How Much Does a Yacht Photoshoot Cost?

One of the first questions we receive from yacht owners, brokers and charter managers is simple: how much does a professional yacht photoshoot cost?

There is no single answer. Photographing a yacht can mean spending a few hours covering interiors and exterior areas while the yacht remains in port, or organising a complete production with photography, video, drone, tender, navigation, water toys, crew and lifestyle content through sunset.

The cost depends mainly on what the yacht needs to communicate and how the final content will be used.

A simple yacht photoshoot

For smaller yachts or projects that require an essential photographic presentation, a few hours can sometimes be enough. The shoot may cover interiors, exterior areas and details, particularly when the yacht remains in the marina.

As a general indication, a professional yacht photoshoot can start at around €600–800 for a relatively simple half-day production. This is, however, very different from a complete production intended for yacht sales or charter marketing.

A complete yacht photography production

For most of the yachts we photograph, we prefer to think in terms of a production day rather than a number of photographs.

A full day allows us to work with different light and situations. We can begin with interiors and details, continue with exterior decks, use a tender to photograph the yacht from the sea, create underway images and use the drone when conditions and regulations allow.

For charter yachts, the production may also include food, service, crew, water toys and lifestyle scenes, continuing through sunset and blue hour.

For this type of professional photography production, the budget is often approximately €1,200–2,000, depending on the yacht, location and requirements of the project.

Yacht size is not the only factor

It may seem logical to assume that photographing a 50-metre yacht should automatically cost twice as much as photographing a 25-metre yacht. In reality, length is only one factor.

A relatively large yacht photographed entirely in port may require less production time than a smaller charter yacht where navigation, tender work, water toys, several table settings and lifestyle scenes need to be organised.

What matters most is the complexity of the production: the number of spaces, shot list, activities, location and intended use of the images.

Photography and video in the same production

When photography and video are produced during the same shoot, part of the production can be shared. The yacht is already prepared, the tender is in the water, and navigation or lifestyle scenes can be organised for both formats.

A complete photography and video production will therefore cost more than photography alone, but it can be a more efficient way to create a complete visual library at once: photographs, a main 4K film, drone footage and short vertical reels for social media.

For more complex productions combining photography and video, the budget can exceed €2,000–3,000, particularly when additional days, models or a more complex production are required.

What about travel expenses?

Location also affects the quotation. When the yacht is within our usual operating areas in Italy, Monaco and the French Riviera, logistics are generally straightforward.

For more distant destinations, the quotation may include flights or ferries, accommodation, local transfers and possible travel days. Photographing the same yacht in Monaco or in the Caribbean therefore results in a different overall budget, even when the photography production itself is similar.

What is included in the price?

This is an important question when comparing quotations from different photographers. The time spent on board represents only one part of the work.

After the shoot, photographs need to be selected and individually edited. Video requires selection, editing, colour correction, music and final delivery. Usage rights should also be clearly defined.

A professional quotation should therefore explain what will be produced, approximately how much material will be delivered, which uses are included and which additional costs — such as travel, models or extra production services — are separate.

What budget should you expect?

As a general indication, a simple yacht photoshoot can start at around €600–800. A complete professional yacht photography production often falls between €1,200 and €2,000. A combined photography and video production can exceed €2,000–3,000, depending on complexity, location and required deliverables.

These figures are indicative and are not fixed packages. Every yacht is different, and the best way to prepare an accurate quotation is to understand the yacht, where it is located and whether the content is intended for sales, charter, shipyard communication or another marketing campaign. For a clearer overview of our services and costs, see our yacht photography pricing page.

Ultimately, the cost of a yacht photoshoot depends less on the number of times the shutter is pressed and much more on everything that needs to be organised around the yacht to present it properly.