PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY: A specialised service but not an expensive service

Ok, so you get the concept - high quality images in, improved sales out.

It makes absolute sense that presenting customers with the best possible views of your company’s products, will influence the bottom line.

But you are still not convinced that you can afford the services of a professional photographer.

Well let us put your mind at ease - product photography is not an expensive service. 

PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY IS A SPECIALISED SERVICE ...

Yes, it is a specialised service. Yes, it requires specific knowledge, skills and equipment.

The photographer has to be patient, organised and meticulous. He has to have above average knowledge of lighting, angles, perspective, composition and exposure. He has to have the right camera, lenses, lights and screens.

But none of these requirements makes product photography an expensive service. 

BUT PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY NEEDN’T BE EXPENSIVE

Unlike advertising and marketing photography, which require extensive and creative styling of the products as well as models and special backdrops, product photography is more like an assembly line process. Products are photographed in sequence.

Thorough pre-shoot planning by both the client and the photographer and efficient execution during the shoot makes it possible to complete a product shoot in a short time.

Often setting up is the most time consuming part of the process, particularly when working on location and in make-shift studios. 

But once the photographer has set up and he has fine-tuned the lights, the time spent on each photograph is really short and the cost of each shot becomes low compared to more elaborate advertising / marketing shots.

As product photography does not involve special lighting effects or intricate angles there is no stopping and starting for the photographer to change camera positions and lighting.

Yet, although the lighting remains fairly static during a product shoot, it will always be fundamental to all types of photography. Equally important is positioning of the objects. 

In a follow-up post we will consider these aspects in detail.

COMPLEXITY AND COST

Ultimately, the cost and time investment required for a product shoot depends a lot on how complex you want the images to be.

Product photography can be divided into:

1. Standard product shots

These shots are usually done on a solid white background. The photographer could use a gradient from light to dark for visual variation.

Objects photographed on a solid while backdrop, one after the other, using the same lighting configuration.
Client: Nice Stuff, Stellenbosch

2. Complex backgrounds

Product shots taken against any other background except white or plain coloured are more complex to set up and will cost more. Such images have to be conceptualised and takes more time as it often shot outdoors, on sets or in loco.

Also a coloured background could result in unflattering reflections on the product and so will take more time to resolve.

A group of candles photographed on a shiny metal surface. The client wanted to use the reflections to suggest the light emitted by the flames. Setting up this type of shot takes longer than a plain white backdrop. If the flames and the candles are going to reflect in the metal backdrop, so are many other objects in the vicinity. The photographer has to counteract this by building a more complex set. Client: Kapula

3. Group shots

Instead of individual product shots, items can be grouped together. Group shots have specific styling and lighting requirements and do not necessarily offer a cheaper option compared to single shots.

Although it is a good idea to conceptualise and set up the most visually flattering configurations beforehand, things tend to look different through a camera lens. Fortunately these days, most photographers shoot tethered (directly to the computer screen), making it possible for the client to immediately see what the end-product will look like and to make adjustments to the arrangement.

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Although you can photograph many objects at once, positioning the objects so that nothing is obscured and to to avoid shadows and distortions, can take time. Employing the services of a good stylist can save time and money. Clients: Miglio Designer Jewellery & Kapula

4. More complex shots

In some cases including a model or a mannequin can enhance the styling and presentation of your product e.g. for clothing, caps, jewellery. It could be full-length, face-only or hand or foot models. 

Usually the photographer is able to book models for the client at an additional fee. And if you are using models you will need a make-up artist, a hair stylist and possibly a stylist.

This is when product shots can become expensive.

Photographing hair extensions as single objects on a white background will just look ridiculous and  will definitely not inspire consumers to buy the product. In this case we had to use a model to illustrate what the product is all about. The border between product and marketing photography becomes blurred at this point. Client: Boulevard

So rather than dismissing the idea of using a professional photographer for product shots as too expensive, sit down together and discuss ways of presenting your products in the best possible light at the best possible price.