Cost of Services
Many people only think of the camera click when thinking about costs of commercial imaging but much more goes into creating jaw dropping images that really WOW your potential customers and helps guide them to your brand.
There is much more than just the hour or two of the photo process that often is overlooked when people try to budget for marketing material images. Planing of the project, creating the list of photos needed, prop/product selection, set design, plating/scene planning and more all happen before anyone reaches the location on the day of the photo session.
Many factors come into play when we discuss Commercial Product Photography pricing, not just what the images are, location and equipment needed, but also who you are having take and edit the photos. Education, experience and versatility play a key role in how well a finished project comes out and at what cost.
Other factors that play a role in pricing are things such as product or food styling, professional lighting and equipment, editing and compositing images(blending numerous photos of the same scene together), color theory and more. Getting all of these things to fit together makes the difference in getting a high quality and successful photo campaign or getting photos that leave you wanting more. To learn more about what goes into the pricing of commercial food photography check out my blog post.
Once on set, the day the photos are to be taken it often takes a team to make sure the images come together as planned.
All lighting, photography equipment and set/props are brought in and prepared for the shot or scenes scheduled.With food photography photos, a Food Stylist is brought in to work with the owner or chef to create those mouth watering, camera ready items. This is more than just putting the food on a plate, it requires a skilled and detail oriented person who has the understanding of the tips and tricks to make each ingredient and item shine! This should be a key component to any food photography wether it is for social media, menu photos or billboard images.
Most of the best photographs are the best because of the photographers understanding of lighting and the different ways of manipulating the light. Achieving this most times requires numerous light sources as well as many photos of the same scene which will be layered together to get one final image. Each of the separate images focus on getting the lighting perfect for one component of the scene, many times 10+ images are combined to get just one finished image which can mean between 100-800 images can be taken for just a handful of finished photos.
Hourly Rated Projects & Creative Fees
| Service | Rate |
|---|---|
| Hourly Rate | $175/hr |
| Half-Day Shoot (up to 4 hours) | $675 |
| Full-Day Shoot (up to 8 hours) | $1,300 |
| Post-Production / Editing | $100/hr |
Includes basic lighting, camera gear, and up to 10 high-res final images for half-day; 20 for full-day. Additional images available for licensing.
Licensing Fees
2. Licensing Fees
| Usage Type | Rate per Image |
|---|---|
| Web/Social Use Only | $100 |
| Local Advertising (print, digital) | $250 |
| National Advertising | $500–$1,000 |
| Unlimited Buyout | $1,500+ |
Licensing fees are based on duration, geography, and usage type. A licensing agreement will accompany each project.
Add-On Options
| Service | Rate |
|---|---|
| Additional Edited Images | $50/image |
| Studio Rental | $100–$200/hr (depending on location) |
| Assistant Fee | $250/day |
| Travel (outside Houston metro) | $0.75/mile |
Monthly Retainer (for Ongoing Clients)
| Tier | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $2,000/mo | 2 shoots/month, 15 images each |
| Pro | $3,500/mo | 4 shoots/month, 20 images each |
| Custom | Quote | Tailored to your brand’s needs |
Pricing FAQ
What do food photographers charge?
There is no one size fits all when it comes to this answer. Many variables need to be considered such as:
Location of where the photographs are to be taken
Number of products or dishes
Props or extra equipment needed
Needing to have additional staffing such as set designers/food stylists
Usage of the final images. I.e Web/social, Print, Billboards Etc
With all these things in mind a simple half day session can start around $675 and a full day session can start around $1400 for an experienced food photographer.
When comparing food photographers prices you may find some that charge less or more. Price of your photographer while important, a proven track record of happy clients and results that have impact should be the true measurement of who you trust to partner with when developing branding for your business.