Posted by
Ryan Watts
on
04/03/2011
I am going to assume that, by coming to this website and perusing its pages, you might be contemplating a future product photoshoot for your business. I am also going to assume that by putting your products up for sale, particularly on the world wide web, you take a good deal of pride in the work that you do. Since this article has been written in 2011, and digital cameras have become almost as common as mobile phones over the last decade, I am going to make one final assumption – that you might be contemplating conducting this photoshoot in-house.
Well, if you are, here are a few considerations for you to contemplate.
It should go without saying that photographs produced by a professional who takes product photography very seriously will have an edge over photographs produced in-house. A good studio will be equipped with high-end photographic equipment: lenses capable of capturing minute details, and lenses capable of maintaining straight lines; flexible lighting, capable of lighting a subject from multiple sides and even – often crucially - from above and beneath; significantly, it is more than likely that a photographic studio will also have more space, not only to allow for larger subjects but also to increase the flexibility for composition and for effective lighting. Depending upon the subject to be photographed, this really matters. Consider the difference, for example, between metals and fabrics: the former reflects light, the latter absorbs it. Photographing these materials effectively requires different lighting set-ups. This, in turn, requires a photographer with sufficient knowledge to appreciate how to light the materials at hand.
If it matters to your business to have a significant online or print presence, then it surely matters to have photographs which capture attention and show off products looking their very best.
I think I can anticipate the principal objection to this blog post: cost.
The cost of product photography with us at The Packshot People is extremely competitive, with prices specifically designed to be affordable to businesses of all sizes, made possible in no small part by lower overheads in comparison to our competitors in product photography, who are predominantly based in London. Our studio is based in Norwich, and our client base spans the length and breadth of the United Kingdom. It is also worth adding that our flexible studio allows us to implement ambitious ideas, and to pay attention to small details, at the time of the shoot – often saving money on the potentially expensive process of retouching.
Taking pride in products is of vital importance to all retail. Effective photography can be crucial to capturing and maintaining attention to a product: as well as showing products looking at their most appealing, it sends an important message, too, which matters to people’s perception of any business: good photography is an indicator of pride and confidence. Displaying confidence can encourage confidence.
Are you still thinking of doing that shoot in-house…?