Why Outsourcing Product Photography Can Save You Money (and Time)

As an Amazon seller or an owner of a fast-growing brand, you may wonder whether to outsource product photography. DIY photoshoots seem to save you from extra expenses. The outcomes may be the opposite; the hidden costs and operational burdens wear you out with no guaranteed positive results. Explore the comparison of in-house and outsourcing photoshoots and choose easily.

Common In-House Challenges (and Hidden Costs)

Although it may look like a new and exciting project for you, an in-house photoshoot comes with a range of difficulties that you may find impossible to manage without professional help. Check out some pitfalls you may face:

• Equipment cost. Be ready to purchase lenses, lighting kits, backdrops, and editing programmes. This all adds up to you wasting thousands of dollars on equipment you may no longer use after one unsuccessful session.
• Time wasted. Expect you and your team to waste much time and effort on various processes beyond the photoshoot. From the creation of a perfect setting, equipment calibration, performing a photoshoot, and up to polishing the results.  
• Lack of skills. No matter how many tutorials you read and watch, your skills and knowledge won’t be enough to equal professional product photography services. Studies show that 75% of users rely their purchase on product images, meaning that the quality of photos defines overall business success.
• Post-production. Count in extra time and resources for editing and retouching. Mind that poor post-production may mean you need an extra photoshoot to correct mistakes.
• Operational downtime. If your team focuses on a DIY photoshoot, be ready for their main duties to suffer. It will definitely harm your business.

For example, creating a high-quality single product listing image can take between 4 and 8 hours. Add all the other photo items you need to create, and you welcome an endless list of needs connected with photography that may soon displace your main business activities. The need to cooperate with professional photographers seems obvious.

How Outsourcing Saves You Time

If you hesitate whether to hire a product photographer or do it yourself, check out how outsourcing in-field specialists saves your time:

• Turnkey solution. Your task is to place an order specifying all your needs and preferences. Yet, everything concerning the photoshoot, preparation, and post-production is left to specialists.
• No setup necessary. Forget about creating perfect scenery, adjusting equipment, and caring about every detail. Just sit and wait for the result, and spend your time on marketing or any other side of your business.
• Batch processing. Instead of postponing marketing campaigns due to DIY photoshoots, get the high-quality images ready on time. Studio can process 100+ SKUs a week, guaranteeing reliable and long-term cooperation to back up your marketing campaigns.

If you calculate every process you need to get high-quality images for your business, it can add up to 400 hours to cover 50 products. So you either hire a professional or let your staff work for 10 weeks on a side project with no guarantees of positive results.

Focus on the main needs and challenges of your business niche instead of trying to excel in what you are a newbie at.

How Outsourcing Saves You Money

You will save more if you stick to your main activity instead of trying to cover all your side needs on your own. Here are some main points on how you are going to protect your wallet from extra waste by opting for affordable product photography:

• No capital investments. No need to purchase expensive equipment and software, which can easily add up to $5,000 per minimum pack to perform a photoshoot. Considering that cheaper equipment means poorer results, smaller investments usually make no sense.
• No paid training. No need to pay for training and tutorials to get your team ready to process a photoshoot. A staff member's training may cost between $1,500 and $3,000, with a person in training not performing their direct obligations.
• Focus on results. Instead of caring about every other process and wasting money on it, you just get the final results and pay for them.
• Packages to choose from. Cooperation with outsource photographers allows you to choose between different service packs to fit your budget and needs. For example, $750 for 30 units, or $1,200 for 60.

Invest in your business directly and hire professionals instead of paying for unnecessary equipment and covering processes that shouldn’t bother you. According to a Clutch survey, over half of small businesses outsource to cover their side needs, including professional photography.

Extra Benefits of Working with a Pro Studio

Working with pro studios grants even more perks above saving time and funds. Check out the top ones:

• Experience with different formats. Professional product photographers work with all in the niche, including Amazon listings, Shopify stores, fashion shots, etc., and can deliver you the best results according to relevant trends and expectations.
• Increased conversion rates. High-quality images and proper focus drive better click-through rates and conversions. The numbers prove that visuals of better quality convert twice more as poorer quality ones.
• Specialized content. Whether you need unpacking video, model shots, 360 photos, or any other content type, a pro studio will create a high-quality piece for you.
• Mistakes eliminated. When performing photoshoots on your own, there is a high probability of mistakes and inconsistency in photo quality, with the need to reshoot later. When you establish reliable relationships with any studio, they understand your needs and fulfill your orders seamlessly and within a deadline.
• Reliable scheduling. Split your order into milestones or get all packs at once at a scheduled time. The average order is completed in 5-10 days, commonly depending on the volume and specifications.

This implies that product photography cost covers quality, consistency, and brand promotion with no hassle and focus shift from your business.

Case Comparison: In-House vs Outsourcing

Witness the benefits of outsourcing photography by comparing it to an in-house photoshoot below.

Choose to cooperate with pro product photographers to obtain desirable results at a considerable price and without any time waste.

When Is the Right Time to Outsource?

Now that you clearly understand why to outsource product photography, your task is to spot the signs and understand when your business needs a photo professional. In the following cases, you should better outsource a professional product photographer:

• You have more than 50 products. It can be quite a challenge to manage such volume during an in-house photoshoot.
• You plan to expand to different platforms. Every platform has different requirements and needs separate photo preparation.
• You have seasonal launches and new collections. You are in a rush to air your business innovations and need the results within tight deadlines.
• You have limited people resources. Your team is barely enough to cover the main business needs. You cannot afford to let staff waste time on photo shoots.

You can apply plain math and calculate if the photography takes more than 10% of business time and is not related to your main business operations directly. Then it means you should better outsource a professional product photographer.

Mind that you are free to outsource any time you find it necessary and desirable for your business. But don’t postpone the decision that may play well for you.

Final Words

Outsourcing a professional photographer is a smart choice that can save your time, money, and make your business prosper. You will never equal your effort and skills with a product photo specialist, but spend an unreasonable amount of your resources without getting the expected results. A professional photographer or a team of specialists can complete your business with high-quality visuals and scale the results. Cooperate with a pro studio to build trust with your customers, strengthen your brand, and increase conversion rates. Invest in high-quality visuals to boost your business success.