Product Photography

Product Photography
(Unit Content 1)

Product photography is one area of commercial photography. If something is commercial the photographer is paid for taking and post editing the images. Usually the advertising agencies pay to a photographer who takes pictures of their products.These images are made to illustrate,advertise and sell the products. A perfect product shot will entice someone to want that item and buy it. So these images need to properly display what the product is and make it attractive because product photography is all about the person who is buying what that photo represents. You can find most of the product images in brochures, catalogs and on online web stores, for example Amazon. 

Basically to take images of products you can start off with almost any digital camera,with just a seamless colored paper and use natural light. But in a professional studio like one above on the image, you can see there are several equipments that you could use for product photography.

Here's a rundown of the professional equipments:

Backgrounds:

• Scoop/Product table: This white bent glossy table is the main area of product photography.
• Light  tent: This is generally used for high key and good for reflective products (eg.:chrome). 
• Colored plexiglass: This reflective glass shows both the reflective product and the shadowed areas which gives depth to the photo. So, this can be used when you want a more moody photo or more classy photo of highly valuable items.

Lighting:

• Flash lights/continuous lights with beauty dish, softboxes,snoots, etc.
• Gobos to block the light.
• Lighting stands

A tripod is essential so you can move and adjust lighting and keep your camera consistent.

Also, don't forget that lots of products can't support themselves so you will need a stand or a special supporter to hold the product in place properly.

Steve Pankiewicz Photography

A few important info:

1. Try to shot at about the same level as the product.
2. Make the images bottom weighted, if the product is heavy. So leave more space at the top and less at the bottom. (Framing)
3. Always clean the surface, remove the smallest bit of dirt and fingerprints.

Sometimes you need to show the detail of an item. These types of photographs are help to the customer to see the finer details and texture of the items because touch is one thing that photography will never provide.
So it's our job to really show what the buyer is getting.