What does product photography cost in 2026?

Product photography in the Netherlands costs between 8 and 20 euro per photo for single-item orders, or 1,150 to 1,800 euro for a full studio day. The average hourly rate of a product photographer is around 94 euro excluding VAT. For a project of 20 to 30 products, you typically pay 600 to 1,500 euro. If you want lifestyle images with a model or location, that rises to 1,500 to 3,000 euro.

Those amounts are just the basics. What most webshops underestimate are the costs around it: location rental, models, props and the weeks of turnaround time between briefing and delivery.

What does a single product photo cost?

Standalone packshots are the cheapest option. You send in your products, they're photographed against a white background, and you get edited files back.

These rates apply at Dutch product photography studios in 2026. Note that retouching isn't always included in the price. Some studios list it as a separate line on the quote.

What does a photographer cost per day?

Once you want more than a white background, you move to a day rate.

A lifestyle shoot with a model on location can quickly add up to 2,500 to 3,500 euro for a single day. In return, you usually get 15 to 40 usable images.

Which costs do brands usually forget?

Four items that rarely appear in the first quote:

• Props and styling. Backgrounds, decor and accessories that fit your brand are bought or rented separately.
• Transport and insurance. Your products need to travel to the studio and back, and for higher-value products you'll want that insured.
• Reshoots. A new colour, new packaging or a new size means scheduling again and paying again.
• Turnaround time. Between briefing and delivery, most studios take two to four weeks. During those weeks, you're advertising with what you already had.

That last item is the most expensive, and it never appears on an invoice. An ad campaign that runs for four weeks on old visuals costs you revenue you won't see reflected in a cost overview.

When does a photoshoot pay for itself?

A traditional shoot is the right choice when at least two of these conditions apply:

• Your product has a tangible characteristic that needs to look right in the image, such as fabric texture or a colour that must match exactly.
• You have a small assortment that stays the same for a long time.
• You have the time and budget to reshoot every time a product changes.
• You need the images for print, at sizes beyond web and social.

For a broad assortment that changes regularly, or for ads that need refreshing every few weeks, the maths works differently. You'd be paying for a new shoot each time for something that will be due for replacement within a month anyway.

What does the alternative cost?

Setless Productions creates product photos and product videos without a shoot, studio or crew. You send in photos of your product or a description, and receive visuals back within days, built according to ad structures that work on Meta and TikTok.

Packages start at 399 euro per month for 12 photos and 1 video. For comparison, that's less than half a studio day, and every month you get fresh content instead of a single set you have to stretch over a year.

All prices are on the packages page.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a packshot and a lifestyle photo? A packshot shows the product against a neutral background, usually white, intended for your webshop and marketplaces. A lifestyle photo shows the product in use or in a setting, and works better in ads because it includes context and atmosphere.

How many photos do I need per product? For a webshop, plan on four to six images per product: a main photo, two or three detail shots and at least one image showing scale or use. For ads, you'll also need separate variants, since you need to refresh regularly.

How long does a product photoshoot take? Plan on two to four weeks between briefing and delivery. The shoot day itself usually takes one day; the rest is planning, selection and retouching.

Can I take product photos myself with my phone? Technically yes, but buyers judge professionalism within seconds based on the image. For products above 20 euro, amateurish visuals demonstrably lead to less trust and lower conversion.

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Want to know what professional product content would cost for your assortment? Let me know and I'll send over the rates and options.

Rates in this article are sourced from published price lists of Dutch product photography studios, as of September 2026. Prices vary by studio and by assignment.