How Much Does A Photographer Cost?
Summary
Introduction.
Real world estimate for an ecommerce on-model P.D.P. shoot.
The 4 key factors that dictate price.
Creative brief sample.
Estimate.
Introduction
I was doing some SEO tweaking on my own portfolio site and researching the most common search terms related to my field. To my surprise, "How Much Does A Fashion Photographer Cost" ranks way too high.
This may be due to the fact that if you talk to ten photographers, you will get ten different quotes for the same creative brief. Especially from those who are newer to the profession. Further complicating this topic is that pricing is carefully guarded amongst established professional photographers and newer photographers are just as lost as the newer brands are when generating real-world estimates.
However, one universal truth is that there is no one size fits all rate. Each shoot I do can vary significantly for even for the same client because each shoot comes with its own complexities. However, in my 15+ years as a professional working with start-ups, global brands, and everything in between, I can give you some insight and real-world numbers to help anyone looking to hire a photographer and their team to shoot.
I believe I am writing this impart because most photographers don't talk or know how to talk about money. My quote below will raise some eyebrows, no doubt. Some will say that my rate is too high, while others will accuse me of undercutting. The truth is I don't care as long as an honest conversation is being had somewhere.
Below is a breakdown, explanation, and estimate for a fictitious brand. However, the needs of this fictional brand are based on real-world needs and expectations from teams looking to level up their photography and need some guidance.
If you are a business, I aim to help marketers manage their expectations when budgeting for a shoot. For fellow photographers who struggle with pricing, these words will reveal the building blocks to set your price for your field and market.
Real World Estimate
Client Description
Small to Medium Boutique Designer Brand. Though this brand is relatively young, being in its 5th year, they have recently seen incredible online sales from a loyal customer base. They champion sustainable fashion and launch 4 seasonable collections per year plus 4 smaller capsule collections. They depend almost entirely on driving traffic to their site, built on the Shopify platform. Still, they do moderate business from their storefront and HQ based in a downtown metropolitan area.
They are a lean team with the Founder, CMO, and Head Designer leading the business. They depend greatly on freelance support roles throughout the year.
The budgets for shoots are tighter than more prominent national brands, but they are willing to invest their money when they see the value.
Four Key Factors That Impact My Rate The Most
i. Scope Of Work
Do you need me to just execute the day of, or do you need support on the front end and post-production? This can include multiple creative calls, treatment pitches, production meetings, casting shoots, and even a little support with actual logistics.
Pro Tip: If a producer is attached or there is a budget to do so, most photographers will become much more flexible with their rates. I could spend the rest of this article espousing the many benefits of hiring a producer but let's tackle one topic at a time.
ii. Usage
How long do you need the creative work generated from the shoot? Remember, you hire a photographer not only to create the work but also for the right to use that work. The same can be said for models and actors. For eCommerce, for example, the typical usage terms are 2 years, digital-only. No print.
iii. Deliverables
How many images do you need? Remember you are a designer who sells exclusively online. You have a great Shopify site with a loyal customer base. With a small capsule collection of ten pieces dropping in two months, you need product photography for your product detail pages (P.D.P. shoots) and images to support your marketing (Marketing Shoots). These are two very different shoots with different usages rates.
Pro Tip: Don’t try to leverage your P.D.P. shoots for marketing purposes. Marketing shots are aspirational storytelling images that create awareness and love for the brand. P.D.P. images are shot to drive sales and increase conversion. I know the idea of saving money and getting two shoots for one is tempting, but when you try to satisfy both needs at once, you will fall short on both fronts and hurt your brand. If you are an advertising nerd like me, check out this research from the Journal Of Consumer Research Published by Oxford University Press to better understand how customers react to different kinds of images. [Link]
What We Know So Far
P.D.P Shoot: 10 Pieces 5x images per product page. Front, Back, Side, Detail 1, Detail 2.
Marketing Shoot: 10 Pieces. 10x Hero Homepage Images, 5x Category Images, 5x Facebook banner ads, 10x for social.
Time: Scope + Deliverables = Time Commitment. Rather how many days and how long those days will be when we shoot. To be totally transparent, most shoots I do are 1-day on location; however, those locations need to be scouted for approval, and once approved, re-scouted to plan out each shot and timing. Scout trips cost money but a well-planned shoot can turn a 2-day shoot into one. Or a 12 hour day into an 8 hour day saving everyone time and money. Again, hire a producer.
Caveat: Concept and art direction. These have a significant impact on your final creative investment; however, I can’t cover all possible art directions here since there are literally infinite concepts to capture each with unique complexities.
Now let's take the above information to generate an estimate for a shoot. I will take the liberty to fill in some additional info that is typical from small/medium size boutique brands that rely on effective marketing and social media to drive their brand awareness and ultimately increase traffic to their eCommerce site.
For the purposes of this discussion, I will save the P.D.P. breakdown for a future article and only focus on the marketing shoot.
Creative Brief
Client: Boutique Designer In A Major Metropolitan Area
Spring Preview Capsule Collection / 1 Day Shoot Marketing Shoot
Location: Local Private Home in DTLA. No Travel.
Usage: 1 Year Digital Only with the option to extend. 1 select for a print ad in regional publication.
Concept: Elegant editorial lookbook utilizing natural window light, furniture, and props in and around a Downtown Los Angeles loft with a rooftop. 10 looks shot on one model.
Deliverables: 10x Homepage Hero Images, 5x Category Images, 5x Facebook banner ads, 10x for social plus 1x behind the scene video for social. 1 select will extent usage rights for print.
Photographers Scope Of Work: Pre-pro meetings, scout trip(s), 10-hour shoot day. Color grading, tone mapping, skin and hair retouching of 30 final selects performed by the photographer.
Photography Estimate
My rate will start at $5500 with the above usage rights and 1 day of shooting for a small boutique designer brand. It's important to note that photographers rarely shoot alone, so I may need multiple assistants and at least one digital tech, depending on your concept and complexities. For a one-day shoot in a loft, it will most likely be me, one digital tech $1100, and one assistant $550 bringing us to $7150. If a scouting trip is necessary, you can expect around $550 per trip.
That optional professional B.T.S. video that everyone loves to see on social media? That will start at about $1100. See an example of one here.
So if you are a small to medium designer looking for professional photography to help your collection turn heads and sell out, $8,800 is a fair photography budget to work with when planning your next shoot. Of course, this is just for the photography team. The next step is model(s), location fees, Hair & Makeup, etc., that impact your shoot's final cost.
If you are business or a freelancer who would like guidance with your own photography project or initiative, I offer bespoke consultation. Learn more here [Link]