When it comes to your project, costs can easily mount as details are added, ideas are changed, scale is increased, and time ticks away. However, it is tremendously important to remain within budget while producing the best product for their needs. Fortunately, there are ways to save on photography projects without sacrificing on quality.
At TRG, we know that every challenge has a solution. As such, we like to try and pass along useful information that can help our clients save and still receive the stunning assets they need. Whether you are working with a different studio or with us, here are some money-saving tips to keep in mind throughout your project to help you get the best bang for your buck.
10 Ways to Save on Professional Photography Projects
1. Have a solid and approved concept
If the concept keeps changing, that extra time is going to directly impact how much you spend. By sticking to a solid concept and only making tweaks when truly necessary, your studio can save you time by finishing the project without extra delays and costs.
2. Adapt your scope to your budget
Sometimes eyes are bigger than wallets, but you can still create the imagery you envision on a smaller budget. The more of your budget information you provide us, the more likely we will be able to come up with creative solutions to achieve your vision all while staying within that budget.
3. Stay within the scope of the project
As you may expect, increasing the scope of the project will always end up costing you more. If you'‘re trying to limit your project budget, stick to the scope to avoid extra costs and save some money.
4. Make notes on imagery before we start retouching
You can save on retouching time if you let us know what specific areas of an image/render you would like addressed before we begin. This ensures that we are only spending time retouching the areas that are troubling you. In turn, you’ll need fewer rounds of revisions and less time spent retouching. It’s a chain reaction of savings!
5. Consider image usage ahead of time
Knowing your intended usage allows us to tailor the imagery for that specific usage, which can sometimes translate into savings. For example, professional talent fees can vary depending on you planned usage, so we can help you find most cost-effective talent based on your plans.
6. Shoot multiples of similar items in one shoot rather than several individual shoots
The more shoots we schedule, the more it will cost you. Save time and money by doing as much as possible in one scheduled shoot.
7. Watch out for the “too many eyes making approvals” trap
Everyone’s input is valid and important, but making revision after revision can increase time and become expensive. Finding a healthy balance between the two is ideal.
8. Shoot stills while you’re shooting video
You know how the saying goes - Two birds, one stone. If you’re shooting video, you can get image stills done at the same time in order to save money.
9. Let us find efficiencies in the process
After years of projects, our team is able to find plenty of ways to make your project more efficient. From changing the shot order to reusing sets for multiple settings, don’t be afraid to lean on your experts to figure out different ways to help you save.
10. Consider CGI vs. photography
Sometimes a project can be done more quickly and cheaply with photography services than CGI. Other times the opposite is true and CGI will be your better/cheaper option. We will look at all of the options and find the solution that works best for you.
We realize that while everyone loves to save money, a lot of these options are sometimes out of your control. We don’t expect everyone to be able to follow all of these guidelines every single time, but the more information you have, the more likely you will be able to capitalize on the cost-saving strategies that are under your control. As mentioned above, we want to ensure our clients are receiving the best possible service with the best possible outcome, and saving a few bucks along the way certainly doesn’t hurt.
Ready to talk about your next video project? Contact TRG today to talk to our experts about how we can help you create a connection with your audience through professional video services.
