you to get the flaws from the photos. The RAW product photos may have several issues that can impact the beauty of the photo. For example, if the photos have dust, you have to remove them before using them for ad campaigns. 

Moreover, you have to remove the background from the photo. Most e-commerce platforms prefer a white background picture. 

Adding Creative Elements

Image editing is also crucial for customer satisfaction. In this regard, the e-commerce image editors add different creative elements to the photos. So, the image looks more conceptual for a specific platform. Moreover, it is vital to create pictures for targeted audiences. 

Creating A Brand Style

Image editing is a must to create a brand image.  Image editors make photos flawless. It helps to maintain consistency across the platforms and increase brand credibility. Thus, you can build up a potential customer base. 

Boosting Sales

Using eye-catching photos for marketing helps to impress customers. The image editor makes sure that your product images look eye-catching. So, they grab the customers’ attention at first sight and boost sales in your e-commerce business. 

Prices of Ecommerce Photo Editing Services

Ecommerce photo editing service prices vary from agency to agency. However, here is the standard pricing for this service: 

Calculating Ecommerce Photography Costs

Calculating e-commerce photography costs is essential to use your money best. Let’s discuss how you can calculate e-commerce photography costs: 

Hourly Rate Calculation

Creating a profitable pricing structure involves different methods. You have to make a plan considering the type of photo editing. Consider the studio rental costs if you want to shoot in the studio. And you have to bear the location cost and hire a model for lifestyle photography. 

Start with calculating the expenses for equipment rent, software subscriptions, studio rent, taxes, and travel expenses for outdoor shooting. Then, calculate your annual profit from the e-commerce photography. Thus, you will get an idea of your expenses and estimated income. 

Finally, determine how many hours you can work on a project.  Hence,  

Hourly Rate= (Total Annual Expenses+Desired Income from the Project) / Workable Hours for the Project

Additionally, if you provide photo editing services to your clients, you can give a quote to your clients by calculating the total cost. 

Total Cost=(Shooting Hours+Editing Hours)×Hourly Rate

Cost per Image Calculation

The cost-per-image calculation is another standard method for e-commerce photography. Like the hours are rate calculation, here you also have to estimate your expenses for the equipment, studio, software, taxes, travel expenses, etc. 

Now, determine the hourly rate by dividing the base cost by the estimated hour for the project. Estimate the hours required to complete an image. Hence, 

Cost per Image= Hours required per Image×Hourly Rate

Similarly,  Total Project Cost per Image=Shooting Cost per Image+Editing Cost per Image

Competitive Analysis Setting Your Pricing

Competitive analysis is vital for setting your pricing. First, determine the companies that are your competitors. Then, determine how much your competitors are charging for a particular niche. If they charge more, you have to undercut the price. Thus, you can attract more customers to your service. 

Moreover, try to identify the pricing gaps between the competitors. You will get several websites to do that research. Thus, you can set a competitive price and capitalize on the price gaps. Here are the steps you can take for a competitor analysis: 

• Identify your closest competitors
• Use online resources
• Contact your competitors directly
• Consider using a price-tracking tool

E-commerce Photography in Different Locations

Ecommerce photography charges vary greatly with locations. It depends on your choice and the quality of photography you need for the business. Here are the advantages of choosing local photographers and photographers from the major cities. 

Ecommerce Photography Near Me

A local photographer has a deep knowledge of the local market. He knows the trend of the market and how the audiences want to see ecommerce photos at a particular time. Thu they create photos according to the local audience’s perspective. It helps to reach out to customers with better brand representation. 

Moreover, the local photographer allows you to maintain an excellent collaboration. You can contact him and set meetings easily to discuss the ideas. So, it helps to bring an excellent result for the project. 

Moreover, the local photographers seem more cost-effective than the photographers from the major cities.  The turnaround is also quicker for ecommerce photography near me. 

Ecommerce Photography in Major Cities

E-commerce is a booming industry. That’s why e-commerce photography is also available in all the cities now. So, you can also hire photographers from the major cities like Los Angeles, USA, Dubai, UAE, Orlando, Florida, USA London, UK

Moreover, these major cities have a large number of talented photographers. They have broad access to the equipment for e-commerce photography. So, there is a better chance of getting high-quality photos. 

The photographers from the major cities are well-experienced in handling complex photography projects. So, they understand the process of pulling out the best result with limited resources. 

However, always prioritize the experience of selecting photographers from these cities. Try to find photographers who have already worked with the products of your niche. Ask for the portfolio to understand their quality. Then, get quotes from 3 or 4 photographers to understand who is the best among them, considering pricing and quality. 

Marketing Costs for Ecommerce

Marketing is essential for every business. You have to reach out to your customers and tell them that you are there with the best services for them. That’s why you must take marketing campaigns to attract customers to your website or page. 

So, marketing campaigns like SEO, advertising, and social media improve your online brand presence. You can plan a specific marketing campaign for particular demographics. Thus, you can create a potential customer base for your niche. As a result, it will help you to get the desired sales. Check The Content

To be specific, you need marketing for the following reasons: 

• Increase brand awareness
• Drive traffic to your website
• Increase conversion rates
• Build customer loyalty
• Boost sales

However, you also have to examine the marketing cost closely. It depends on the size of the business, niche, platforms, etc. That’s why experts suggest using 7-10% of your revenue for marketing. Here are some marketing campaigns to take for the e-commerce business: 

• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising
• Social media advertising
• Content marketing
• Email marketing
• Affiliate marketing

Starting Your Ecommerce Photography Studio

A well-arranged studio rent is so high. You start your e-commerce photography studio by following some simple steps. First, you have to choose your niche. Then begin collecting equipment. Here is a list of equipment that you must ensure for e-commerce photography: 

• A camera
• Lenses
• Lighting
• A tripod
• A backdrop
• A lightbox (optional)
• A computer
• Photo editing software
• Reflector,
• Diffuser, or softbox

Then, ensure that your studio has enough space for these equipment, models, and 10-15 people who will work on a project. Also, ensure that the studio has enough ventilation and lighting facilities. 

If you are tight on your budget, you can use the spare room in your house. However, it is better to have a separate ample space for the studio. 

Ecommerce Photography Tips

Here are some quick tips for you to improve your photography skills: 

• Specialize in a particular niche. Then develop your skills. You can take online courses for photography and photo editing, and read books to sharpen your skills. `
• Then practice regularly and find out the areas you need to improve. 
• Then step up a dedicated studio and invest in the equipment. You can also lend that equipment and studio to the other photographers to earn some passive money. 
• Try to make the best use of natural light. You should also experiment with different lighting conditions and angles to get the best shot of a product. 
• Read the blogs of the top photographers in this field. Try to follow their techniques. 
• Then develop your business profile. You can build a photography website to showcase your works to your clients. 

Conclusion

So, there are five factors affecting e-commerce photography rates. So, you have to consider these issues while selecting an e-commerce photography service. 

Then you have to understand what type of photography you need for your business and set the plan accordingly. Then you can use an e-commerce photo editing service to polish the images. I have also provided the pricing of these services. 

Finally, there is a simple calculation method for setting up hourly rates and per-image rates for ecommerce photography. You can follow these methods to set up your price.

Moreover, an image editing agency like Clipping World is here for you. Contact them for any kind of solution related to e-commerce photography.