How does one become a product photographer?

haring

The question is simple. How does one become a product photographer?

Art Scott

Build a port of various product of the size you want to shoot.....if you not having a shooting table and light tent build one out of PVC pipe, 3/4 - 1" my tent is about 6' tall and approx 8' long and 4' wide....I use heavy duty plastic plier type clanps to hold white muslin king sized flat bed sheets for my walls or I just use brolly boxes (or soft boxes, I use brollys, they work for me) from each side... you will need a min. of 3 lights to get good shadowless coverage, You may need to use more depending on the effect you want to create...emulate some of your favorite ads...by emulate I meant the look of the ad not the text graphics...just the look......then start promoting your services to local manufacturing companies ......

As to a shooting table......a pair of metal saw horses with a piece of clear plexi thick enuff to hold what ever you are shooting....so I would invest in one piece of plexi to hold the heaviest object I want to shoot....mine is almost 1/2' thick.....got from a surplus yard for ~$50 many years ago 3x4' ...using this I can shoot light from the bottom for special effects light colored light and so forth......

Commercial product photography can be very lucrative, but it is also very competitive....just do not cut your throat by under charging for your work....

Good Luck

Cygnus Studios

haring wrote: »

The question is simple. How does one become a product photographer?

That is not exactly a simple question. As Art mentioned there are equipment needs. Your business skills need to be honed to a fine edge. Competitive isn't even the word for it. As a commercial product photographer, there is no such thing as a local market. There are photographers all over the world who will want your clients and will take them from you when you slip.

Dealing with businesses is different than dealing with people. The same basic rules of building a successful business are the same, but when dealing with businesses, those rules are on steroids. You really have to be on your game to survive in this field.

The only side of photography that I know is harder is fashion.

haring

I am sure it is not easy to answer but how much is the general price range for product photography? Just a general idea...

Cygnus Studios

haring wrote: »

I am sure it is not easy to answer but how much is the general price range for product photography? Just a general idea...

That is even harder than your first question. Are you trying to figure out how to bid a single job or thinking of a career choice?

It could be broken down by piece, by job, or by contract.

The larger the contract length, the lower the job cost or per piece cost.

If the company has a large number of items the cost per piece may be very low because the contract length is worth it. On the other hand, if a company only has a single or few items, the price per piece can be significant.

You have to add into that is the campaign local, regional, national or international. Then you factor in the uses. Is it a one time knock off or a series. One shot for the Sunday newspaper will be significantly less than a series of shots for newspapers, magazines, catalogs, billboards, web or tv advertising.

An average could range from $5 per item all the way up to six figures for major campaign.

Mark Dickinson

Get a product box, studio large enough for your largest product. Begin making stock images of common items that could be an option to sell, build your portfolio, market yourself, then provide clients the pricing on the products.