Commercial Photographer Cost

Hourly Rate: $65-$300

Four-Hour Session: $350-$800

Eight-Hour Session: $750-$3,000

Unlike event photographers, commercial photographers specialize in product images or portraits that may be used for marketing.

Typical costs:

A commercial photographer typically charges by the hour, half-day (four hours) or full day (eight hours).
Hourly rates for a commercial photographer typically range from $65 to $300. Jim Dorsey Photography in Corona, CA, charges $150 as a base package rate, which would include up to six headshots or website photos.
A half-day (four hours) of commercial photographer typically costs $350 -$800. JRS Photos in Tampa, FL, offers a half-day rate of $600, and shoots products, executive portraits, architectural shots and more.
A full-day (eight hours) of commercial photography typically costs $750 -$3,000. Day rates at L.A. Photo Pro in Southern California range from $1,500 to $3,000 depending on the assignment and the client's use of images.

What should be included:

Commercial photography packages should include access to digital photo files, unless this is specified as an extra cost. High-resolution photos should be available to the client via a CD or online download.

Additional costs:

If not included in the package price, copies of the photographs are sometimes a significant extra cost. For example, Benjamin Studio of Photography in Odessa, TX, charges $125 per hour for commercial photo shoots. However, a digital image CD costs an extra $300 to $400 and each 8x10 print is available for $38.
Photo editing is sometimes included but might cost extra. Associated Photo in Denver charges $92 per hour for digital photo manipulation, in addition to the $169 per hour rate for photo shoots.
Travel costs vary per photographer, but may be charged by the mile or by the amount of time required on location. For instance, Associated Photo charges $55 per hour for travel after the first half hour. Best Photography, Inc. in Lombard, IL, charges an on-location fee of $35 for the first 100 miles and 31 cents per additional mile. Other expenses such as admission fees and parking must be reimbursed to the photographer at cost.
A booking fee of 50% is typically required to reserve a photographer.

Shopping for a commercial photographer:

The Professional Photographer's Association offers a free referral service to help customers locate commercial photographers.
Commercial photographers should have samples of their work online, representing a variety of shots and scenarios, and references who can attest to the photographer's skills.
Black Star Rising lists seven criteria helpful for choosing a commercial photographer.
When signing a contract, talk with the photographer about who owns the rights to the photographs after the shoot. For example, Jennifer Creative grants ownership of photos to the client for marketing and promotion, but clients may not sell the images, give them away or otherwise make money from the photos without her consent.

Article updated June 2011