Studio, DIY or us? An honest comparison.
Three ways a small brand gets product images and video ads: book a studio shoot, make them yourself with an AI tool, or send one photo to us. What each costs, how long it takes, and when each one is the right call.
| Studio shoot | DIY with an AI tool | Prompt&Pixel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Typically $2,000+ | A subscription, or a free tier | From $199 (Pilot: 8 images + 1 video) |
| Time to first images | 2–3 weeks | As long as it takes you | 5 days (Pilot), 10 days (Launch) |
| What you send | The product itself, posted to the studio | Your photo and your own prompts | One photo and a one-line brief |
| Ad sizes | Often cropped from one frame later | You prompt every size yourself | 1:1, 4:5 and 9:16, each made at its own size |
| Video | Usually quoted separately | A second, image-to-video tool | In every package |
| One look across the set | Strong: one set, one light | Hard: light, colour and the model wander | One art direction across the whole set |
| Product accuracy | Exact: it’s the real product | The label drifts; you check every letter | Every image checked against your real product |
| Changes | A reshoot is another booking | Unlimited, on your time | 1 revision round (Pilot), 2 (Launch) |
| Who owns it | Depends on the photographer’s licence | Check the tool’s terms | You, on payment: unbranded, prompts included |
Studio figures are typical ranges for a small product set, not a quote; prices vary by city and crew. AI tools change often, so check each tool’s current terms.
Each one wins somewhere.
We’d rather you pick the right one than pick us for the wrong job.
Book a studio when
The picture has to be literally real: before-and-after results, people you’ve hired and want on camera, or a shot that has to stand as proof of how the product looks.
Do it yourself when
You need a few posts, you enjoy the process and you have the time to check every label. Our free library takes you from one photo to a film in fifteen steps.
Send it to us when
You need a whole set that matches, in every ad size, with a video, often, and you’d rather not check every letter yourself. From $199.
Not sure?
Send the brief and pick “Not sure yet — advise me”. If a studio is the better fit, we’ll say so. No payment until you choose.
What we got: 1 packshot
Powder burst
Chiffon
LifestyleNo shoot. No samples in the post.
MOSSO is a concept brand. One plain tin on a grey backdrop became a powder burst, a chiffon scene and a lifestyle image, with the label sharp in every one.
The short answers.
The things people ask first. Anything else: tai@promptandpixel.co
Is AI product photography cheaper than a studio shoot?
Usually, yes. A studio shoot for a set like this typically runs $2,000 or more and takes 2–3 weeks. Our Pilot is $199 for 8 images and a 15-second video in 5 days, and Launch is $749 for up to 3 products.
Can AI keep my label and packaging exactly right?
On its own, not reliably: letters change, logos move and colours shift. That’s why every image we deliver is checked against your real product, letter by letter, and fixed or made again before you see it.
Can I just do it myself with ChatGPT or Gemini?
For a few posts, yes, and our free library shows you how, step by step. It gets hard when you need a whole set that matches, every ad size, a video, and labels that are right in every frame.
When should I book a studio instead?
When the picture has to be literally real: before-and-after results, people you have hired and want on camera, or a shot that has to stand as proof of how the product looks.