How much does product photography cost in Pakistan?

Product photography quotes in Pakistan range from a few photos taken on a phone to a full studio production with a stylist and retoucher, and both can be described as “product photography”. If you are comparing them by the total alone you are comparing different things. This guide explains what moves the cost, how to brief so you get a clean quote, and how to compare what comes back.

It is written for exporters and online stores, in the places where those businesses cluster: Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and export hubs such as Sialkot. We give no figures, because the number depends on your products and your uses.

What decides the cost

How many products. Fifty similar items shot in a repeatable setup are a different job from five varied items that each need their own lighting. Say whether items are similar in size and material, and whether they come in variants such as colours.

Shots per product. A marketplace listing often needs a main image and several angles. A catalogue or brand page may need detail shots, scale, packaging and the product in use. List the angles you want for each product, rather than a single “per image” number.

Background types. A plain white background is faster and fits most marketplace rules, which you should check on each marketplace. A coloured backdrop, a textured surface or a lifestyle scene adds planning, props and time. Many businesses need both: white for listings, lifestyle for the website and ads.

Styling and props. Styling covers surfaces, props, arranging garments, and keeping the product looking its best. Fabric needs steaming or pinning. Jewellery, leather and glass each need different handling and lighting. Ask who sources props and who pays for them.

Models. Garments, shoes, accessories and cosmetics often look better on a person. Models add casting, hair and make-up, fittings and a longer shoot day. Decide whether you need models and whether their faces will appear, and check the usage rights for them as well.

Retouching level. Basic clean-up (dust, background, colour accuracy) differs from detailed work on shape, reflections and compositing. Ask what level is included and how many rounds of corrections you get. Honest retouching also means colour that matches the real product, so customers are not surprised on delivery.

Location. A studio the photographer arranges gives controlled light and a repeatable setup. Shooting at your premises saves moving stock and suits large items, but needs space, power and a day without interruptions. Ask who handles transport, packing and insurance for samples.

Turnaround. Rush work costs more than a planned schedule. Ask when you will see the first selects, how long edits take and what a rush would involve.

Usage rights. The same photos used only on your website are different from photos in print catalogues, marketplaces, trade fairs and paid ads. Rights may also be limited by time, territory or medium. Write your uses into the quote. For legal questions about rights and contracts, ask a lawyer.

Files and naming. Specify formats and sizes (web, print, marketplace), colour space, and file naming that matches your product codes. Ask for the originals or edited masters, not just compressed JPEGs.

Freelancer, marketplace seller, studio or in-house

• Freelancer. Direct contact and flexible, often good for small catalogues. Check their lighting setup, backup plan and whether they can handle retouching.
• Marketplace seller. Convenient and quick to hire. Standards vary, so ask for a sample shot of your own product before committing, and read the terms on usage rights.
• Studio. Space, lighting, stylists and retouchers under one roof, with a project plan. You pay for the coordination and consistency across a large range.
• In-house. Your own corner and camera suit constant new stock. Equipment, space and skills are your responsibility.

How to brief and get a clean quote

1. List your products, with sizes, materials and variants.
2. State where the photos will be used: trade fairs, print, marketplaces, your website and ads.
3. List the shots per product, plus the background types.
4. Say whether you need models, styling or props.
5. Give the retouching level and number of correction rounds.
6. Say where the shoot happens and who moves the stock.
7. Give the deadline and what is driving it.
8. State the file formats, sizes and naming.
9. Ask for usage rights and ownership of masters in writing.
10. Name one approver.

How to brief a creative agency has more on writing a brief that gets comparable answers.

How to compare quotes

Place the quotes in rows: products, shots, backgrounds, styling, models, retouching, location, turnaround, rights, files. Anything missing is a question. Ask each provider for a test shot of one of your actual products, since a portfolio of other people’s products shows less than you think. A low total that leaves out retouching or limited rights is not cheaper than a higher one that includes them.

Buying in Pakistan

Exporters often send photos to foreign buyers who judge them next to competitors from other countries, so clean, consistent and accurate images matter. If your photos also go into a company profile or catalogue, see our guide to company profiles for Pakistani exporters. Online stores should check what each marketplace requires before they plan the shoot.

Shipping samples between cities and back is a real cost and risk. Ask where the shoot happens, who packs, and what happens to fragile items. Most of this is easier to agree on before the day than during it.

Get a scoped quote from CREATVZ

We work with Pakistani businesses from our Lahore page and photograph products through product photography. For motion on your listings and ads, there is motion graphics. Send us your list of products and uses through the start a project form, and we reply with questions and a scope that lists the shots and rights included.