How to Prepare for a Product Photography Shoot
You’ve produced a fabulous new range of products. Everything’s been designed and carefully constructed, and you’re really proud of the result. What now? If your products are worth their salt, the presentation and packaging are also important, because how your customers see your products will influence how much value they place on them.
We often don’t think about it, but product photography is one of the most important forms of branding for companies. It shows your customers the quality, attention to detail, and overall value of your products. The preparation for a product photography photoshoot can seem difficult or even overwhelming, but with this guide, it doesn’t need to be. Remember that you have just as much control over the outcome of your product photography shoot as your photographer does!
Begin with a Mood Board
Image:Image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-green-long-sleeve-shirt-writing-on-white-paper-4622227
Before you start with a product shoot, it’s important to get an idea of what you want your visuals to look like. Gather inspiration with a mood board. A mood board is a collage of images or even classical artworks that inspire you and help you define the visual style for your shoot. You can use mood boards in many different ways: from finding props to planning lighting and production design.
The best places to find inspiration are Pinterest boards or Instagram accounts that relate to your product line. For example, if you’re shooting floor lamps then it’s likely that you’ll find inspiration from other online furniture stores or interior design blogs. This will give you an idea of how other people have approached their product photography and what kind of results they’ve had.
Plan Your Shot List
A shot list will be your detailed guide throughout the shoot, and it should include every possible variation on each photo that you plan to take during your product photography shoot. This can be as simple as knowing which products will be used, or more complicated if you have multiple products with different angles or different lighting setups. You could even sketch out some of the shots if the written descriptions are not detailed enough.
Choose the Right Background and Lighting for Your Products
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Think about how you want to light your products and make sure you have all the equipment you need to do so. Will you use natural lighting or artificial lighting? All of your images should have similar lighting conditions so they’ll match up well in post-processing. Make sure they all have good contrast between light and dark areas so they’ll pop when they’re used together in a single image.
You’ll need to find backgrounds that don’t distract from your product as well. If you’re working with a white background, experiment with different sizes of light panels and umbrellas for softness. Also consider how much contrast there should be between the product and its background — if there’s too much contrast, it may make your image look more like a painting than a photograph.
Gather Your Props
Be very deliberate in choosing your props. Props are the items that will be used in conjunction with your product to increase its visual appeal. Use them to tell a story or emphasize an idea.
It’s important to keep things simple. Choose a few specific items that will help you tell your story about the product. Avoid having too many different types of props for each item so that you don’t confuse the viewer.
Clean and Prep Your Products
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Before you start shooting, make sure to clean and prep your products as much as possible. Take off any labels, stickers, or other unnecessary accessories from them. If necessary, remove dust particles or stains from their surfaces. This will save time during post-processing because there won’t be any distracting elements in the background of your photos or unwanted marks on the surface of the products themselves.
Preparation is key to success in product photography.
When embarking on a product photoshoot either solo or with a content creation studio, taking the time to properly prepare will result in beautifully detailed photos and increase brand awareness. With everything in order, you’ll be better prepared to make your product photography experience, and your brand, a success!