Pricing: Leveraging Value
Pricing Basics
I charge on a per-shot basis, which is the simplest, cleanest, and most transparent method—you know exactly what the shots will cost you, so you can control your budget, and I know what I will make. All of the burden falls on me to work efficiently to provide you the shots you need. You will never be surprised by extra charges.
A discount is available for larger orders of similar shots.
The following price ranges will give you a rough idea of the costs, and we will nail things down when we write your contract.
Standard Product and Packaging
- Straightforward images of a single product, package, or a small grouping
- Non-reflective
- On one focal plane
- No focus stacking or compositing
- Minimal post-processing
- Discounts available for large orders
Price Upper End
Price Start Point
Focus Stacks
- For angled shots or for products with significant front-to-back depth (more than about 1/2 inch)
- Multiple images are made, each at a different focus point, and the final “stack” of images is then blended
- Essential to ensure perfect focus throughout
- Post processing can be complex and time consuming
- Discounts available for large orders
Price Upper End
Price Start Point
Focus stacked
Not focus stacked
Composites
- Multiple images combined into one final shot
- Used for larger groupings
- Used to show complex spatial relationships (e.g., exploded views, or sequences)
- Range from quite simple to highly complex (both to shoot and post-process)
- Discounts available for large orders
Price Upper End
Price Start Point
Cold Brew, a 20-image composite.
A 4 image composite (no harm came to the salamander)
A multiple-product composite (these can contain dozens of items)
3-D Composite Animations
- Multiple images are made sequentially (from a dozen to 360)
- The images are combined into an animated interactive MP4 file that can be moused over, spun, or zoomed by the viewer
- An excellent way to show every angle of a complex product
- Shooting and post processing require specialized hardware and software
- Discounts available for large orders
Price Upper End
Price Start Point
This is a basic example of a 3D animation made from 120 images. The more images, the smoother and clearer the final loop will be. These are delivered as MP4 files.
Way outside-the-box stuff…
These are the “I just had to stop scrolling,” images. Product photography is often a bit stuffy—this is where stuffy puts on its dancing shoes. If we use our imaginations, we can make some truly signature shots. The upper-end price for stuff like this is subjective because things can get quite odd, like if we have to rent a camel or a flame thrower.
Price Upper End
Price Start Point
Jumper cable and volcanic egg (extremely complex, took most of a day)
New take on sprouting an avacado (I love non sequiturs like this—stops the mindless scrolling)
Nested mixing bowls, dandelion seeds, and LED lights (the simplest things can become art)
Last year’s birthday photo. Yeah, it’s gonna be a fun ride…
Whatever you need, we’ll make it happen
And I won’t settle for you being satisfied with the results—when was the last time that satisfied was what you hoped for, anyway?
My prices will be fair and within industry standards based on your situation, your needs, and the value I can deliver; and my goal is that you will be delighted with the quality of my product, the services you receive, and the relationship we build. This has been my committment for 35 years. I don’t do “good enough.”
Contracting
Basic contract and terms and conditions info