Product photography is a powerful tool for showcasing and promoting your products, helping persuade potential customers to buy. While hiring a professional for your clothing photography Montreal needs may be expensive or impractical, creating a professional-looking photoshoot doesn’t require expensive equipment. Customers want proof that your product meets their expectations in terms of quality and value. This article provides a comprehensive guide on product photography needs and how to shoot your product, ensuring that your product is presented in the best light possible.
What you will require for product photography
- Camera
If you have a professional camera, that’s fantastic. However, you’d be surprised at how much you can shoot on a smartphone, both for photography and video. As long as it’s a recent model with autofocus and a high megapixel count (8+), it should be enough to produce high-quality images with stunning detail.
- Background
Background with a horizontal line
This is a line that runs through the background, typically connecting the wall and the surface. Horizontal lines add depth but are difficult to use when shooting multiple photos because the line should be consistent across all images.
Seamless Background
A’sweep’ is used to create a seamless background, whether it is white, a brand colour, or a palette. This is a curved screen or cardboard behind the product that eliminates distractions and gives the impression that the product is floating. A seamless background also makes it simple to remove the product from the background using Photoshop or other editing software.
Lifestyle Background
Products are shown in a relevant setting to provide context, such as homewares in a beautiful home or camping equipment shot outside. Including a person in the shot is great for indicating size or providing context for how to use the product, but keep in mind that adding variables like people or natural light can be a lot more work.
- Space
Your designated space may be a room or simply a table, but it must be free of interruptions. This includes things like children, housemates, pets, or elements like a breeze that could disrupt your setup. If you’re using the space as a backdrop for your products, try to avoid image inconsistencies like varying lighting throughout the day, which will shift the position of shadows in your shots.
- Tripod
Handheld cameras risk blurred shots, so it’s best to use a tripod, which doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. In terms of legs, a tripod is a three-legged adjustable stand to which you can attach your phone or camera. Consider the size and height when purchasing to ensure that it is appropriate for your product and intended shooting space. If you’re using a smartphone, make sure the ‘head’ has a smartphone grip. Consider a pocket tripod for small products to get up close and personal.
- Bounce Board
When you bounce light, you are redirecting or diffusing the harshness of a flash to create soft lighting on your product. It may appear complicated, but all you need is a white or reflective surface, such as cardboard, strategically placed to capture and redirect the flashlight onto your product. You can practice test shots by moving the board around to find the best light.
What Are the Various Settings of Product Photography?
- Lighting
Natural light is suitable for outdoor Montreal product photography and people, but it can be challenging to use. Artificial light, on the other hand, is ideal for beginners as it provides more control and allows for easy adjustments. Continuous light, like a powerful lamp, can be used to create consistent lighting conditions, allowing for dramatic shadows, defining shapes, or product detail adjustments. It’s recommended to read a natural light guide before starting.
- Image dimensions
In this context, we’re referring to both the shape and size of your photo. Most cameras can be set to shoot in portrait, landscape, or even square mode (ideal for Instagram), which is useful if you know where the images will appear. When photographing products, it is always best to shoot at the largest file size possible because you can always reduce it later. Choose a raw file over a compressed JPEG whenever possible.
- Camera Angles
profile angle of the camera
This photograph was taken from the side, at eye level. This angle is frequently used on sneaker websites to make the logo visible.
Backward angle
This is a supporting shot that is typically taken at eye level. Its sole purpose is to provide additional context, such as by showing clothing details or a list of product ingredients.
Low inclination
This is a low-shot angle of the worm’s eye. Shooting upwards can assist in making products appear heroic or impressive in size.
frontal perspective
Consider this to be a front-on, eye-level shot. This is common in Ecommerce Photography Montreal because it is a neat and organized way of capturing products, making them easy to identify.
Angle of three-quarters
This image is typically taken from a high-level angle of about 45 degrees on either side of the product. It’s ideal for displaying a variety of products, such as a range or the contents of a kit.
A wide angle
Consider this a bird’s-eye view from directly above. The product determines whether it is required.
- Framing
We recommend shooting landscapes for beginners because it is an easy format to crop into and is versatile enough to house multiple sizes (square or portrait). Your product should always be the focal point of the image, but it does not have to be in the centre of the frame. Positioning your product optimally is similar to discovering your own “best side.”
In The End
Remember that practice is essential for product Photography Montreal. Take the time to experiment and improve your abilities. You’ll gain a better understanding of what works best for your specific products and style as you gain experience.
Are you looking for the best product Photographer Montreal? Impression Photography is your go-to photo studio, where a skilled team of professional product photographers creates high-quality product images.