CAPIC (The Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators) is the national association representing photographers and illustrators across Canada. We advocate for creators’ rights, fair compensation, and professional standards in the image-making industry. This anonymous survey is part of our 2025 initiative to better understand current rates & licensing fee trends across a wide range of photography sectors. Your input will help us create a more accurate and transparent picture of how photographers are pricing their work today — and support all of us in negotiating fairer rates. Thank you for being part of this important effort!

This survey should take approximately 13–20 minutes to complete.

Scenario:
A 4-day shoot for a major global smartphone brand to create a library of 100+ lifestyle/product images. Photos show people interacting with the phone in various environments (home, workplace, transit, outdoors, etc.).

Usage:

• POS print, brochures, OOH (billboards, transit), magazines
• Digital ads (Google/Facebook/TikTok/YouTube), social media (organic & paid)
• Client website, email marketing
• Licensing requested: In perpetuity, worldwide

Scenario:
3 final images showing people using a shared e-bike or electric car in distinct neighbourhoods of a large Canadian city. Includes lifestyle elements reflecting local culture or demographic style.

Usage:

• OOH ads (transit shelters, station posters), website, local paid social
• Licensing requested: 5 years, Canada-wide

Scenario:
1 final image for a regional auto insurance provider, showing two contrasting scenes (split image): a driver waiting for roadside help vs. a mechanic fixing a vehicle. Simple concept, realistic style.

Usage:

• In-branch posters, print flyers, landing page, and some email newsletters
• Licensing requested: 3 years, single province only

Scenario:
You’re hired by an architectural firm to photograph 5 completed buildings located in the same metropolitan region, but each requires a full day of shooting due to distance and lighting.

Each shoot includes:

Exterior, interior, and detail shots
Approx. 15 final edited images per building
No video or drone required

Usage:

• Digital and print marketing materials
• Awards submissions
• Social media, newsletters, client presentations
• Website portfolio
• Licensing duration: Perpetual, non-exclusive, worldwide

Scenario:
The interior design firm who worked on the same buildings requests to license selected images from your shoot for their own promotional use.

Usage:

• Website, Instagram, and LinkedIn
• Print lookbooks and digital presentations
• B2B promotion
• Duration: 5 years, North America
• No exclusivity, non-transferable
   

Scenario:
You’re hired by a window & glass manufacturer to photograph a completed building that features their product. They want to showcase the product in context for:

Usage:

• Website
• Magazine and industry print ads
• Trade show collateral
• Paid digital ads
• Duration: 5 years, North America

Scenario:
You’re hired to photograph a 3-day engineering or tech conference. Each day is ~12 hours of work, capturing a mix of candid “photojournalistic” moments, keynotes and breakout sessions, sponsor booths, networking, and brand activations.

Deliverables:

• Same-day selects for social media uploads (approx. 10–20 images/day)
• Full gallery with up to 500 final images delivered post-event

Usage:

• Client’s website, social media, press kit, and future event promo
• Possibly internal reports and email newsletters
• No exclusivity, assumed perpetual digital use
   

Scenario:
A 5-hour evening shoot at a local industry awards event. Includes red carpet arrivals, candid socializing, speeches, and awards distribution.

Deliverables:

150–200 edited images, delivered next-day in a web gallery

Usage:

• Event organizer’s website, social, press release
• Internal recap decks, email newsletter
• Licensing duration: 3 years, digital-only

Scenario:
A short one-hour photo assignment capturing a donation ceremony or cheque presentation with local media or stakeholders present.

Deliverables:

• 10–20 edited images, delivered by next day
• Used for press release, event recap, social media

Usage:

• Non-profit or brand social media, media outreach
• Likely no exclusivity or major ad usage
• Duration: 2–3 years, Canada only

Scenario:
You’re hired to photograph a 2-day campaign for the spring collection of a Canadian womenswear brand, focused on pants.

Shooting includes:

• 1 day on location (marina + luxury boat), 1 day in studio
• 2 models
• 14–16 final images per setup

Usage:

• Web, social (organic + paid), in-store posters
• Magazine ads and OOH (bus shelters, billboards)
• Duration: 1 year, Canada-wide
• Perpetual internal archive use permitted

Scenario:
You’re hired by a major cosmetics brand to shoot 18 beauty images over two days in studio. All shots are tight, face-forward, focusing on lipstick. Images feature diverse models and skin tones.

Usage:

• Web, email marketing, and in-store POS posters
• Duration: 1 year, Canada-only
• No influencer or paid social use included
   

Scenario:
A major international retailer commissions you to shoot 16 editorial-style full-body portraits of local fashion influencers or creators in a branded studio setup. Content is used exclusively for Instagram, TikTok, and other social media, posted by both the brand and the influencers.

Shoot details:

• 2-day shoot
• No traditional advertising use

Usage:

• online/social media only (organic + boosted)
• Duration: 6 months, North America
• No exclusivity

Scenario:
You're hired by a major North American fast-food chain to create 12 clean studio images of different burgers.

• Shot on white background
• No props, no people
• Focus is clarity, appetite appeal, and consistency

Usage:

• Digital menu boards in restaurants
• Also used on mobile ordering app menus
• In perpetuity
• Across U.S. and Canada
• No paid advertising or print use

Scenario:
A global packaged food company hires you to photograph 3 hero shots of pizzas, each styled with ingredients (e.g. tomato, cheese, basil) on rustic props.

Usage:

• Primary: Printed packaging (front of box)
• Also used for product listings on grocery store websites and delivery apps
• For sale across Canada only
• Perpetual use, but packaging-only (not general advertising)

Scenario:
A growing bakery with four locations and grocery distribution hires you to shoot 30 rustic, editorial-style food images featuring breads, sandwiches, pastries, and baked goods.

Usage:

• Bakery’s new website
• Also used on their Instagram, newsletter, online ordering portal, and third-party delivery apps
• Perpetual use
• Local/regional brand only

Scenario:
You’re hired by a U.S.-based ad agency to capture production stills during a 3-day TV commercial shoot in a major Canadian city.

You’re working alongside a video crew shooting an ad for a global pharmaceutical brand. The stills should feel authentic, joyful, and cinematic — e.g., couples driving, people walking in parks, hugging, etc.

Deliverables:

• 15 final stills
• Styled for portrait and square crops (social-first)

Usage:

• U.S. only
• Web, organic + paid social media, digital banners, some print collateral
• Duration: 3 years, non-exclusive
• Perpetual internal archive use

Scenario:
You’re shooting a 1-day holiday lifestyle campaign for a major international beer brand, featuring casual winter social scenes in a cabin/ski chalet setup.

2 setups:

• Group of 5–6 friends around a table
• Trio relaxing with a guitar indoors

Usage:

• Out-of-home print (transit, billboards)
• Magazines
• Digital display ads and social (paid & organic)
• Used only in Canada, during holiday season (3 months)
  
  

Scenario:
You’re hired by a large real estate developer to create 30–35 lifestyle images showcasing residents’ daily life in new apartment buildings.

Scenarios include:

• Family with young kids
• Young professional couple
• Couple with teenage child
• Couple in their 50s
• Diverse casting is required

Deliverables:

• 2-day shoot
• Indoor and common area setups
• Light editorial/art-direction styling

Usage:

• Website
• Paid and organic social media
• Web banners and retargeting ads
• Listings on real estate and classified platforms (Craigslist, Kijiji, Zumper, etc.)
• Duration: 2 years, Canada-only

Scenario:
A law firm is hiring you to create uniform, professional headshots of their team for use on their website.

Details:

• Shoot will take place in a conference room at their downtown office.
• You’ll set up a backdrop and lighting.
• They require one consistent look across all staff photos.
• You will deliver retouched digital headshots, web-optimized, in multiple crops (e.g. square, vertical).

Volume:

30 people in total

Deliverables:

• 1 final headshot per person (2–3 images to choose from per subject)
• Retouching and basic colour correction included
• Delivery via online gallery

Usage:

• Website, internal comms (e.g., org chart), and LinkedIn profiles
• Duration: Perpetual, internal/corporate use

Scenario:
A growing tech company wants a mix of professional portraits of their leadership and team.

Details: Total: 20 people

• For each person: Studio-style headshot (controlled light setup) et Natural light portrait (by a window or in common space)

• For executives (6 people): Environmental portraits in their office or workspace, and one group photo of the full exec team

Deliverables:

• 2–3 selects per subject (headshot and natural light)
• 1–2 selects per executive for environmental portraits
• 1 group image of 6 executives
• Light retouching included
• Cropped for web, newsletter, and bio use

Usage:

• Website, internal presentations, pitch decks
• LinkedIn and other business-to-business profiles
• Print brochures or team decks
• Duration: Perpetual, B2B/corporate use only

Scenario:
You’re hired to create 14 polished images for a major international Italian food brand. Products include olive oil, pasta sauces, vinegars, and condiments.

Shoot Details:

• White and black background
• Both individual product shots and “family” sets
• Occasional lifestyle props (e.g., tomatoes, herbs, garlic)

Usage:

• Web (website, digital ads, social media)
• Print brochures for in-store use
• Worldwide
• In perpetuity

Scenario:
A mid-sized Canadian skincare company wants 4 styled product shots for a winter campaign.

Shoot Details:

• 3 individual product images
• 1 group product image
• Shot on white reflective surface
• Supporting props: citrus, berries, botanicals

Usage:

• Canada-wide print ads (magazines & newspapers)
• Digital: website, digital ads, organic social
• Duration: 3 years
• No broadcast, no packaging, no OOH

Scenario:
An independent shoemaker startup needs e-commerce-style catalogue shots for 12 different SKUs.

Shoot Details:

• Clean white background
• Each pair shot from 4 angles (side, top, ¾, rear)
• Total of 48 final images
• No props, no models

Usage:

• Website product pages
• Online marketplaces: Amazon, Etsy, eBay
• Perpetual digital use
• No print or promotional usage included