PENCIL ONE Standard File Format and Size
You can choose from one of the following PENCIL ONE standard file formats.
- 3000 X 3000 DPI JPEG with a white background Click here to download a sample file
- 3000 X 3000 DPI PNG with a transparent background Click here to download a sample file
- 3000 x 3000 DPI TIFF with a transparent background Click here to download a sample file
If one photo needs to be exported with various formats and resolution, there is a charge of $3.50 per additional version.
There is no extra charge if you need a customized resolution instead of 3000 x 3000 dpi. Please specify that in the shot list.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
There are three different types of model photography we provide, each with their own costs.
- Hand Model or Body Model
To achieve the best cost-efficiency, we use our employee as your model. This allows more flexibility for us, as well as you, while taking multiple pictures as we do not have to worry about model fees. Photos using our own hand or body models are charged by the number of the final images that are delivered to you. Please refer to the shot list guide to prepare the shot list for a quote.
- AI model
The apparels and models are shot separately and are combined together in post production. The pros of using the AI model are that it doesn’t involve a model during the shooting, which makes the shooting faster, more affordable and adds some flexibility. The cons are that the model’s postures, and facial expressions are pre-determined and not customizable. Please refer to the shot list guide to prepare the shot list for a quote.
- Professional Models
Projects start from a minimal of one-half day shooting with at least one model. PENCIL ONE provides model shooting against various backgrounds from the simplest eCommerce white or grey background to lifestyle room setting backgrounds. Check out Model portfolio to find out projects we completed for clients like you.
To initiate a model shooting project, here is the information we’d like to know in order to have a good understanding of the project scope. Based on your answer to the following questions, we will provide you an accurate estimate on the shooting length, number of the photos we will deliver and the all-inclusive cost.
- How many SKUs will need to be shot?
- How many photos are needed per SKU?
- How many models are needed?
- What are the desired backgrounds to be used in the photo shooting?
- Is there a timeline you have, or a deadline you need to meet to receive the finished photos?
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
We can shoot multiple pictures for you to choose from when your project involves models that are paid hourly rates. This will allow you to pick raw images to review. We will discuss with you before we start to decide how many variation photos (sister photos) you’d like to see for each SKU to be able to determine the shooting length and the cost.
For projects that are charged by the number of finalized photos, we won’t be able to provide raw images for selection. But we can provide proofing photos to ensure the quality and details are still ensured.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
PENCIL ONE provides free storage of all products and props exclusively for up to 2 months.
After 2 months, you can choose:
- To return the products or props back to you.
- Donate the products or props back to PENCIL ONE, which means we can store the products and props for your future projects without any additional charges, and use them for future projects as well.
- Have PENCIL ONE store the props exclusively for your use only. Monthly storage per occupied size is listed below:
- 5′ x 5′ Unit – $85 per month
- 5′ x 10′ Unit – $170 per month
- 10′ x 10′ Unit – $228 per month
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
At PENCIL ONE, we provide video services that are specifically designed for the eCommerce business. There are three types of video we can create for your business. Please review the options and examples below.
Explainer Video
– A short video usually used for marketing or sales purposes that highlights the product features and best use scenarios in a compelling and efficient way.
Example#1 – SanmelixVideo
Example#2 – Music Box
Go Behind The Scene
– A “Go Behind the Scene” video is typically done along with a model shooting session. You would expect to see your team interacting during a model shooting event. The purpose of this type of video is to showcase the core business value the brand wants to convey to the audience and create a human connection to the brand.
Example – Nine Zen
Stop Motion
Example – Harperalley
For us to better estimate the requirements for your video, and the costs, please see the questions below:
- How many seconds will the video last?
- How many different product features do you want to introduce in the video?
- Do you need a voice-over, background music, or both?
- Do you need to insert written text in the video?
- Do you need a full-body model, or a hand model to demonstrate the product?
- Can you send any video examples as good references of your desired outcome?
Once we hear back from you, the next steps are as follows:
- We will send out a quote for your approval
- Our team will put together a storyboard that best describes the content of the video for you to review and revise.
Useful tips:
If you’d like to add background music to the video, here are some free resources:
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
What is your turnaround time?
We offer three different services that have various turnaround times.
Proofing Plus
Best for:
- New clients with first time projects.
- Multiple products that are similar and need to be captured in a highly consistent manner.
- Projects that require close attention to detail or specific requirements for details that might take couple rounds of shooting or editing before the desired result is achieved.
- Projects with flexible turnaround time.
Standard Turnaround
Best for:
- Shooting requirements are similar to a historical project PENCIL ONE completed.
- Clients who have reference photos and want to replicate the style and lighting the same exact way.
- Shooting requirements are straightforward and easy enough to explain without needing a proof photo.
- Each photo requires a unique lifestyle setting and wouldn’t be cost effective to shoot a proof.
Rush Turnaround
Best for:
- Clients who purchased the PreOrder package.
- Clients who have an established photo guideline with PENCIL ONE.
- Clients who have projects that need to be completed within 3 – 5 business days.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
Why do I have to pay upfront?
At PENCIL ONE, we believe our time and effort should be spent on providing A+ services to our valuable customers instead of spending time collecting payments afterwards. As a result, we have a policy that requires the full payment be provided up front before the shooting starts.
For our first time clients, we’d be more than happy to provide free test shots or credits so you can test out the service before committing to a project with us.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
How do I keep my photos consistent?
What are the brand guidelines?
Brand guidelines are an essential part of an effective marketing strategy. It is a document that guides your internal employees and external vendors to understand and use a collection of elements that represent brand identity.
Why do you need brand guidelines for photography?
Strong and consistent branding helps your brand stand out of the competition along the time. As an e-Commerce seller, you need product photos in a consistent style so your website looks neat, clean, and professional. To promote your business on social media, you want the audience to be able to recognize your brands by taking a glance of the photo posted there.
How to create a brand guideline for white background photos?
- Step 1 – Categorize your products by product type. If you have a wide variety of product, start with the types that cover the most amount of the products.
- Step 2 – Determine the shooting and styling requirements that need to be consistent with all products under that product type. If you don’t know what are good for your products, contact PENCIL ONE experts or research your competitor’s photos.
- Step 3 – Create a one-page document specifying: a) product type; b) reference photo(s) and c) shooting and styling requirements that are specific to this product type
- Step 4 – Send the document to your photographer and stick with the plan.
Good examples of brand guideline for white background photos
How to create a brand guideline for lifestyle photos?
- Step 1 – Understand your products.
Have a basic idea of how your products are used and what setting they belong in. For lifestyle, categorizing your items by setting can be most efficient. For example, you can present kitchen counter items on a kitchen counter scene and bookshelves in a living room scene.
- Step 2 – Find what you like.
In lifestyle, understanding your taste is the most important step. You can use references as inspiration or come up with your own unique look. If consistent, having one defined style can make your brand recognizable and aesthetically pleasing.
- Step 3 – Shooting the product.
How far away is the camera? What is your background? Your lighting? How is it positioned? These factors will determine your shooting requirements that you can use again and again.
- Step 4 – Record the Information
When the shoot is a success, take note of all the factors above into a PDF. Make sure to include reference photos,
- Step 5 – Send the document to your photographer and stick with the plan.
Good examples of brand guideline for white background photos
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
Can I be there while you shoot?
What are the benefits of attending the shooting in person?
- To demonstrate the features of the products
- Provide instant art direction, feedback, and approval during the shooting process
- Bring your own props or models
Price
Client on site is charged two ways to fit different project sizes: hourly and daily. Please discuss your project details with our staff to determine the best fit for you.
| Hour Rate | Day Rate | ||
| 2 hours | $800 | 1 Day ( 8 hours) | $3,200 |
| 3 hours | $1200 | 2 Days (16 hours) | $6,000 |
| 4 hours | $1600 | 3 Days (24 hours) | $8,550 |
| 5 hours | $2,000 | 4 Days (32 hours) | $11,000 |
| 6 hours | $2,400 | 5 days (40 hours) | $13,500 |
| Free Editing | Free Editing | ||
| 2 hours | Up to 20 photos | 1 Day ( 8 hours) | Up to 80 photos |
| 3 hours | Up to 30 photos | 2 Days (16 hours) | Up to 160 photos |
| 4 hours | Up to 40 photos | 3 Days (24 hours) | Up to 240 photos |
| 5 hours | Up to 50 photos | 4 Days (32 hours) | Up to 320 photos |
| 6 hours | Up to 60 photos | 5 days (40 hours) | Up to 400 photos |
An additional charge of $15 per shot is applied to extra photos after the maximal free editing photos.
Shot list
We’d like to receive a shot list specifying the amount of the products and how many photos are needed for each item. Here is a good example:
Payment
We accept payment in credit card, ACH or checks.
The invoice needs to be paid in full prior to the shooting day.
Reschedule and Cancellation
To cancel or postpone a scheduled project, we require an email notification 24 hours before the agreed shooting day.
Product Delivery
We can receive products in shipment or in person drop off. The loading dock is available for products on pallets. Business address:
PENCIL ONE, 275 Centre St, Unit 17, Holbrook, MA 02343
Product Return
If your products are not color critical, you can bring them back the same day when the shooting completes.
In most cases, we need to keep the products for an extra 2 – 3 days for color matching purpose. We compare the photo color to the actual product for each individual product and adjust the color to ensure they match as close as possible. Here are a few options for us to return the products after the shooting completes.
Option 1: Prepaid Shipping Label
We provide you with the package information, you send us a label for use.
Option 2: FedEx or UPS Account #
You give us your account number for us to take care of returns for you.
Option 3: I Don’t need those!
You do not need these items back, the studio is able to use, discard or donate them.
Option 4: Needs further Photography
Please retain my items until a later date.
Product Preparation
To optimize the productivity of the shooting day, sometimes it’s more efficient to prepare the products in the shooting-ready condition prior to the scheduled shooting day. If you expect the products requires preparation before the shooting, please let us know sooner than later.
Following are common scenarios that we will precondition the products before the shooting day.
- Area Rug – after unrolled from its package, we will keep them flat with weights on it for at least 3 business days to avoid the curly rugs in the photos.
- Textile and Apparel – depending on the texture, most textile requires ironing to remove folding wrinkles.
- Products in parts – Products having multiple components in the flat package need to be installed prior to the shooting.
Reshoot Policy
One of the benefits of onsite shooting is that you can provide instant art directions, feedback, and approval during the shooting process, which greatly decrease the possibility of the reshoot. However, when reshoot happens, we want to make our reshoot policy clear, fair, and upfront. We provide both paid and unpaid reshoot/editing and here are the basics:
- Minor photoshop adjustments are free.
- Reshoot driven by new requirements or directions after the approval or the final photo completion is a paid reshoot.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
Do you travel for shoots?
What are the benefits of having photographers to shoot on your site?
- Shoot products that are not shippable
- Take photos of your working environment or facilitate equipment
- Capture your executive team, individually or in group
Price
Photographer on-site service is charged two ways to fit different project sizes: half day and daily. We provide half day and one-day services to customers in the Great Boston area without involving additional traveling cost. For customers outside the Great Boston area, the traveling cost applies depending on the traveling distance and project length. Please discuss your project details to our staff to determine the best solution.
| Day Rate | Photos | |
| Half Day (4 hours)
*Only available in Great Boston area |
$1,200 | Deliver up to 25 photos, additional photo costs $25 ea. |
| 1 Day ( 8 hours)
*Only available in Great Boston area |
$1,800 | Deliver up to 50 photos, additional photo costs $25 ea. |
| 2 Days (16 hours) | $3,500 | Deliver up to 115 photos, additional photo costs $25 ea. |
| 3 Days (24 hours) | $5,100 | Deliver up to 200 photos, additional photo costs $25 ea. |
| 4 Days (32 hours) | $6,600 | Deliver up to 300 photos, additional photo costs $25 ea. |
| 5 days (40 hours) | $8,000 | Deliver up to 400 photos, additional photo costs $25 ea. |
Shot list
We’d like to receive a shot list specifying how many photos are needed and what are these photos. Here is a good example of the shot list.
| Type | Location | Photo Description |
| People | Conference Room | Individual Headshots, 28 persons |
| People | Conference Room | Executive team, 3 – 4 groups |
| Facilitate | Laboratory | 3 – 4 shots with different perspectives |
| Facilitate | Warehouse | 2 -3 shots with different perspectives |
| Product | Tanks | 5 models, 3 – 4 photos per model |
| Product | Nozzles | 3 models, 1 photo per model |
Process
Step One – Shot list. We expect a detailed shot list from you so we understand the project scope.
Step Two – Site Survey. Use your cell phone to take photos of the shooting space (warehouse, office, equipment,etc.). The purpose of this step is for us to evaluate the shooting space size and lighting condition so we can bring the photography equipment.
Step Three – Quote. We will send you a proposal with project scope, timeline, quote and other essential information important for you to know.
Step Four – Approval and deposit. Once the project is approved, we will charge a deposit of 20% of the project and confirm the shooting date.
Payment
We accept payment of ACH transfer or checks. 20% deposit fee will be collected to secure the shooting date and the balance will be collected on shooting day.
Reschedule and Cancellation
To cancel or postpone a scheduled project, we require an email notification at least 72 hours before the agreed shooting day. The additional 3rd party cancelation fee might be applied driven by the flight cancellation.
Product Preparation
To optimize the productivity of the shooting day, sometimes it’s more efficient to prepare the products in the shooting-ready condition prior to the scheduled shooting day. Following are common scenarios that we recommend you to prepare the products before the shooting day.
- Area Rug – after unrolled from its package, lay the rugs flat with weights on it for at least 3 business days to avoid the curly rugs in the photos.
- Textile and Apparel – depending on the texture, most textile requires ironing to remove folding wrinkles.
- Products in parts – Products having multiple components in the flat package need to be installed prior to the shooting.
- Products with a reflective surface – clean the surface, remove the dust and fingerprint.
Reshoot Policy
One of the benefits of photographer onsite shooting is that you can provide instant art directions, feedback, and approval during the shooting process, which greatly decrease the possibility of the reshoot. However, when reshoot happens, we want to make our reshoot policy clear, fair, and upfront. We provide both paid and unpaid reshoot/editing and here are the basics:
- Minor photoshop adjustments are free.
- Reshoot driven by new requirements or directions after the approval or the final photo completion is a paid reshoot.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
Can I get a Model for my photos?
We can shoot live model product photography for various types of products. And here are the completed projects we took with models.
- PENCIL ONE Creative photo portfolio – Models.pdf
- PENCIL ONE Creative photo portfolio – Models #2.pdf
- PENCIL ONE Creative photo portfolio – Kids.pdf
Price
The day rate of model photography starts from $2,500/day. The price can change depending on various factors, e.g. the number of models, the number of clothes and photos, background changeovers, etc.
Process
Step 1 – Pick the model(s)
You can select the PENCIL ONE network models from the link below or send your hired models to us.
Step 2 – Shot list
We’d like to receive a shot list specifying the amount of the products and how many photos are needed for each item. Here is a good example:
| Items(s) | Product Color | Photo Type | Model | Description |
| Women’s Elements pants | Black | (2) images per item: Front and Back | Beatrice | the model should not wear a top that can be seen in the image. We’d suggest a sports bra. |
| Women’s Elements pants | Navy | (2) images per item: Front and Back | Beatrice | the model should not wear a top that can be seen in the image. We’d suggest a sports bra. |
| Women’s Short Sleeve Top | Warm Kahki | (2) images per item: Front and Back | Anna | wear the matching pants color. |
| Women’s zip jacket | Titanium Grey | (2) images per item: Front and Back | Anna | zip the jacket up entirely |
Step 3 – Quoting and Deposit
After receive and clarify the shot list, I will send you a project quote for approval. A deposit of 20% of the entire project will be collected upon the approval.
Step 4 – Shipping
Please ship the products to the following address and share the tracking number with us.If you expect us to ship the products back after the shooting, please include a return shipping label in the package.
PENCIL ONE
275 Centre St, Unit 17
Holbrook, MA 02343
Step 5 – Shooting
It usually takes 3 – 5 business days to complete the photos after the package arrives and shooting details are clarified. If you have a hard deadline, please let us know. We will get in touch to:
- confirm the package receiving
- clarify the shooting details
- inform the expected photo delivery date.
Step 6 – Download finished photos
When photos are completed, we will send you an invoice to collect the balance. After the payment is received, we will share the download link of the completed photos.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
Shoot every product or color convert?
The color converting technique allows the photographer to shoot one product and generate more colorways in Photoshop. This saves time and creates highly consistent product photos. But it only works under conditional circumstances.
When the starting color and target colors are close, it’s possible to shoot just one product and create more colorways in Photoshop. It works the most successful with products in a solid color.
Images below are good examples of color conversion.
When it doesn’t work
- Convert from a dark color to a much lighter or brighter color.
- Convert from a low saturation to high saturation color
- Convert from one primary color to an opposite primary color, e.g. red to green, blue to yellow.
- When the product has a non-solid color.
- When the product has any decoration details e.g. hems, fringe, buttons made by different materials or colors. (Black fringe to white fringe, pink zipper to white zipper.)
Do I still need to ship products in all colorways if the color can be Photoshopped?
Yes, we recommend sending the physical products which act as the target when we do the color converting.
Is it cheaper to color converting a photo than shooting a photo?
It depends on a combined factor of the product feature, the staging difficulty, and the number of the colorways. We’d like to get a full project scope in order to propose the most cost-efficient solution.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
Will my products be color corrected?
How does PENCIL ONE handle the color accuracy?
We compare the photo color to the actual product for each individual product and adjust the color to ensure they match as close as possible. With color-critical products, we require to keep products for an extra 2 – 3 days after the shooting so we can complete the color matching.
What equipment we are using?
We use professional EIZO monitor, which is calibrated to the standard Adobe1998 RBG space on a weekly basis.
For lighting, we use the industrial recommended 5,500K lighting to shoot the products and check the actual item with QCing the photos.
Why is the color still different on my monitor or phone?
There are lots of factors that can impact the product color displayed on the monitor: the monitor itself, the atmosphere lighting, and even our own eyes. In the eCommerce word, it’s almost impossible to guarantee the consumer will view product photos that always have the same color as the product, but it is good to get as generally close as possible.
Why choose to color convert in Photoshop instead of shooting the real product?
Color changing techniques ensure consistency for products that have the same design and different colors. However, depending on the product color and design, our photographer will use their best judgment on when to use color changing techniques from case to case.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
Can photos be reshot if I don’t like them?
Why do reshoots happen?
No one likes a reshoot but it happens especially with the lifestyle images. To put it simply, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. While our stylists can work on your photo for hours, we might not know every detail you like. Believe it or not, you might not even know what the issue is until you see the photo.
For example, maybe you believe there is a prop that looks better moved to the right, or removed completely. These are the elements that our team can not always predict.
What is your Reshoot Policy?
Reshooting takes our photographer the same amount of time as the first shoot. At PENCIL ONE, we provide the best services possible at the least expensive price for our valued customers like you.
In the meanwhile, to run a profitable business we can’t afford free reshooting driven by after-the-fact changing requirements. So we want to make our reshoot policy clear and fair. We provide both paid and unpaid reshoot/editing and here are the basics:
- Rework driven by overlooking your requirements that are provided in written format, we’ll cover it for free
- Minor photoshop adjustments are free.
- Reshoot driven by new requirements or directions after the final photo completion is a paid reshoot.
How do I avoid a reshoot?
Avoiding a reshoot can be as simple as clarity. Be as clear with your coordinator up front as you can regarding your shot list, references, and preferences for shooting. The more you let us know, the better we will understand your needs.
Think about the customer. Perhaps you think that prop will look better two inches to the right, but will your customer even notice? Probably not. Save yourself time and money by taking a moment to consider what matters to your buyers.
>> Check PENCIL ONE Service General Process and get some tips to avoid reshooting in the future.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
Who owns the copyright?
Unlimited Usage right
At PENCIL ONE, we maintain ownership over the copyright. However, we grant worldwide, unlimited usage rights forever, in an unrestricted amount of mediums and alterations for advertising and promotional use of the company that made the order. This is the most complete use that can be granted, and it is included in the price.
Without owning the copyright, you would only be restricted from selling the copyright of the images to others and filing a formal lawsuit against those that use the images without permission for statutory damages.
Purchase the Copyright
If you feel that you still want the copyright we can sell the copyright for an additional $20 per image. However, if you don’t plan on selling the copyright or filing a lawsuit against those using your image, it may not benefit you. It is highly unusual for a photographer to give away the copyright for free.
Non-Disclosure Agreement
However, if you are concerned about us sharing the images or using them to promote our studio, we are more than happy to agree to not to use them. We can sign a non-disclosure agreement for the images which will legally protect you.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
What file size and type can I order?
PENCIL ONE Standard File Format
With white background photos, the default file format is 3000 x 3000 JPEG. The product is centered and maximized in this square shape photo. Click to download a sample file.
With lifestyle photos, we’ll crop the photo to the requested ratio with the long edge of 3000 pixels. Lifestyle photos are also delivered in JPEG. Click to download a sample file.
Additional File Format On Demand
3000 x 3000 PNG with transparent background – free. Click to download a sample file
Any customized size in addition to the default size of 3000 x 3000. – $5 per photo.
We don’t provide
- Raw images
- TIFF with unflattened layers and clip paths.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
What happens to products after shooting?
Post Shoot with PENCIL ONE
When the photo shoot is over, you have a couple of options about what to do with your products. We encourage most customers to include a label with their product or to provide us with a UPS/ FedEx account # for easy return once the project is over.
What if you need more photos for this product later?
In the situation that you need to store the products with PENCIL ONE for future projects, we offer free product storage for up to 1 year to most product types. We’ll send an email notification of product removal when it is approaching.
Long term storage is also available for clients with large and ongoing projects. This type of storage is determined by consultation only.
We don’t offer long term storage to the following categories:
- Products require disassembling
- Equipment over 50 lb
- Frozen food
How to store products with us:
- Let us know we will be holding on to your product for long term storage. This will help us know how to sort your product once it is with us in the studio.
- Give us a rough estimate of your next shooting date. We can get back in touch around that time to make sure everything runs smoothly.
- Have a plan for return or removal once all shooting is complete. We appreciate it when customers take back products after they have been shot and stored with us.
Leaving products without any notice:
If a product is left with us, and we did not hear back about product return, the coordinator will follow up 3 times with the client to get an answer regarding return or storage.
First, follow up will happen 2 weeks after project completion if the client did not respond for product storage or return. Two more follow up emails will be sent over the course of 3 months.
Coordinators will also follow up near to the end of your storage time to plan product return.
If no response is given regarding your product after several months, we will remove it from the studio for donation.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
How does the Pre-Order program work?
PENCIL ONE Product Photo Pre-Order Program is a service package tailored to businesses who have constant product photography needs. If you are in any of these four situations, this program is for you.
- Need more than 100 photos a year
- Frequently launch new products with separated batches during the year
- Need high-quality product photos with consistency
- Looking for predictable delivery and fast turnaround
- Low price solution for high volume lifestyle product photos
What it offers
PENCIL ONE understands your needs and wants to provide the best and most fulfilling client experience. With Pre-Order program, we offer:
- Discounted rate
- Four-tiered package choices.
- Simplified process (no quote and payment for each project).
- Express lane 3 – 5 days turnaround for most projects with less than 400 photos.
- Free file naming services to help you organize your content assets.
- Up to 5% of your purchase in reshoot protection.
How does it work
- We offer up to 3 free test shots for you to experience the services and evaluate the photo quality.
- Price will be provided based on your one-year volume after the test shots.
- Select the tiered pricing package that fulfills your one-year volume.
- Complete the payment and download the photo credit statement
- Kick off your first project.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
How do I order Lifestyle photos?
Lifestyle photos are tricky and can require a tremendous amount of time communicating scenes and props that satisfy various possible styles. The biggest challenge we’re all facing: there is no standard definition of “nice photos” – beauty is in the eye of the beholder. At PENCIL ONE, our goal is to provide your lifestyle photography solutions without the hassle:
- Fit seamlessly with your brand
- Affordable – price between $75 – $150 per photo
- Turnaround around one week
Who is it for
If you are in any of the following situations, this is the solution for you:
- Want high-quality content to feed social media accounts
- Need help to meet marketplace photo requirements
- Seeking a consistent photo style for your brand
- Want to spend time on business decisions, not on photo directing
- Trust the professionals can do their job
- Have no time for the freelancer or no budget for the agency
How does it work
Understanding your taste
It’s all about understanding your product and your taste. Here are three ways for us to get to know you and your brand:
- You have a well-established brand guide for photographers and designers, send it to us.
- You have reference photos that you admire – website links, Instagram photos, Amazon listing – share it to us.
- Not sure what do you need? Let’s schedule our creative specialist to guide you through a few questions and uncover your preferences.
Step 1 – Shot list
We’d like to receive a shot list specifying the amount of the products and how many photos are needed for each item. Here is a good example:
| Shot# | Items(s) | Photo Type | Description | Reference Photo |
| 1 | 15 ml eye cream | E-commerce White Background | Front shot of bottle on plain white background with shadow | https://www.dior.com/en_us/products/beauty-Y0482450-diorsnow-white-reveal-gentle-purifying-foam |
| 2 | 120 ml Jojoba Moisturizer | Creative | Have them standing on a black reflective surface with a flower in the background | https://www.dior.com/couture/var/dior/storage/images/horizon/woman/skincare/the-collections/dior-prestige/cover_diorprestige/14215574-34-eng-US/cover_diorprestige3_width_1440.jpg |
| 4. | 120 ml Cucumber Moisturizer | E-Commerce
White Background |
Same as the shots you completed last time with sliced cucumbers. | |
| 3 | Three Tone bottles | Creative | See the reference photo | https://i.pinimg.com/736x/17/67/6a/17676a62a3f3829a32c1361d97330dd5–skincare-packaging-cosmetic-photography.jpgv |
Step 2 – Quote
After we receive and clarify the shot list, I will send you a project quote for approval.
Step 3 – Shipping
Please ship the products to the following address and share the tracking number with us. If you expect us to ship the products back after the shooting, please include a return shipping label in the package.
PENCIL ONE
275 Centre St, Unit 17
Holbrook, MA 02343
Step 4 – Shooting
It usually takes 3 – 5 business days to complete the photos after the package arrives and shooting details are clarified. Our stylists and photographers will design the scene background, pick the props, and style your product based on our understanding of your brand guidelines or preferences. If you have a hard deadline, please let us know. We will get in touch to:
- confirm the package arrives
- clarify the shooting details
- inform the expected photo delivery date
Step 5 – Download finished photos
When photos are completed, we will send you the invoice. After the payment is received, we will share the download link of the completed photos.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
Can I save money on Lifestyle photos?
What is included in a scene?
A scene is defined by 3 essential components: the background, the props, the lighting.
What does it mean “use an existing scene”?
We encourage customers to reuse the scenes to keep the cost down. When swapping products in the same scene, the background and the props are kept the same. When handling products with different sizes and shapes, it’s necessary to apply slight adjustments in the lighting and the perspective. Your photographers have good judgments to achieve the best photo result.
Following are photos considered using the same scene. Additional photos using an existing scene cost 50% off.
Another example showing how different products are shot in the same scene. The lighting, props and the background are kept the same, the arrangement of props are slighted adjusted of each photo to better fit different product shapes.
What if I want a brand new scene?
Our creative specialist will help you design a new scene. Some factors to consider: what are you promoting with the new scene? What are the must-have props to be seen in the scene? What is the background you’d like to have? Using reference photos to communicate ideas proves to be efficient and is highly recommended.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
What is PENCIL ONE’s ordering process?
Step 1 – Shot list
We’d like to receive a shot list specifying the amount of the products and how many photos are needed for each item. Here is a good example:
| Shot# | Items(s) | Photo Type | Description | Reference Photo |
| 1 | 15 ml eye cream | E-commerce White Background | Front shot of bottle on plain white background with shadow | https://www.dior.com/en_us/products/beauty-Y0482450-diorsnow-white-reveal-gentle-purifying-foam |
| 2 | 120 ml Jojoba Moisturizer | Creative | Have them standing on a black reflective surface with a flower in the background | https://www.dior.com/couture/var/dior/storage/images/horizon/woman/skincare/the-collections/dior-prestige/cover_diorprestige/14215574-34-eng-US/cover_diorprestige3_width_1440.jpg |
| 4. | 120 ml Cucumber Moisturizer | E-Commerce
White Background |
Same as the shots you completed last time with sliced cucumbers. | |
| 3 | Three Tone bottles | Creative | See the reference photo | https://i.pinimg.com/736x/17/67/6a/17676a62a3f3829a32c1361d97330dd5–skincare-packaging-cosmetic-photography.jpgv |
Step 2 – Quote
After we receive and clarify the shot list, we will send you a project quote for approval.
Step 3 – Shipping
Please ship the products to the following address and share the tracking number with us. If you expect us to ship the products back after the shooting, please include a return shipping label in the package.
Address: PENCIL ONE. 275 Centre St, Unit 17, Holbrook, MA 02343
Step 4 – Shooting
It usually takes 3 – 5 business days to complete the photos after the package arrives and shooting details are clarified. If you have a hard deadline, please let us know. We will get in touch to:
- confirm the package arrived
- clarify the shooting details
- inform the expected photo delivery date
Step 5 – Download finished photos
When photos are completed, we will send you the invoice. After the payment is received, we will share the download link of the completed photos.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
What do I need to know about Shipping products?
Please Send All Packages To:
PENCIL ONE. 275 Centre St, Unit 17, Holbrook, MA 02343
Shipping Notes
Pick The Best
When you send us your product, be sure to be careful to pick the best product of the bunch, as this product will represent the rest.
Please avoid sending broken or unfinished products.
Pack It Well
Do a really good job packing the box. If the product is damaged when it arrives, we’ll let you know and give you the chance to send a replacement before we do the shoot. However, it’s always best to spend a little extra time and make sure the product is protected.
After The Project
Our studio stores items for a period of time upon request, but it is preferable that products are returned or removed from the studio if they do not require further photography. Please take a look at our options below and help us keep the studio clean!
Option 1: Prepaid Shipping Label
When you print a label via Fedex or UPS (if you have an account), your given an option to print a return shipping label. This isn’t billed until it is used. This is the quickest way for us to return your products to you after the shoot. If you forgot to include the pre-paid return shipping label in the package, we can provide you with the package dimension and weight for a return shipping label.
Option 2: FedEx or UPS Account #
You give us your account number for us to take care of returns for you.
Option 3: I Don’t need those!
You do not need these items back, the studio is able to use, discard or donate them.
Option 4: Needs further Photography
Please retain my items until a later date, please specify when will the next project starts.
Are You In The Boston Area?
If you’re local in Boston, schedule a time to stop by and say hello.
No need to ship it, save money and drop it off or messenger it over to us.
PENCIL ONE
275 Centre St, Unit 17
Holbrook, MA 02343
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
How does PENCIL ONE receive payment?
How will I pay for my order?
- An invoice link will be emailed to collect the payment when photos are completed.
- You may request to pay ahead of time for quicker photo release.
- High-resolution photos will be released on the same day as the payment is processed.
- If you pay on the weekend, past hours, or during a US Holiday, your photos will be sent during the next earliest business day.
How Long do I have to pay?
- Payment is due upon receipt of invoice.
- The invoice will be marked between 7-30 days depending on the size of the order.
- Unpaid orders will receive a reminder before overdue.
What if I have questions about my invoice?
If your invoice is unclear, consult your coordinator for more information. We will respond to payment inquiries within 1 business day.
What payment methods are accepted?
You may pay by check, ACH or credit card (American Express, Master Card, Visa).
Orders over $1,000 USD will request ACH payment.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
Can I order rush turnaround?
For rush orders, we can schedule the shooting while waiting for products to arrive. However, we can’t schedule the shooting without knowing any shooting details or the product arrival date. For us to secure the earliest possible shooting date for your rush order, we’d need the following:
- Minimal 1-day notice of the rush order before the product arrives PENCIL ONE.
- A confirmed product delivery date and shipment tracking.
- A shot list specifying the amount of the products and how many photos are needed for each product.
- The desired date you would like your photos returned by.
Please be aware that:
- The time of waiting for products arrival and clarifying shot list doesn’t count in the turnaround. We need at least 24 hours to deliver the photos after 1) products arrive PENCIL ONE and 2) shot list is received and clarified by PENCIL ONE project coordinator.
- No shooting will be scheduled on the weekend or US holidays.
- If you have a hard deadline can’t miss, let us know at your earliest convenience.
- If you need your samples returned in rush, please include a return label in your package and tell us when it should be returned by.
Rush Charge:
24 Hours turnaround: 100% of the project cost
48 Hours turnaround: 50% of the project cost
Rush Order cancellation policy
- To cancel a scheduled rush order, email or call us at least one business day before the scheduled shooting date. No rush charge will be applied if 1-day cancellation notice.
- We don’t accept the cancellation notice on the same day of the shooting day, agreed rush charge will still be applied.
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
What is the knowledge base?
A knowledge base is a self-serve online library of information about a product, service, department, or topic.
The data in your knowledge base can be from anywhere but usually comes from several contributors who are well versed on the subject – enough to give you all the details. Subjects range from the ins and outs of your HR or Legal department to how a new product, hardware, or software works. The knowledge base can include FAQs, troubleshooting guides, and any other nitty-gritty details you may want or need to know.
Why you need it
In today’s connected world, nobody simply “wants” easy access to accurate information. We demand it. Heck, we expect it. And that doesn’t mean we want a phone call. Or an email. Or a service ticket. We want what we want. Point. Click. Bam. Now.
Which is why you need a rich, deep knowledge base.
Start by posting short, targeted articles that address the questions people want answering. And build your knowledge base from there. You’ll find a knowledge base is one of the easiest, cheapest ways to keep customers happy. It’s the ideal way to handle high-volume, simple interactions. And it’s available, self-serve, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (So you can actually have a life.)
Tong is an expert in creating images that sell and grow businesses. He is an ecommerce product photography expert in Massachusetts. He absolutely loves doing what he does best- providing businesses with great product photography that converts. We hope this is reflected in what you see throughout our website.
