Curious about how we take such professional-looking product shots? Don’t worry; we got you! Product shot photos look so effortless yet can be so challenging to get right. You change the way the product is sitting, the lighting, the angle, and the location, yet it still might not look how you want it. However, product shots shouldn’t be difficult. Here are some quick tips for creating not-so-basic product shots.
Start with the lighting
Lighting is the most crucial element in taking a sharp photo. Different products will require different lighting, and it’s up to you to figure out what works best for your products. You can’t go wrong with natural lighting. More times than not, natural lighting will result in an evenly lit picture. To find the best naturally lit area, keep an eye out for how the light changes throughout the day and determine when and where the light hits the best. Avoid hard light, as it often makes colors look more saturated and can highlight even the most minuscule flaws.
Pro Tip
If the sun begins to hide and the level of natural light drops, you can use a reflector to bounce and intensify the light around to fill shadows. A reflector can be as simple as a white foam board or any white screen.
Pick your background
When choosing the correct background, try to be mindful of how you want the final product to look. We suggest keeping your background clean and simple. Your product must be the main focus of your photo. Your background should bring attention to your product rather than cause distraction. If you’re looking to use a backdrop, a white one is a great, clean option as it beautifully reflects the natural light; however, feel free to experiment with color that works with your brand. Depending on the size of your product, you can use anything from a large sheet of white paper, a white sheet, or a white roll of wallpaper. Also, don’t forget to make sure your backdrop is locked in place to ensure nothing moves during the photography process.
If you want your product in an actual setting it would be used in, make sure to be very specific with what you put in the shot. Every single thing seen in the photo should be on purpose and intentional! This goes for lighting and camera angle as well. The lighting, camera angle, camera distance, and everything seen in the photo all come together to create the mood and feel of your product and brand. You have complete control of this!
Equipment
Since we’ve gotten through the basics, let’s get into the camera details. You can use either a professional camera or a cell phone to get that seamless look on your product shots. When using a professional camera, you can control every single aspect of the photo through various settings. When using a cellphone, you can achieve that same high-quality image but may need to add a few filters to make it appear like a professional camera took it. Don’t be afraid to mess with your camera or cell phone settings, but be cautious not to over-adjust them. Remember, you can always go in later and add those edits or filters to make the shot pop! We also recommend using a tripod or other stable foundation to reduce the chance of having blurry or tilted photos.
Taking the photo
Don’t be scared to be creative with the product positions and camera angles; you want everything to stand out. You’ll most likely have to adjust things throughout the shoot, but practice makes perfect. Take lots of photos from various angles, making a note of the settings you used and what they produced. Take time between different angles to review the images to see if you need to adjust any settings.
Be sure to tag us in your product photos and show us what you created. Follow us on Instagram @TOCPublicRelations for more ideas for content creation!
