Christine OKelly asked:
When it comes to commercial product photography, people often ask, “Why do professional photographs look better than non-professional?” The answer is complex and the process requires a great deal of skill and practical experience, but it is a skill that can be learned. If you’ve got products to photograph, investing the time and resources into learning how to correctly shoot commercial product photography - or hiring a professional product photographer is a choice that can drastically increase your return on investment.
The Importance of Lighting
In commercial product photography, professionals use special lighting techniques to bring dramatic effects and crystal clarity to the images. By using lighting correctly, you can bring a three-dimensional feel to a two-dimensional product image; making it seem more tangible to the viewer - as if they could pick it up in their hand and actually feel it.
Typical lighting used in commercial product photography includes powerful strobe lights to gain depth of field, special soft lighting boxes, reflectors, and macro lenses for close-up work.
Creating a Mood
Anyone can throw a product on a white background, but a professional creates a mood in commercial product photography instead of simply documenting a product. Creating an atmosphere that makes the customer want to buy the product is vital.
Lighting and staging play a huge part in creating mood. Modern lighting, home lighting, colored spot lighting, and dramatic lighting are well suited for producing a mood or feeling. For example, a commercial product photography shot of caramel covered apples in front of a plain white background is not very appetizing. It would not create the mood necessary to motivate people to want a caramel apple. A makeover of this shot includes creating a homey look.
An old wooden table in front of a window with special bright outdoor lighting coming through highlighting the apple uses light to create a cheery feeling. Additional staging for this shot could include the apple sitting on an old-fashioned plate positioned on top of a crocheted doily like the one Grandma used to make. An antique white vase full of daisies adds to the homespun photograph, making the apple seem homemade and more appetizing than with a plain white background.
Evaluating a Commercial Product Photography Professional
If you choose not to invest the time to learn how to accomplish high quality commercial product photography yourself, you’ll still want to invest some of that time in evaluating a professional product photographer. Finding the right product photographer can be the difference between average online or catalog sales and record-breaking sales.
A great commercial product photographer not only has a keen sense of marketing, but should also take the time to learn about your product specifically. The photographer should ask questions about your target audience, your competitors, and the formats in which the image will be displayed.
Hiring a commercial product photographer is an investment, and you’ll want to make sure you get results that absolutely thrill you. With the computer equipment available today, a great commercial product photography professional should be able to show you the images before the shoot is over so that you can be certain that you love the quality. Steer clear of any commercial product photographer that refuses to offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
With these three tips under your belt, you can achieve professional commercial photography that works overtime to sell your products. Whether you choose to master the art of commercial product photography yourself or hire a professional, refusing to settle for less than professional product images is a decision that will pay off dramatically in both sales and the way in which shoppers perceive the quality of your company.
Electronics Discount Store
Christine OKelly asked:
Food photography is a huge undertaking that is never valued and respected to the level that it truly deserves. Photographing food and products with the highest level of quality requires several knowledgeable people working together. An expert food stylist and chef work together with the food photographer to create a work of art made specifically to market the product.
Food photography is a necessary component in marketing campaigns for any company that deals with food and beverages. In fact, restaurants that utilize photographs in their menus will sell more food than those who use only food titles and written descriptions. This is the main reason marketing and advertising companies use food in their campaigns today. Simply photographing food and products will not work unless viewers find them particularly tempting. To ensure effective food photography that entices a craving from viewers, follow these simple tips and tricks:
Tricks Of The Trade
There is more to photographing food and products than simply dishing up a nice meal, setting it on a tablecloth, and taking a picture. The advertising will not lure in customers if the edible focal point does not look like the tastiest thing they have ever seen. For example, if you require a photograph of a vegetable such as a tomato, the food stylist might only use two out of an entire case. Substances such as glycerin can be added to lettuce or a tomato to make the vegetables appear to be fresh, cold, and moist. When working with a steak in food photography, for instance, the chef is instructed by the food stylist to prepare several at once so that only the best ones are used in the photos. To make perfect grill marks on the steak, a wire is used with a propane torch.
Using Props
The use of props is vital for successful food photography. When photographing food and products, a stylist will often choose several items to compliment the main object. A photo of ice cream in a plain bowl will get the point across, but adding props such as nuts, chocolate sauce, fresh whipped cream, and a plate of cherries will tantalize the viewer. Every detail of the photo shoot is decided on between the photographer and food stylist before anything else can occur.
Lighting
When photographing food and products, the use of lighting to create a certain feel can have a major impact on the pictures. In food photography, substitutes are often used when setting up the lighting to keep the actual food as fresh as possible. In addition, some lighting is specifically designed to enhance the texture of a food to make it look more appetizing.
Have Perfect Timing
Timing is everything when it comes to effective food photography. For most successful food photographers, on-site photo shoots are preferred over studio sessions simply because it allows the pictures to be taken with the freshest food possible. The photographer and stylist will use substitutes to perfect the setting and lighting while the chef is preparing the actual food that will be used in the shoot. This way, rather than being dried out from the heat of the lights, the food will be fresh and juicy. For food photography involving fresh fruit, the food stylist will cut it during the last seconds before a shoot and then apply ice or glycerin to give the freshness an extra boost for the picture.
There is more involved in food photography than simply cooking and taking a photograph; it requires the knowledge of a team consisting of a food stylist and chef along with an expert photographer. When looking for a team to produce high-quality advertising materials, choose one that is skilled in the art of photographing food and products.
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Tags: Food Stylist, Lettuce, Props
