First things first: availing professional product photography services are highly recommended when it comes to product photography; however, it can be very costly especially when you’re only starting to establish your marketing and retailing business. Not to worry though, this should not mean you have to pass on using product shots to promote your merchandise. You yourself can DIY your product photos, at least until you can hire an expert team to do it, or unless you turn into an expert yourself! Here are a few basics you need to know:
- Plan your photos and prepare your products.
Think about the products you want to shoot and the features you want to emphasize when taking the pictures. Lay them all out in a certain spot for easier accessibility and also decide strategically on the order of taking your shots. Aside from this, schedule which time you think is the best for taking photos depending on lighting conditions.
- Prepare your materials.
Aside from the products themselves, prepare the other equipment needed for your shoot. The essentials include a camera (or a phone with a built-in HD cam,) a flat surface (and cloth with a color or pattern you want to feature), and lighting (light box if available, lamps.) Be ready with back-up memory storage, chargers, etc. in case they might be needed. Tripods are also extremely helpful for stability.
- Establish a background.
The background for your products is recommended to be a plain background with a neutral color such as white. If you already have a clean, light-colored wall that doesn’t reflect light, then you could use that. If not, you could choose to hang rolls of seamless paper or smooth fabric on the wall or behind your product to achieve the same effect.
- Find good lighting.
The key to good lighting is to avoid harsh light, so direct sunlight or camera flash are not suggested since they create shadows and are too bright. For natural lighting, place your product near the window and use indirect sunlight. If the light is too bright, you can hang a white bedsheet over the window to create a soft glow. If it is dim, use a board covered in aluminum foil to try reflecting the light to your product. With artificial lighting, using box lights is highly recommended.
- Take photos strategically.
Photography techniques would take a separate article to cover; however, some helpful tips for beginners would be to take test shots beforehand, to avoid using the zoom feature (invest in a macro lens instead,) to use the autofocus feature, to experiment with different angles, to use a timer or tripod to reduce shakiness, to use the rule of thirds, and to shoot numerous photos until you figure out which one is best. Good luck!
If you’re ready to hire a professional product photography team, our team at Activ8 BN are also ready to help you! Just visit our website at activ8bn.com, email contact@activ8bn.com or, contact +673 242 4102 / +673 884 7828 for more details.
