Extravagant textures and grand textiles

In product photography, the surfaces used make a major difference. It is important to choose the right colours and textures to highlight the appeal of the product. The setting of the products in a photograph can make them look cheap or luxurious. Marble, brass and even gold are some of the most popular choices, especially in food and drink photography.

The dinner party

Although recent trends have increased the effectiveness of large rustic tables and cosy settings, there has and always will be value in portraying home and family values. Furniture, cutlery, candles, dishes, glasses, wine, food and many other products can benefit from the use of a big farm table by the fireplace. In fact, these kinds of settings may be the most effective for creating an instant connection between the consumer and the product.

Neutral and Natural

One of the biggest mistakes product photographers make involves the forcing of bright colours into an image. Colourful photos have their time and place, but in many cases, a classic neutral look is the best choice. Technological advancements now allow photographers to master the use of white backdrops and natural light. Grey and shades of brown can give products an amazingly professional, classy and timeless appeal.

The Magic of the Moment

Sometimes, there is nothing a professional photographer can do to match the magic of a perfect moment. Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in spontaneous images that were taken in that perfect second of time. Since it can be almost impossible to create this perfect moment in the studio, many product photographers are taking to the unpredictable outside world. Most photographers look for authentic opportunities to capture the moment, but many also use strategies to make staged images look more spontaneous.

The Perfection of Digital 3D

Although photographers had no choice but to use real environments and backdrops in the past, the eye-popping advancements in 3D rendering technology have created new opportunities for innovative product photographers. Now that consumers cannot tell the difference between a real setting and a digital setting, great product photographers can leverage the adaptability of digital backdrops without sacrificing a professional look.

Product photography is an increasingly evolving field. Photographers in this field must keep up-to-date with constant technological advancements, trends and innovative approaches, while staying true to their own creative style. They use countless tools, practices and skills to make their work look professional, but must also add something unique to make a client’s product stand out among the competition. Although product photography may seem simple at first glance, the process of capturing the perfect image is unimaginably complex!

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Keeping Your Distance

Human photography offers the advantage of collaboration between the individual or group of people and the photography. Product photography relies only on the photographer to create the perfect image. In many cases, this requires the photographer to get much closer to the subject material.

When dealing with living subjects, getting so close can be inappropriate and cause an invasion of the subject’s personal space. However, in product photography it makes all the difference. Before the photographer even starts to set up lighting, the subject material must be carefully studied to determine the best approach.

Complex Settings and Harsh Shadows

Product photography should always be focused on the product itself. Photographers should minimise distractions as much as possible and keep a clean look on set. This helps to highlight the object and emphasise its details.

Harsh shadows are a common, but extremely noticeable mistake in product photography. Softer lighting can be created with the use of a soft box or light tent and emphasises the details of the product. Most good photographers start by focusing two lights on the subject and then adjusting angle and brightness to boost texture appearance.

For clients who want to add text content or position multiple products on a single promotional page, simple composition and minimal distraction is even more important.

Taking the Simple Path

While complex settings and harsh shadows are mistakes in product photography, unique approaches are essential. There is almost always a simple approach available for lighting a given product, but a great photographer knows to take the path less travelled. Creativity and fresh ideas make certain photographers stand out among the competition and keep clients coming back for more.

Being Tough to Work With

One of the biggest complaints of people in the product photography and promotional industries points to how difficult some photographers are to work with. Great photographers know how to collaborate with art directors and stylists without interfering with their work. They understand that each team member is selected for their expertise.

Most clients choose the different experts to add to the team, but it is always a good idea to bring some good stylists into your professional network. They can help you create the best visual presentation for the client.

Although lighting is just one of many elements that go into great product photography, getting it wrong will undoubtedly destroy the whole project. On the other hand, exceptional product lighting will make highlight all of your other skills and make all your photographs look bigger and better! The true value in photographers typically revolves around their understanding of the details of all the elements involved in product photography.

The post Product Lighting: 4 Most Common Mistakes appeared first on Graphics & Website Design Portishead.

Putting together the perfect business brochure isn’t straightforward – you need the right message to come through from the copy, the print needs to be accurate and high quality, while you also want the photography to be up to scratch.

In our experience, photography seems to be one area where many of our clients struggle. It’s often misunderstood, as most people are simply happy with just a nice looking photo – but that only covers one aspect of what makes a successful brochure image.

We’ve seen countless mistakes throughout the years. These are top 5 that you really must avoid if you want your brochure to be a success!

Low quality images

When you send your brochure off to the printers, make sure your photos are at least 300 DPI at the size they reproduce. While your images may look great on screen, they will come out pixelated and shoddy if you go below this figure.

If you don’t ensure your images are of the highest digital quality, you’re going to have an expensive mistake on your hands. Brochures with low quality imagery will simply not drive sales and will reflect a company that doesn’t quite know what it’s doing.

Photography that doesn’t work on print

Images that look absolutely gorgeous on your monitor don’t guarantee the same results on paper. You not only need your images to be of high quality (as discussed in the point above), but they must also work on print.

What do we mean by this? The photos need to form part of the brochure as a whole – the level of detail or zoom can look very different on paper than on a monitor. What can look subtle on your screen can often be overbearing in a physical brochure. If you’re unsure about yours, ask the printing company whether you can do a trial run before committing to an entire batch. Over time, you’ll develop a sixth sense for this!

Beautiful images that don’t make sense

Many amateur photographers can take some stunning shots that really catch the eye. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that a given photo will fit a business brochure.

We’ve seen clients include beautiful photos in their brochures, but they simply don’t make sense. There’s no context attached to the image and it doesn’t fall in line with what the business is trying to sell.

Your photography needs to tell a story in its own right. Your potential customers need to get a hint of what your business is all about – if you’re photo is just a pretty picture, you can forget about new leads.

Photography doesn’t fit the brand

Your brochure needs to match your brand from top to bottom. We often see clients make the mistake of trying to force a certain type of photo into a brochure, simply due to liking the style on an individual level.

However, if the photo doesn’t match the rest of the brand the result will simply look unprofessional. Remember, you want your photography to be synched with your whitespace, colour scheme, typeface and overall brand message. Otherwise, people won’t take your brochure seriously.

Confused? We can help

If you’re unsure of how to tackle your product photography, why not give us a buzz for a free consultation? We have ample experience in creating stunning brochures that really show your products off – we’ve improved sale numbers for a wide range of clients in wholly distinct industry. Check out our Brochures & Folders section for some samples of our work.

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