A product photography cost calculator for Indian sellers works in four steps: count final images (products × shots), price the AI side from a published price list, price the studio side from a written quote including model, rights, retouching and reshoots, then divide each total by images. For 50 products at 4 shots, the AI side is ₹1,599–₹2,000 on a Create order.
Our earlier post, AI fashion photoshoots vs a traditional studio: the real cost, breaks a shoot into its cost lines. This one is different: it is a calculation you can do on paper for your own catalogue. We cover the AI side from our price list and leave the studio side as a blank for your quote, because we would rather you use a number you were actually offered than one we found on a web page.
Step 1 of the product photography cost calculator: count images
Every cost in this post multiplies by the number of final images. For a clothing listing that is usually products × shots per product. The tables below assume 4 shots per product (for example front, back, side and one detail frame). Change that number to match your listings and multiply again.
Step 2: the Vastralook side, worked for four catalogue sizes
| Catalogue | Images (4 per product) | Create order, 1K (8 credits each) | Generate yourself, 1K (20 credits each) | Studio (your quote) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 products | 40 | ₹320–₹400 | ₹800–₹1,000 | 40 × your quote per image |
| 50 products | 200 | ₹1,599–₹2,000 | ₹3,998–₹5,000 | 200 × your quote per image |
| 100 products | 400 | ₹3,198–₹4,000 | ₹7,996–₹10,000 | 400 × your quote per image |
| 300 products | 1,200 | ₹9,595–₹12,000 | ₹23,988–₹30,000 | 1,200 × your quote per image |
Step 3: your studio product photography cost, from a written quote
Ask the studio for a written quote and fill in this formula. Do not stop at the per-image rate; the lines that are easy to miss are the ones that scale with your catalogue.
- Quote per final image (₹) × total images from Step 1 = base cost.
- Add model fee per day × number of shoot days if it is billed separately from the per-image rate.
- Add usage rights if the model or photographer charges for web, marketplace or paid-ad use. Ask for this in writing.
- Add sample logistics: courier both ways, steaming, and your own time at the studio.
- Add retouching if it is not in the per-image rate, per final image.
- Add a reshoot allowance. Ask what happens if a colour is off or a garment is wrinkled in the final.
- Add up lines 1 to 6 and divide by the number of final images. That is your true cost per image.
- Is the quote per image, per garment, or per day?
- How many angles are in a per-garment price?
- Is the model, studio and retouching included, or extra?
- Who owns the images and where may you use them?
- How long from sample drop-off to final files, and what does a reshoot cost?
Step 4: compare on the same footing
Take your true cost per image from Step 3 and compare it to the Vastralook range in the table (for a 1K Create order, ₹8–₹10 per image). If the two are close, the deciding factors are turnaround, how many variations you need (colourways, sizes, marketplace crops) and whether you need a physical fabric feel on camera.
- Large catalogues where cost would otherwise grow with every new SKU
- Colourway and variation shots of garments you already photographed
- Fast seasonal refreshes
- Fabric whose movement or texture has to be seen to be believed
- Brand campaigns with a specific art direction, location or talent
- Fit-critical garments where the customer needs to see exact tailoring
Why do you not give a studio price range?
We could not cite a source we read directly for a reliable range, and Indian rates vary by city, crew, model and usage rights. A quote you were given is more accurate than our estimate.
How many shots should I count per product?
It depends on the marketplace and category. Count the angles you actually publish today, then multiply by your product count. The tables here use four as an example only.
How much does product photography cost in India?
It depends on city, crew, model, number of angles and usage rights, so we do not quote a single range. Get a written quote and run it through the formula in Step 3 to find your true cost per image.
Is AI product photography cheaper than a studio?
Compare totals, not headline rates. Put your studio's all-in cost per image next to the Vastralook range in the table for your catalogue size; the gap grows with the number of images and variations.
How many images do I need per product for Meesho or Amazon?
Count the angles you publish today. Our Meesho and Amazon image-requirement posts list what each marketplace expects, and the table here uses four per product only as an example.
Does the Vastralook range include GST?
Check the pricing page and your invoice for how GST is shown on your purchase. The ranges here are computed from the credit-pack prices.
