What does professional photography cost?

“How much does a photograph cost?” This is perhaps the most common question I’m asked by potential clients.

I recently met with a client who is interested in food photography. They haven’t yet nailed down exactly what they’re after, so we provided samples of past work and a general idea of the range of services involved, as well as their associated costs.

The problem arises when it comes to cost, because photographs can cost almost anything. To illustrate this, I showed the client two real world examples of food photographs made for different purposes and for dramatically different costs.

The first one was made as part of a shoot for a cookbook with a small publishing run, and it was part of a short session that included a few food shots and a couple of portraits. The bottom line was that this single image (when pro-rated based on the cost of the entire shoot) cost only about $150. It was a minimal production, with limited usage and an inherently low cost. It’s still a nice photo, though, and it’s what the client needed.

Right next to that image in my portfolio was another photograph, made for an entirely different client with an entirely different purpose and with a much greater production involved. This type of image, which utilizes a team of talented and creative people to create over the course of a day or more, can end up costing 20 or 30 or 50 times what the previous photo cost (depending on the scale of the production and the scope of the usage license).

The higher cost and bigger budget doesn’t mean the shot is inherently “better.” In fact, if it doesn’t meet the exact needs of the client in question, it’s most definitely not better.

The moral of this story is that photographs can, and do, cost almost anything. We’re happy to work with practically any budget, and we will always tell our clients up front what we suggest as the best approach to produce the ideal image to meet their exact needs. Until we know what’s needed, though, it’s difficult to determine the appropriate cost–or even a useful ballpark.

Does that make sense? I sure hope so. Because it’s important to know that you can commission a photograph for almost any dollar amount. It all depends on the specific needs of the client and what it takes to meet those needs.

So in answer to the question, this is what a photograph costs: It’s definitely $150 or $1,500 or $15,000 or $150,000. Or some other amount.

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Photography costs how much?

I’m sorry to keep dwelling on the price of photography in these recent posts, but have you noticed the economy? Customers are having a hard time justifying spending dollar one on photography–no matter how necessary and/or affordable it may be.

In another effort to explain how and why we charge what we do, without getting in to the nature of the necessary expenses involved with running a studio in the 24-hour digital age, I thought I would simply point you to another post about photography pricing.

A Photo Editor is a wonderful blog about photography and magazine publishing. In a recent post, a commercial photographer generously (and anonymously) allowed a proposal to be dissected by the readership–comprised primarily of professional photographers and photo buyers. Read the full story here. And know that the discussion that followed this revelation was not how expensive these $12,500 individual assignment photographs were (before expenses, I might add) but the fact that the photographer was doing a disservice by vastly undercharging for his or her work.

The day I found this I had recently been told by a prospective client that the $125 licensing fee I was requesting for a single image’s limited use was “way too expensive.”

Any questions, comments or concerns? Say so below, or give me a call.

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What we need to give you a quote.

So you want a photo quote. You call me up and ask, “How much will some photos cost” and then I proceed to ask you a million questions before giving you a rate. I’m truly sorry for the third degree, and I really am happy to give you a price. But first you’ve got to tell me what you need. All about what you need. All about what you need and then some. If you really want the quote to mean anything, the devil is in the details.

What are some things I’ll want to know? Who, what, when, where, how and why. Don’t forget the why.

For events, tell me when I should arrive, when I should shoot, what and who I should concentrate on covering, when you need the photos delivered, any special services (online file transfers, rush turnaround, additional retouching, etc) and how those images are to be used.

For a portrait shoot, tell me the use of those portraits, the “feel” you’d like them to have (i.e. conservative businessmen or funky creatives) and how many people are on the docket. Will we need full length portraits or head and shoulders? Casual or formal? Environmental, or studio style? At my place or yours? All those same details about delivery, turnaround, retouching and usage are equally important.

Agency clients are familiar with that last part, the usage, but some corporate clients are not. Usage is the primary way photography–both assignment and stock–is priced in the 21st century. Those of you who remember hiring photographers back in the good ol’ days (when I was just a glimmer) are used to asking for day rates. Back then you paid a flat fee and the photographer shot what he could in the allotted time. The problem with that setup is that not only do clients inevitably try to do too much in a short period of time (sacrificing quality in favor of quantity and lower cost–a deadly combination for photographers whose livelihood depends on making great images) this pricing approach penalizes efficiency. If I can make your product photograph wonderful in a half day, when less skilled photographers might take all day and into the night, it’s not good business for me to charge less for my service, is it? Plus, why would you want to risk a photographer dragging his feet all afternoon just to pad the bill? Tell me what you’d like to photograph, and I’ll worry about the time.

I’ll also usually ask if you’ve got a budget in mind. It’s not because I’m trying to figure out how many dollars I can squeeze out of a shoot. It’s because so many people have so many different ideas about what photography should cost. That’s our fault, as photographers, for not making it easier to know all that goes into making great images. If you tell me about the portrait you need, and then mention you’ve got $250 to spend, I know you’re thinking of a down-and-dirty in-studio shoot with minimal bells and whistles. That’s fine, by the way. But it helps to know that I shouldn’t give you a price that includes a hairstylist, makeup artist, and extensive retouching to make you look absolutely perfect. If you tell me about your $2500 budget for that shot, I know you’re expectations involve perfection. And I’m happy to provide it.

With pricing based on the type of shots, the quantity of shots (not to be confused with quantity of shutter clicks, we mean the number of setups, or products, or portraits to be photographed) and how those images will be used, you can rest assured that the only thing a photographer is concerned with is making the best photographs he can. Whether it takes all day or not.

By the way, if you’d like to get an idea of just how much photography costs, why not check out Getty’s rights managed stock library. You’ll notice that these images are typically higher quality than the cheap and freebie amateur images so many outfits are peddling online. And you’ll also see that, when compared to the costs for your own custom photography assignment–which includes your people, your products, your places and your input–you don’t have to settle for stock. In fact, assignment photography can often be even more affordable. Want to know how much more affordable? You’ll have to call me or email me, with all those pertinent details, to find out.

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