Professional vehicle photos are essential for every car dealer. The big question: is a professional photographer worth it, or is the AI-powered alternative the better choice? We do the detailed maths.
What does a professional car photographer cost?
Prices for professional vehicle photography in Switzerland vary widely. On average, dealers have to budget for the following costs:
- Base price per session: CHF 200–500 (incl. travel)
- Price per vehicle: CHF 30–80 (from 5 vehicles)
- Time spent on coordination and scheduling: 2–4 hours
- Waiting for the edited images: 1–3 days
- Post-processing fees for special requests: CHF 20–50 extra
For a dealer with 10 new vehicles per month, this results in monthly costs of CHF 500–1,500 — just for photos.
Direct comparison: AI vs. professional photographer
| Criterion | Professional photographer | AI Car Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per image | 30–80 CHF | 0.50 CHF |
| Time required | 2–4 hours coordination | 2 minutes |
| Availability | By appointment | 24/7 |
| Scalability | Limited by appointments | Up to 500 images per month (Pro) |
| Quality | Very high | Professional |
| Consistency | Varies by photographer | Always consistent |
| Own logo | Extra charge | Included |
When does a photographer make sense?
For individual prestige vehicles (Ferraris, rare classics, luxury sports cars), a professional photographer can still make sense — the premium factor, the individual staging and the absolute top quality can justify the higher price.
For the day-to-day business of a used-car dealer with 5–50 vehicles in stock, however, the AI solution is clearly superior: faster, cheaper, more consistent and available around the clock.
Annual calculation: what you really save
Assume a dealer sells 120 vehicles per year (10 per month), with 6 images each: