Is product photography in demand?
With the increasing number of e-commerce websites and online stores, product photography is in demand more than ever, and it’s growing. It’s one of those things that directly influence customers to decide.
Whether you are planning to start your career in product photography or have been doing it for some time, you might be concerned if this niche is still in demand.
It’s a profitable line of work, and you should keep doing it if you have a passion for it.
Like other niches, it’s also highly competitive. You have to stay dynamic, accepting the changes and shifts within this industry because it quickly shifts with current trends.
So, if you want to become successful and make your living out of it, you have to put all your expertise and effort into it.
Can you make money with product photography?
Doing what you love is great, but you should be able to earn money from that. Your passion will not pay bills for you; your money will.
So, it’s important to earn enough money from where you put all your time and effort. Luckily, you can make money from product photography.
When consider about product photography salary,
As an amateur product photographer, you can earn around $10-$20 per photo from e-commerce stores. It’s a quick job that you can finish in less than a day.
Established professional photographers charge as high as $3000 per day on a project basis.
So, as you can see, the road from amateur to professional photographer involves high pay. Besides, you will find some benefits that other niche does not offer.
For example, product photography does not require a fancy studio.
You can set up lighting equipment, camera, photography boxes, etc., in your garage or any room. So, no need for you to invest upfront for a space. It will keep your overhead.
If you feel like it’s better to know about lighting in product photography, I have already provided a complete guide on product photography lighting.
Unlike wedding photography, you won’t have to travel places for product photography. Besides, you can maintain a flexible schedule because most products will be coming to you. It will allow you to focus more on your creativity.
Why is product photography important?
Product photography is important for traditional marketplace and e-commerce. To be honest, it plays the most crucial role in converting customers.
By referring below the tutorial video you can get more about the importance of product photography and more.
When potential customers visit an e-commerce website, they only see pictures of a product. It creates a first impression that will encourage them to make a purchase.
If you have an idea to taking clothing photograph for e-commerce website. I have provided a Beginner’s Guide to Clothing Photography for E-commerce. I think it is very helpful for you
A lot of benefits come with product photography.
It offers customers clear images with necessary details in it. Customers often take a product as high quality when they see a good quality image. It creates trust inside customers and inspire them to hit the checkout button.
Truth be told, an image can tell a thousand stories. It’s always better than writing copies.
So, an image can tell more about a product than any sales copy. Besides, customers always prefer watching more images.
Remember, an online customer is purchasing an image. Plus, customers always prefer to see customized products photos over stock photos.
Good quality product photos are essential for building brand value. It creates a brand identity for any business.
Most importantly, you can use product photographs in all your marketing channels. So, it’s pretty important for promotion too.
Product Photography Market Size
The product photography market size is enormous. There is a massive demand for it, and it’s growing.
If you are enthusiast enough, you can make your way into it.
I will show you some product photography statistics to help you understand the market size and demand for product photography.
According to many independent market research, commercial photography in the U.S. has generated 1.8 billion in 2019. It was growing at 1.9% per year before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. After that, the product photography market size skyrocketed because of the increasing number of e-commerce and online customers.
Stat shows 75% of online customers make their purchase decision based on product photos. So, you can imagine how ample the product photography market and its scope is. Besides, product photography increases brand exposure, so all the e-commerce invests heavily in it.
Here are some other quick stats to help you realize the scope of product photography and its market size. 70% of companies put their money into content marketing, including product photography. 65% of the online population use photos for learning.
Most importantly, 90% of online buyers say that a good quality product is the most important factor for e-commerce sales and marketing. It can increase the conversion rate by 30%.
I hope you can realize the market size for product photography.
How to start a career in product photography?
One thing is clear by now, the product photography is a lucrative career nowadays.
The chances are that this industry will keep growing with the increase in business and e-commerce. The question arises, how do you start a career in product photography?
The answer is simple. Here’s how you are going to do this:
- Firstly, grab your camera and start shooting different product photos. But before that, you have to research which product you want to work with. You can also select a few industries to start working with. There are many options to choose from: food, clothing, shoes, jewelry, etc.
If you think start your product photography career from shoes photography, my article on shoes photography really valuable for you.
- Then you might have to take professional photography courses to understand the whole process. It will further enhance your skill, and you get to know how things work around it. You can also take an internship under any professional photography firm or professional individual.
- Next, to start a product photography career, you need skills, expertise, and the right equipment. You have to purchase the necessary setup.
- Finally, fix the price of your services. In doing that, you should be clear about the cost factors and considerations. Do not overcharge or undercharge any client.
How do product photographers get clients?
There are several ways product photographers can get clients.
It might be a bumpy road at the beginning.
But when you close some clients and complete some projects, it will be much easier. Just make sure you can satisfy your clients with your service.
- First, start looking for local retailers who happen to have an online presence. There is a chance they are looking for a low-paying product photographer. Go and talk to them and cut a good deal.
- Do not waste your time looking for big companies. They either have a professional photographer working for them, or they have their in-house product photographer.
- Meanwhile, establish a presence on social media. Promote your business and showcase what services you are offering. Regularly share about your current projects. Upload some of your work for clients to understand your strength and expertise. You can also set up a website and showcase your service.
- Finally, make sure you are always ready to go the extra mile for client satisfaction. This way, you can convince your clients about your commitment. Conduct good research on your local products and companies so that your clients can feel you have some connection with the products.
How to Sell Your Product Photographs?
Apart from giving product photography services to local companies, retailers, and e-commerce, you can also sell your product photographs online.
There is a huge demand for stock photos or ready-to-use photos. But first, you have to select some product categories and start shooting them.
The best way to sell your product photographs is through your own website. Buildup a website and upload your product photographs there.
You will have to determine prices for each photo, create a customer and privacy policy, subscription policy, payment method, etc.
But the easiest way to sell your product photos is to sell them on various platforms. Alamy, Etsy, Getty Images, 500px, Stocksy, Shutterstock, iStock Photo, etc., are some of the most popular places to sell your photographs.
How to Become A Product Photographer For Amazon?
Amazon is the largest e-commerce marketplace in the world.
Thousands of sellers constantly need high-quality product photos.
Reach out to them and offer your photography services. There are some specific criteria for amazon product photos.
All the product photos have to have a white background. It is a must for any product. You will have to keep the image resolution high but less than 10 MB.
Make sure you give enough attention to the product size. Take photos from different angles. Most importantly, always start with consistent and precise planning.
Final Words
Product photography is a good choice for a career if you have the stomach for it.
Initially, you might have to struggle, but there’s no looking back once you make a name for it. Just make sure you give your 100% in it.
Justin Parker is a professional photographer and has been in the industry since 2007. He attended the University of Georgia. Justin combines his passion for photography and his interest in writing to give life to this blog which talks about photography in order to help and inspire young photographers.
