Photography and video
Product photography
Whether this needs a licence in Ireland
No licence required
Taken from the statute below; not yet reviewed by a lawyer
Product photography: what the job involves
Photographing products for an online shop, marketplace listing, menu, catalogue or ads: clean white-background pack shots, styled lifestyle images, or both, in a studio or at your premises, with retouching and files sized for each platform.
Also asked for as: product photographer · ecommerce photography · white background photos · Amazon product photos · food photography
How the job is usually done
- Agree the shot list: products, angles, background, styled or plain, and the platforms the images are for.
- Agree delivery: products posted or dropped to the studio, or the photographer comes to you.
- Light and shoot each product, with variants, details and scale shots as agreed.
- Select, retouch and colour-correct, removing dust and reflections and keeping colours true.
- Export to the agreed sizes and formats, named to match your product codes.
- Deliver the files with the licence for the agreed usage, and return the products.
Product photography: what is included
Usually included
- Shooting to the agreed shot list
- Basic retouching and colour correction
- Files in the agreed sizes and formats, with a licence for the agreed use
Usually not included — agree it separately
- Props, models, stylists and location hire, unless agreed
- Heavy retouching or composites
- Courier costs for sending products
Materials and who supplies them
- The products, supplied by the customer, ideally clean and in perfect condition
- Backgrounds, lighting and props, usually supplied by the photographer
How long it takes
A small batch of plain pack shots can often be shot and delivered within a few days; styled sets or large catalogues take longer, with retouching usually the longest part.
When to book
Book well before Christmas and other selling peaks, when studios fill up.
Product photography: the rules in Ireland
What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.
The photographer or filmmaker, as author, is the first owner of copyright in the images or footage, unless they made them as an employee in the course of employment. Paying for a shoot does not by itself transfer copyright; the customer gets whatever licence the contract gives.
Applies to: the photographer and the customer
Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000, section 23 · irishstatutebook.ie · Checked 10 October 2026
An assignment of copyright, in whole or in part, is not effective unless it is in writing and signed by or on behalf of the person assigning it. A customer who needs to own the work, rather than use it under licence, needs a signed written assignment.
Applies to: the photographer and the customer
Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000, section 120 · irishstatutebook.ie · Checked 10 October 2026
Copying, making available to the public or adapting a copyright work needs the owner’s licence. Commercial music, stock footage, fonts and other people’s photographs used in a video or design need a licence that covers that use.
Applies to: the editor or producer, and the customer who publishes the work
Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000, section 37 · irishstatutebook.ie · Checked 10 October 2026
What product photography costs, and why
What jobs on Talqero came to
Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.
What affects the price
- Number of products and number of images per product
- Plain background or styled lifestyle shots
- Difficult subjects: glass, jewellery, reflective or very large items
- Retouching level
- Usage: website only, or paid advertising and print
- Studio or on location
What you should get at the end
- Final images in the agreed formats and sizes
- A written licence stating where and how long the images may be used, or a signed copyright assignment
- Invoice and receipt for the products returned
What the provider should hand over
- Deliver files named to the customer’s product codes
- State the licence in writing
- Return products as received
Safety
- Pack valuable products well and agree in writing who is responsible for them while at the studio.
- Do not use images of a competitor’s or another brand’s products or packaging without permission.
Product photography: before you hire
Questions to ask before you hire
- Can I see product photos you have done for similar items?
- What usage does the price include, and what if I want to use them in ads later?
- How many rounds of retouching changes are included?
- Who is responsible for my products while you have them?
What you can do yourself
Simple shots for a small online shop can be taken at home with a phone, window light and a white card; glass, jewellery and catalogue consistency are where a professional pays off.
What to put in your task
- How many products need photographing?
- How many images per product?
- What style do you want?
- Where will the images or video be used?
- Can you send the products, or should the photographer come to you?
Photos that help
- A phone photo of each product, so size and finish are clear
- Examples of images you like, from your own or other shops
- Your brand guide or logo and colours, if any
- The platform image requirements, such as marketplace sizes
Product photography by county
Done at your place or remotely. Choose your county for product photography close to home, or post the task for anywhere in Ireland.
- Product photography in Dublin
- Product photography in Cork
- Product photography in Galway
- Product photography in Kildare
- Product photography in Limerick
- Product photography in Meath
- Product photography in Tipperary
- Product photography in Donegal
- Product photography in Wexford
- Product photography in Kerry
- Product photography in Wicklow
- Product photography in Mayo
- Product photography in Louth
- Product photography in Waterford
- Product photography in Clare
- Product photography in Kilkenny
- Product photography in Westmeath
- Product photography in Laois
- Product photography in Cavan
- Product photography in Offaly
- Product photography in Sligo
- Product photography in Roscommon
- Product photography in Monaghan
- Product photography in Carlow
- Product photography in Longford
- Product photography in Leitrim
Photography and video
Need product photography? Describe the job.
Post it once, free, for work at your place or done remotely. Professionals reply with their own price and when they could start. You choose, and pay them directly.
Questions about product photography
Does product photography need a licence in Ireland?
No licence is required for this work in Ireland (source: www.irishstatutebook.ie). Ask instead for references and photographs of similar jobs.
Do I own the photos I pay for?
Not automatically. Under Irish law the photographer owns the copyright unless it is assigned in a signed written document. Usually you get a licence to use the images as agreed; make sure it covers everything you plan, including ads.
White background or lifestyle?
Most shops need clean white-background shots for listings, and a few lifestyle images to show the product in use for the homepage and social media.
Can I edit the photos myself afterwards?
Only if the licence allows it, because adapting a photograph is an act restricted by copyright. Ask for permission to crop and resize at least.