What Is Commercial Product Photography? How To Get Started
You’ve launched your product-based business and are ready to start marketing it to the world. But first, you need to figure out product photography pricing because it’s time to take some professional photos. Commercial product photography is the best way to capture striking images showcasing your products and attracting potential customers. But there's a lot to learn about this type of photography before you get started, including how to find a photographer, what to expect, and how much it will cost. This article will help you navigate these waters to get the striking product photos your business needs to succeed.
One helpful place to start your journey is the Home Studio List. This website can connect you with affordable, styled house rentals for photography, so you can learn all about commercial product photography and even practice taking your product photos before booking a professional.
What is Commercial Product Photography?
Commercial product photography is about making products look their best and selling them through visuals. It’s a niche within photography that focuses specifically on capturing products in a way that’s:
Accurate
Compelling
These images are created for one clear purpose, and that’s to help brands:
Market
Advertise
Sell
Impactful Images
Product photos are designed to grab attention and drive action, whether for:
An ecommerce listing
A billboard
Packaging
A digital ad
There’s more to it than just pointing a camera at a product and clicking. Commercial product photography is a blend of:
Technical skill
Creative strategy
Visual Storytelling
You’re thinking about lighting, angles, styling, reflections, textures, and how all that plays into the brand’s:
Look
Feel
You're not just photographing an object; you're telling a story that will make someone want to buy it.
Brand Alignment
Photographers in this field often collaborate closely with brands, agencies, or small business owners to ensure the final images speak to their target audience. The goal is:
Make the product shine
Elevate the brand
Inspire a sale
Why Brands Need Commercial Product Photography?
We live in a visual world, and brands know it. While an excellent copy and a solid product are essential, photography often makes the first impression. That’s where you, as a product photographer, step in.
Because when the visuals don’t reflect the product's quality or the brand's personality, customers notice, and they click away.
Visual Impact
Photography can elevate a brand from meh to memorable. Studies show that 93% of consumers say visual appearance is the top factor in purchase decisions. The images you create do more than just fill up a product page. They’re doing the heavy lifting when it comes to:
Engagement
Trust
Ultimately
Sales
Image Variety
Your work doesn’t stop at the white background shot. To show off their vibe, brands need a mix:
Clean product photos for ecommerce
Styled lifestyle shots for social
Flat lays
Behind-the-scenes images
Why Consistency in Product Photography Matters
Consistent, high-quality imagery creates visual recognition. It makes a brand feel polished and intentional. Good photography builds trust and keeps people interested at every step of the buying journey, whether on:
A website
An ad
A social post
When done right, your photography doesn’t just show a product. It creates a feeling. And that emotional connection? That drives people to:
Buy
Share
Return for more
So if a brand is serious about growth, it needs visuals that do more than look pretty. They need visuals that convert. And that’s what you bring to the table.
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How To Get Started As A Commercial Product Photographer
Build a Killer Portfolio
You’ll need a portfolio showcasing your best work to find work as a commercial product photographer. Start by photographing products that interest you, whether your favorite sneakers or vintage cameras. You can photograph items for friends or local businesses to help them:
Market their products
Gain experience
Once you build a solid portfolio, consider creating a digital portfolio to reach more potential clients. Get business cards to hand out to interested parties for your photography services.
Research Your Clients
Familiarize yourself with the brand you’ll be working with. Review past advertising campaigns to understand the client’s style and preferences so you don’t pitch something inappropriate. Ask questions about how the campaign is being used (Is it for print, social media?) and who the audience is. All this research will inform the proposal or pitch deck you submit.
Create a Pitch Deck
In commercial photography, a pitch deck is a visual presentation communicates your ideas to the brand or client. It contains an overview of a project and reference images to support the pitch. You should also send a bid for the project and a calendar listing the potential prep and shoot days.
Draft a Budget for the Pitch
Ensure that the available resources align with the creative concept of your photoshoot. If the project has a fixed budget, outline how the money should be allocated to execute the job.
Be Passionate
You want to be passionate and show ad agencies or other commercial clients that you are fully engaged in the project.
Know the Legalities
Legal permission to publish the images for commercial use must be secured if a commercial photograph contains branded products, recognizable people, or private property. Model release and property release forms serve as agreements between:
The client
The photographer
The subjects of the image
These forms outline where the images will be published and the terms of usage. These contractual agreements protect the photographer and allow the photographer to use the photos for other purposes. Additional negotiations may need to be included if the photographer intends to resell images to a stock agency.
Studio Rentals You Can Trust
Home Studio List connects photographers and brands with beautifully styled homes and photography studios available for hourly rentals across 40+ states, eliminating the need to:
Haul props
Hunt for perfect natural lighting
Our curated spaces are styled and shoot-ready, with on-site hosts to ensure a smooth experience from booking to production day. With streamlined booking managed by our Reservation Managers, creatives can focus on their craft while we handle all the logistics. Simply browse, book, and show up to shoot. Browse our spaces for your next shoot today!
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Pricing Your Commercial Product Photography Services
Before quoting a price for your product photography services, clarify your cost of doing business. This is the foundation of your pricing strategy. It’s not just about your camera gear. It’s the whole picture.
Affordable Studios
Think equipment maintenance, insurance, editing software, marketing, rent, utilities, and everything else it takes to keep your business running. Let’s say you rent studio space by the hour. Home Studio List can run you anywhere from $40 to several hundred dollars per hour, depending on the:
Location
Amenities
That adds up fast, especially when juggling multiple clients and shoots. By knowing your fixed and variable expenses, you can set a minimum price covering your overhead and leaving room for profit. Your pricing should reflect that because you’re running a business, not a hobby.
Evaluating Time & Effort
Your time is just as valuable as your gear. Every photoshoot includes hours of:
Prep
Client communication
The actual shoot
Editing
Revisions
File delivery
And that’s before you count the time spent marketing yourself or doing admin work. So when you set prices, think beyond just the shoot time. Ask yourself:
How much time do I spend per project from start to finish?
What’s my hourly rate when I factor all that in?
Value Proposition
This is where your value shines. Clients aren’t just paying for pictures but investing in your:
Creative vision
Technical skill
Experience
Your pricing should reflect that unique blend of:
Artistry
Professionalism
Researching the Market
Now that you’ve looked inward, it’s time to look outward:
What are other photographers in your niche and region charging?
What do clients expect to pay for product photography in your area?
A great way to do this is by building a spreadsheet that compares pricing structures. Include details like:
Experience level
Session type
Deliverables
Turnaround times
Market Positioning
The goal isn’t to copy what others are doing. It’s to understand the landscape to position yourself smartly within it. Market research helps inform your pricing, but it shouldn’t dictate it. Your experience, style, and customer service make your offering unique. Don’t undersell yourself just to match someone else’s rate.
Tailoring Prices to Your Target Market
Who are you trying to attract? Your pricing should speak to them. High-end brands and agencies. They’re probably expecting:
Polished service
Quick turnarounds
Stunning
Magazine-worthy images
They’re willing to pay for it. But if you’re working with small businesses or startups, you might offer flexible packages or mini-sessions to meet their budgets. You could offer a basic package with limited edited shots and upsell add-ons like:
Lifestyle photos
Expedited delivery
Retouching services
Tiered Packages
This way, clients feel in control of their budget while still seeing the value in upgrading. Tailoring your pricing to your audience isn’t about compromising. It’s about connecting. Clients who see that your services align with their needs and budget are likelier to book (and rebook).
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15 Best Tips For Taking Commercial Product Photos
1. Plan the Shoots
Planning your photoshoot before you arrive can help you prepare to take excellent photos. Create a list of specific products you must photograph and the equipment you need to bring. You may also list:
The props you intend to use
The locations you plan to visit
Many photographers create a shot list to ensure they capture all the necessary photos and angles for each item. A shot list is a checklist of the images you plan to take. You should reference your shot list throughout the photoshoot to increase your efficiency.
2. Gain Inspiration from Similar Brands
Research similar brands or products you can use as inspiration for the piece. Pay attention to the color scheme, lighting, location, camera angle, and product position of these photos to help you replicate them. You can use these details to develop your shot list further. Many product photographers also create a mood board for each photoshoot using inspiring images.
Save the photos you find from different brands and use them to create a collage that visually shows the style you hope to achieve through your photography. You may use many digital collage-building tools to build your mood board. Use a search engine to research college-building tools and choose the best one.
3. Select High-Quality Camera Equipment
Choosing the right tools is essential to producing the best images. Consider the tools you have for the shoot. You may use a smartphone with a high-quality or digital camera, such as a DSLR. If you select a digital camera, you may choose which lenses to use for different shots.
Here are some tips to help you choose a camera lens:
Choose a prime lens instead of a zoom lens to produce sharper images.
Use a lens with a shutter speed of f/4 or below to capture images in dark settings, create a blurred background, and keep the product focused.
Consider using a macro lens for close-up images to highlight the product’s fine details.
To capture better close-up images of the products, choose a lens with a shorter focal length, such as a 50mm or a 35mm lens.
4. Choose the Right Location
Consider how your client plans to use your product photos to determine an appropriate location for your photoshoot. If the client wishes to use the photos to list their product on a large e-commerce platform, a simple white background in a studio might be an appropriate choice.
If the client wants to use the photos for social media posts or print advertisements, you may have more creative freedom to experiment with different:
Locations
Backgrounds
Contextual Shoots
Visualize where a customer or consumer may use the product to help you develop ideas for the location of your photoshoot. Many photographers try replicating a real-life setting or scenario to give viewers context. This can help potential customers or consumers see themselves using the product, which may increase sales.
5. Ensure There’s Proper Lighting
Using the correct lighting when capturing your photos can improve their quality and make editing easier. It can also help you convey a particular tone or replicate a specific style. Depending on the product you’re photographing, the purpose of the photos, and the publication platforms, you may decide to use either natural or studio lighting.
Here are some considerations to review for each lighting style:
Natural lighting: Select natural lighting for food products, individuals, and clothing pieces because it may provide a softer and more realistic look to the images. You may also use different natural lighting to convey different messages through your photography, such as a cloudy day to convey melancholy themes.
Studio lighting: Consider using studio lighting for products people typically use indoors, products with many small details, or products for e-commerce platforms. You can use various artificial lights in the studio to capture the desired images, including key, fill, hair, background, and camera-mounted flashes.
6. Use a Tripod
Many photographers use tripods for product photography to increase the clarity and quality of their images. Tripods make it easy to stabilize your camera and capture consistent images if you photograph multiple products simultaneously.
You can also use a tripod to reduce motion blur, which may allow you to:
Decrease your camera sensitivity
Shoot at lower shutter speeds
Increase image quality
7. Stage the Product
Use simple props to stage the product and increase its visual appeal, providing context for the viewers. If you photograph a bottle of iced peppermint coffee, you might incorporate coffee beans or peppermint candies into your image to convey the beverage’s flavor profile.
Limit your use of props to ensure the focus remains on the product. You can coordinate props with a specific color scheme or use ones that convey a particular emotion to enhance your images.
8. Embrace the Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is a composition guideline photographers use to create a balanced image. To incorporate the rule of thirds in your photography, visualize a grid split into three even parts by:
Two horizontal
Two vertical lines over the image
Place your subject at the intersection of two of the lines. This can help viewers focus on the product when they see the photograph.
9. Remain Attentive to White Balance
Photographers use the white balance settings on their cameras to control how colors look in different lighting types. Color temperatures range from cool, which has a blue tint, to warm, which has an orange tint. You can use the settings on your camera to set your white balance so your photos appear more natural.
Research how to adjust the white balance settings on your specific camera for the best results. Here are some of the white balance settings you may have on your camera:
Auto
Tungsten
Fluorescent
Daylight
Cloudy
Flash
Shade
10. Shoot for the Edit
When photographing your images, be aware of the edits you may make in post-production to achieve the desired outcome. Consider the changes you can make to the environment, lighting, or product to minimize post-production edits.
Suppose the first few photos you capture appear underexposed on your camera screen. In that case, you adjust your lighting or camera settings to ensure you capture pictures that are exposed properly.
11. Experiment with Different Angles
Photographers typically capture images of each product from multiple angles to increase the option varieties for their clients. This can increase the likelihood of client satisfaction with the final product photos. Shooting from different angles can help you select the best photos to edit.
Some angles you can experiment with during your next product photoshoot include:
High angle: You can capture a high-angle image by tilting your camera down to face the subject. Use this camera angle to include the product’s surroundings.
Eye-level angle: Hold your camera at eye level without tilting it to capture a natural and familiar-looking product image.
Low angle: To capture a low-angle image, tilt your camera up to face the subject. Use this camera angle to create a sense of depth and intensity or to capture the sky in the background.
Overhead shot: Use an overhead shot by positioning the camera directly above the product to create a flattering product flat lay.
If you plan to take multiple overhead shots at once, you may use a C-stand to mount your camera in place.
12. Pay Attention to Reflections and Shadows
Notice how the lighting hits the product to create reflections and shadows. If a product has a shiny surface, consider what may appear in its reflection. To do this, adjust the light’s intensity and position to create a well-lit image. Many photographers diffuse light with a filter or bounce the light off another surface to create an evenly exposed image.
13. Incorporate Color Theory
The color theory explains how humans perceive color and how to combine different colors to balance an image or evoke viewers’ emotions.
Many photographers incorporate color theory into their product photography to highlight a specific idea or characteristic that may resonate with consumers. Research color theory to help you create color combinations visually appealing to viewers.
14. Enroll in a Basic Photo Editing Class
Enroll in an introductory photo editing class to learn how to use professional photo editing software. Developing your skills as a photo editor can help you create professional and artistic images. Some techniques you can learn include:
How to adjust the saturation and vibrancy of an image
How to retouch fine details
How to sharpen an image to increase clarity
Research different photo editing classes online or at a local educational institution. You can also find videos online or purchase books about photo editing techniques to help you improve your skill set.
15. Retouch Your Images
Once you capture your images, import them into photo editing software to retouch them and manually remove imperfections. This can help you improve the quality of your photos and create a more polished look.
Some areas you can retouch include color correction, exposure, and image clarity. During this time, you may also remove unwanted details, such as stray hairs or dust specks.
Browse Our Spaces for Your Next Shoot Today
If you want to improve your product photography, consider renting a dedicated studio space for your next shoot. Product photography studios offer controlled environments devoid of distractions. You can precisely adjust the lighting, backdrop, and props to get your desired look without worrying about outside interference or changing natural light.