Professional product shots for $112

There’s nothing like a global recession to spur the launch of countless low-price innovations, and photography seems to be no exception. First we saw the arrival of We Shoot Bottles and sister site We Shoot Cans; then, just recently, we came across USD 79 profile photo shoots from Minnesota photographer Noah Wolf. The latest spotting? Studio-quality product shots from New York photographer Mariano Pastor for USD 112. Pastor is best known for his work for Town & Country, W, Lancome, Givenchy and more, but his new ViaU! service aims to bring the same high quality to smaller businesses. Clients begin by visiting the ViaU! site and choosing a background and layout for their still-life product shot. They then send their product to ViaU! — the service handles only those less than 18 inches in size — and within 24 hours Pastor will photograph it, post the results for review and then return the product free of charge. Customers can then download their high-resolution photo for a flat fee of USD 112, which includes unlimited usage rights. Pastor explains: “If Isaac Mizrahi can create a successful line for Target, I thought there must be a way I can similarly extend my brand to include an affordable price point option. So, using a Netflix-esque business model, I invented ViaU! for photographing most small consumer products — toys, wine glasses, laundry detergent, chainsaws, diamond jewelry, soccer balls, lipstick — you name it.” Photographers around the globe: how could you expand *your* brand similarly…?