Hiring a product photographer feels simple until it’s not. You book a shoot. You get photos back. Then you realize you’re missing half the images you need. Or your labels look off. Or the crops don’t work for ads. Now have a lot of unnecessary conflict. Or pay twice. You can avoid most of that with the right questions up front. These are the questions I wish every brand asked before they hired a product photographer. They keep your shoot focused, your files usable, and your results better.
1) “What will these photos help us do?”
Ask for a goal, not a vibe. Start with the outcome. Not “make it premium.” Not “make it pop.” Instead, ask:
- What will these photos help us do?
- What does success look like on our website?
- Which product page problem are we fixing?
Examples of clear goals:
- Increase add-to-cart rate on our best seller
- Make the label and benefits easier to read on mobile
- Build an ad library for the next 30 days
- Launch a new SKU line with consistent images
Ask where the photos will live. You need different assets for different platforms. Ask:
- Where will we use these images? Shopify, Amazon, ads, email, retail?
- Do you plan crops for each platform before the shoot?
2) “Have you shot products like ours before?”
Ask for relevant work, not just a pretty portfolio. A photographer can have amazing work and still be the wrong fit for your product. Ask:
- Have you photographed packaging like ours?
- Do you have examples with reflective bottles, cans, pouches, or boxes?
- Can you show a full product set, not just the best one photo?
CPG packaging is tricky. Shiny labels, foil, condensation, and curved surfaces can create glare fast. You want someone who knows how to control it.
Ask what they do when things go wrong. Real shoots have problems. Ask:
- What do you do when labels wrinkle or packaging arrives scratched?
- Do you have backup units on set, or do we need to bring extras?
- How do you handle spills, melting, or broken seals for food and beverage?
A good photographer has a plan. Not panic.
3) “How do you plan the shot list and keep it consistent?”
Ask for their pre-production process. A good shoot starts before shoot day. Ask:
- Do you build a shot list with us?
- Do you use a brief or template we can fill out?
- How do you make sure we don’t miss key shots?
If you want a simple brief, this helps:
https://photosbylars.com/blog/product-photography-brief-template
Ask how they keep SKUs matching. Consistency matters when you have flavors and variants. Ask:
- How do you keep angles and lighting the same across SKUs?
- Do you shoot every product with the same camera height and framing?
- Can you deliver a clean “variant grid” set for all flavors?
When your lineup looks consistent, your store feels more trustworthy.
4) “How do you handle color accuracy and retouching?”
Ask how they keep your packaging colors true. If your label color is wrong, you create returns and unhappy customers. Ask:
- How do you make sure the label color matches the real product?
- Do you use a color reference card or a controlled lighting setup?
- Do you shoot and edit for accurate whites and neutrals?
This matters more than people expect. Salsify points out that product content accuracy ties directly to trust across channels.
Ask what retouching they include. Retouching is not “one thing.” It can mean light cleanup or heavy edits. Ask:
- What retouching is included in your price?
- Do you remove dust, scratches, and label seams?
- Do you fix warped labels or glare?
- Do you keep the product realistic, or do you edit aggressively?
5) “What files do we get, and can we actually use them?”
Ask for the exact deliverables. A lot of brands get “a folder of photos” that doesn’t fit their site or ads. Ask:
- How many final images do we get per SKU?
- Do we get web-ready files and high-res files?
- Do you deliver the main crop sizes we need?
Helpful crop sizes:
- 1:1 square (grids, some ads)
- 4:5 vertical (Instagram feed)
- 9:16 vertical (Stories, TikTok)
- Wide banner (email, homepage)
If you want a product photo library built to boost conversion (and actually fit your ads + PDPs), we’ll plan it with you, shoot it, and deliver ready-to-use files. Book a call to get product photos you love.
FAQ
What questions should I ask before hiring a product photographer?
Ask about goals, where you’ll use the images, shot list planning, consistency, color accuracy, deliverables, licensing, pricing, and timeline.
How much does product photography cost for a CPG brand?
Cost depends on how many SKUs you have, how many images you need per SKU, styling complexity, and retouching time.
What should be included in a product photography brief?
Include your goal, where the images will be used, the shot list, style direction, file specs, timeline, and who approves final selects.
Do I own the product photos after the shoot?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Many photographers license usage. Ask for clear terms in writing.
How many product images do I need on a product page?
Aim for at least five solid images per SKU. Salsify’s research shows shoppers place high importance on product images and videos when buying.
