From billboards to product photos, each photo project is a new opportunity to create stunning images for your business. Each project is a different experience that can involve dozens of different variables in order to capture the perfect assets to help your business sell. Of course, the unique nature of each photographic production has a direct impact on a critical aspect of your project: the price.
There is no quick answer to how much professional photography costs because no two projects are alike. Each variable has an impact on profits, with potential costs ranging from a few thousand dollars to large-scale production that amounts to three times. This is why a media studio needs to get as much information about your project as possible before providing a quote.
While there are many factors that affect a photo estimate, that doesn't mean you can't identify some factors that affect the price of your project. Here's a breakdown of what can impact the overall cost of commercial photography services (and why each element is essential).
WHAT IMPACTS THE COST OF A
PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT?
The crew
It takes an excellent crew to create stunning photos. However, the exact composition of that crew depends on your particular needs. Some projects may require only a few creative people to acquire your resources; others may need a large group of experts with different talents. Let's take a look at the various roles you may need for your photography project.
Photographer
It should come as no surprise that you need a photographer for your photography project. However, this person doesn't just point the camera and press a button. The photographer also acts as a sort of director of the shot, making sure the set is properly lit and framed so that the entire production matches your vision.
The First Assistant
The First Assistant is closest to the photographer and typically the most trusted asset on set. This position typically goes to experienced assistants familiar with their style of work, their camera systems, their computer systems, their style of lighting, and their work ethic.
They are there to constantly check camera settings, check focus, monitor lights, anticipate problems, prepare files, backup files, provide suggestions they may see, and make sure the photographer can concentrate on the task at hand without distraction. The first assistant or camera operator should run the crew and have what the photographer needs before he/she asks for it.
Second and Third Assistants / General PA’s (Production Assistant)
The Second/Third/PA assistant are generally managed by the First Assistant and/or Producer. They may also be given to a stylist or other person on set if they need to. They will handle any work including moving gear, setting up stands, holding flags, setting up diffusion, keeping the set clean, holding lights, holding reflectors, cleaning up, ordering food, and running and getting odds and ends for the photo shoot.
Assistant
While the photographer is focused on shooting and directing the set, assistants are around to move the lighting equipment, and other items for the photographer. This can include managing lights, flags, stands, and other objects that will help capture the look the photographer wants to achieve for a project.
Photo assistants help photographers plan, set up, and complete photoshoots in studios and at external locations. Their job is to carry and set up the equipment, assist with lighting, and ensure that the shoot runs smoothly. This role involves helping clients, preparing photos for distribution, configuring and operating photo equipment, and offering creative and technical advice to the photographer.
Lighting Assistant
They are responsible for using a variety of different lights to create the style and the mood in a production. Setting up equipment, making sure it's working properly, and then taking everything down when the production is completed would be essential duties of a lighting assistant.
Digital tech
The digital tech deals with file management during the photo shoot. They are handling the most important assets of the job and preparing files as needed by the clients. They must have a solution to any problem of software, hardware, and file types. There must be a backup plan to every problem that may happen. For smaller, less intense shoots, the first or second assistant can play this role. During the shoots where the photographer must always be behind the camera, a digital technician will remain at the computer and take care of the naming, organization and other management of the files. This way, the photographer can focus on shooting or directing talent during complicated or hectic projects, rather than creating avoidable downtime.
The best DigiTechs arrive with their own computer loaded with all software needed, are fluent in MAC OSX, Lightroom, Photoshop, Bridge, Capture One Pro, Photo Mechanic, RAID, and are experts in duplicating and triplicating blocks of data quickly and efficiently.
The Digitech will effectively communicate job and/or image related information to the photographer(s), photography manager, producer(s) and post production department. The Digitech will also assist photographer's with equipment setup/breakdown, set builds, studio clean ups, and on set assistance as needed. The Digitech can also help with the selection and quick edits on set with the client.
All assistants/DigiTechs have their own standard/small “Assistant Kit”. These can vary depending on the job needs.
Art Director
An Art Director is generally required for more meaningful and creative photography projects. These experts help ensure that the project follows the client's vision in accordance with the storyboards developed for the shoot. Clients can also act as art director so they can oversee their investment.
Set Stylist
The stylist of the set takes care of the details related to the moving parts of a set. During pre-production, this person will put together a design sheet with drawings, accessory lists, paint samples, and other elements to guide the vision and scope of your project. As you shoot, the set stylist will monitor those elements and the overall environment of your shoot to make sure your location or setting matches the look you want for your photos.
Makeup stylist
A makeup stylist is essential if you are talented enough. and you need to make sure they look the same in all photos. This expert will be able to make the people in your session perfect (or perfectly imperfect depending on your vision) from the first take to the last.
Wardrobe stylist
Depending on the size of your production, you may have a lot of talent and a lot of wardrobe to manage. In this case, you'll want to have a costume designer on hand to make sure everyone's clothes are ready for your shoot.
Food stylist
If food will play an important role in your photo shoot, a food stylist will play a key role in your photo shoot. This expert's job is to make sure that all of the edible elements of your photo shoot are presented as perfectly as possible so that people will get their mouth watering as soon as they see your images.
Producer
In general, a producer is a crucial figure behind the scenes as you lead the actual photo shoot. This person is needed to make sure all the different aspects of a photo shoot are taken into consideration so that the other experts have everything they need to do their job when it comes time to capture your assets. The producer can also be the project manager and will be responsible for client support before, during and after the shoot. He/she can also be responsible to hire crew, create and/or distribute moodboards for different team members, create a call sheet and/or shot list with the photographer and client, deal with different bookings and locations, studio bookings and fees and contracts. The producer will also supervise the whole process from pre production until post production and distribution to meet deadlines and keep the client happy.
For a detailed list of al the (possible) duties of the producer, click here (in Dutch)
Production assistant
While the producer helps facilitate everything behind the scenes, the production assistant is a key figure serving as the eyes and ears in the studio. This person can help if something is missing on the day of shooting or get messages to the right people. In the case of a smaller shoot, the photographer or some other key figure can also play this role.
A Production Assistant, or Production Crew Assistant, serves on photography, video, film or television sets assisting the Producers and Directors of a production. Their main duties include printing and distributing scripts, moodboards, call sheets, shot list(s), relaying messages between crew members and running errands for Directors and Producers.
The Talent
When it comes to the cost of photography, it's also important to evaluate the people who will be in front of the camera. Talent rates can represent a significant portion of your project costs depending on the types and amount of talent you will need.
Adult talent
In general, adult talents can be divided into three groups, each of which affects the quality and overall cost of your talent
People you know
Amateur talent through the studio
Professional talent
People you know
If you are looking for the most inexpensive talent option, you can always go through your contact list. Whether you have your family, friends, coworkers, or others you know, this path allows you to provide talent for free or at a minimal cost. Considering the cost of professional talent, true amateurs can drastically reduce the cost of their project.
Of course, the downside to using people you know is that they are cheap for a reason. Amateur talents can make a shoot take longer and perform lower than professionals because they don't have the same experience as people paid to be in front of the camera. This lack of experience becomes even more problematic if you need more than one person in front of the camera, so you'll need to weigh what you ask the talent to do with the pros and cons of using people you know.
People from the photography studio
If you are looking for a middle ground between amateurs and true professionals, your photo studio can help you. For example, multiple members of the ABX team can act as actors for your shoot at a lower one-time cost than pros. While not as skilled as the pros, studio members are typically much more comfortable with photography work than true amateurs, so they won't be as crude as the people you meet for a reasonable price.
Professional talent
As expected, professionals will cost more. Of course, this cost is due to the fact that you will make the most of your talent. Not only are professionals the most comfortable people in front of a camera, but they are also more responsive to direction and can help shorten shooting times because it won't take that long to get the shots you want. If your project depends on the performance of your talent, the professionals are worth the investment.
It is also important to know that there are also different levels of professional talent. Non-unionized talent is cheaper, but may not be as good or efficient as higher-cost actors. Another key cost factor is how you plan to use your professional talent. The rates for professional talent are based on usage and may vary based on the following factors:
How long do you plan to use the photo
Where do you plan to use the photo
If you need full-body or hand talent
Each usage involves variable rates and contracts. For example, talents for national advertising campaigns may cost more than those for your website or regional use. Also, you can sign talents for different contracts based on how long you plan to use your photos with them on. Typical photography contracts run for one, two, three, five, or an unlimited number of years. Shorter contracts are less expensive, but you will end up paying more for talent if you decide to extend the contract beyond the initial terms. Unlimited is the most expensive option, but it's a good alternative if you think you want to reuse your photos years later.
In addition to usage and talent levels, different talent agencies may include other factors in their rates, such as whether they have competitors or whether your talent has worked on other shootings in line with your product. You may also need to bring in talent from out of town if you have a particular type of actor in mind. Talent rates can get very complicated, so we like to present several options for clients to compare potential costs and determine the best path for their project and budget.
Child talent
While finding adult talent has its challenges, child actors bring their own complications. As with adults, both amateur and professional child actors are available. Regardless of experience, children must have a parent or guardian on set, and there are rules for how long these children can work. However, the biggest challenge is getting exactly what you need from the child actors while filming.
It is difficult to work with child actors because they are only children and a 6 year old will only play ball for as long as he or she wants. This means that you should schedule your shoot according to their schedule, which can include:
Give them breaks to calm down
Have toys and snacks available
Plan other aspects of filming according to their work limits
Each of these factors will ultimately affect your budget, shooting lengthens due to a rebellious child. This is problematic because you can't always guarantee that you will get what you need from a child actor, especially those with no previous photo shoot experience. Professional child talent can help mitigate the possibility of problems because they are generally familiar with the setup. However, you can choose to use a family friend or an employee's child; just be prepared that an unprepared kid may not want to cooperate and may cause you to run over schedule.
Animal Talent
Sometimes perfect talent isn't human. Dogs, cats, and other animal talents are available through various agencies (or even in your backyard). As expected, agency animals are charged based on usage, but these animals are specifically trained to follow the handlers' instructions. This training means that generally shooting will be much faster and easier with professional animal talent than with your own pet. However, providing your pets can lead to significant cost savings if your footage is less dependent on the creature's performance, so you'll need to work with your studio to determine which option is best for your needs.
Types of Shoots
While project costs are highly dependent on project details, different types of photo shoots have some characteristics that directly impact your investment.
Product shoots
In general, product sessions are relatively simple - bring your products into the studio so that photographers can shoot them against a white background or whatever. However, there are a few things your studio will need to know to complete your photo shoot:
How many products need to be taken
How many shots are needed per product
The total size of the product
As you would expect, the more products and shots you need, the more it will cost. your project. Therefore, product registrations tend to be easier than others in terms of session planning.
Tabletop Photography
Like product shoots, tabletop projects are a fairly simple concept - shooting a product on a small tabletop set, such as an overhead flatlay or strait on vignette. This type of session is usually done for fashion, jewelry or to show a product with some accessories around it.
Due to the simplicity of the project, tabletop shoots tend to cost less than more complicated projects. However, there are still several potential costs associated with tabletop shots, including:
The photographer
An assistant/Digital Tech
A stylist
Tabletop props and accessories
In terms of how much these examples can affect the price of your project, it depends. If you are viewing a super complex image where you need a fashion stylist, assistant fashion stylist, set stylist and other experts, it will cost more than a relatively simple product sticker with a few related accessories.
Lifestyle shoots
If you want to show how your products or services relate to people in a specific environment, you will need the right place to take your photos. Of course, these positions can add various costs to the total price of your project, whether you decide to use an existing position or a set.
If you want an established location, you can proceed with the project without the need to modify or build a set. However, locations may incur other types of costs. First, the process of finding a site will take time and effort to make sure you have adequate space for your viewing. This exploration process will affect your budget. Also, the owner of that location must say yes for you to continue and you will likely have to pay a fee for the location for the ability to use that space as well. You may also need to adjust the shooting hours to that location. For example, a company may not be available during normal business hours or on specific days, which can cause potential filming delays or even add an extra day or two to its filming schedule.
If you opt for shooting on a set, you’ll have more control over the exact look of your space. The downside to this advantage is that there are costs associated with modifying an existing room set or building a completely custom set from scratch. However, investing in sets can help you take control over exactly where and when you shoot your images, which can eliminate unexpected variables affecting other locations or even allow you to enjoy lower sets costs with a cooperative project.
Regardless of your preference between location or settings, your full service photography studio can help you determine ways to balance the needs of your project and your budget.
Location shoots
Sometimes the best place to shoot is an established location. There are situations where you may need a specific environment such as a restaurant, school or other venue to showcase your product in a real-world application. In this case, an on-site shoot may be the most viable option for your project.
Since you'll be providing the location of the shoot, you won't have to face any scouting costs or setup fees. However, there may be travel costs to consider. We can't move your location, so your shooting crew will need to travel to your location. Total costs vary greatly based on total distance, the size of the crew and equipment needed for the shoot, and how long the shoot itself will take, so you’ll want to work with your studio to figure out a streamlined approach to minimize travel costs if your location is more than a short drive or trip.
Miscellaneous Costs
Regardless of the type of shoot you need, some factors can ultimately affect your overall budget. First, the length of your shoot is a direct factor in the project price. The more time it takes to shoot, the more your project will cost. Two weeks of shooting will add a lot to your overall estimate, even if you need a simple flat lay or product shoot.
In addition to the total shooting time, there are a couple of other factors that could potentially increase costs in rare situations. The former would involve any rental fees on the specialized equipment needed. At ABX STUDIOS, this is generally only necessary if your images will be displayed in extremely large sizes, such as on a billboard or wall. The other rare cost increase would result in potential shipping costs if a significant amount of product needs to be shipped. Both situations are rare, so we'll let you know first in case the costs need to be increased.
Retouching Time
A large part of the project costs are the pre-production process and the photoshoot. However, there are some pricing considerations for the work that needs to be done after the photo shoot.
Depending on the shoot and the specific needs of the project, you’ll need to factor retouching into project costs. Whether the goal is to simply solve minor problems or create hyper-realistic or fantastical results, this process will add to your project total based on the time and complexity of the revisions or requests. While it may be difficult to communicate which aspects of retouching are more complex than others, some points will add to the cost of the project.
Provide clipping paths and shadows for product photography
Update products in retouching (e.g. changing e a label)
Fixing products if it came damaged when it was shipped
Color matching walls or other set features
Composition of stock photos for window scenes
Purchase of stock images
FIND THE RIGHT FULL SERVICE PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT
Whether you want to showcase your products in a lifestyle shoot or share an interesting idea with a conceptual project, it's essential to work with a studio that can creatively capture your vision in the most efficient and effective way possible. At ABX STUDIOS, our experts work with you to determine the best and most cost-effective way to bring your vision to life so you can share your story with the world. Ready to talk about your next photography project? Contact ABX STUDIOS today to talk to our experts about how we can help you connect with your audience through commercial photography services.