Two Top Tips From A Professional Packshot Photographer
If you've ever wondered how a packshot photographer manages to produce images which engage with customers in ways which encourage more enquiries and more sales, then here are a couple of tips which, whilst unlikely to transform you from family holiday photographer to professional packshot photographer, might help you create a slightly better quality of catalogue photo. You may also begin to appreciate just how skilled a professional advertising photographer is, and the benefits which they can offer your company.
1. The Camera Always Lies. Perhaps you have aspired to creating honest photographs of your products, feeling that any manipulation of digital trickery is unfair. However, the truth is that the camera always lies, no matter how careful you are. This is a fact, and to understand why is simply to appreciate that the human eye and a camera lens work in entirely different ways.
This means that when you look at an object or scene, what you see and what the camera sees are always going to be quite different. As you cast your eye over an object your eye automatically adjusts the aperture of your pupil to allow in more or less light as required. This means that when you look at a brightly lit area of the scene or object your eye will allow in less light, and when you look at a darker area, your eye allows in more light, so you can see more detail.
The problem with a camera lens is that it cannot hope to achieve this same level of realism or honesty, since it only has one single fixed aperture at a time. You therefore have a choice of either over exposing the photograph in order to capture the details, whilst bleaching out the lighter areas, under exposing your photo to capture the lighter, brighter areas, or taking an average exposure which misses out on the details at either end of the dark/light range.
Whatever you choose, the result will be less than realistic and less than inspiring. A professional packshot photographer placed in such a situation will take at least three images - one over exposed, one under exposed and one normal. Using a computer he or she will then blend the three images together, using the best elements of each to create a single composite picture which more closely represents what the eye would actually see in such a situation. These images look more professional and more real.
2. Models Can Be Too Realistic. One of the 'rules' which many amateur advertising photographers feel they should follow is to help customers visualise themselves using the product, and that to do this the use of a model is valuable. In some cases this can certainly be true. But not all. And not all models are suitable.
It's worth bearing in mind that in almost every single car advertisement you have ever seen the driver's face is hidden, darkened, blurred or otherwise disguised. This is not an accident, because advertising agencies know that they have a better chance of selling their car if the customer can visualise themselves driving it. But by displaying a model's face, most customers will feel envy more than a personal sense of involvement, and this can result in a negative attitude. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule - but it's one that's more usually kept than broken.
Many small businesses use models in many of their packshot photographs or catalogue photos, but in many cases this is inadvisable. In some cases small businesses actually use family, friends and their own children in their photographs which whilst very sweet and nice for them, doesn't necessarily promote the products in a professional way. Family photographs should not be mixed with professional business advertising images.
It's also sometimes the case that a close up shot of someone's hand and arm modelling a watch can prove distracting. Customers may be more distracted by a hairy arm, or a mole, than by the watch - and may even be put off! If you're going to use a model, use a professional model, and then only when it really adds something to the image. A professional packshot photographer will not only have access to an extensive list of suitable models, as well as makeup artists, hair stylists and clothing specialists, but they'll know just when to include a model in a catalogue photo, and when to focus on the product alone.
1. The Camera Always Lies. Perhaps you have aspired to creating honest photographs of your products, feeling that any manipulation of digital trickery is unfair. However, the truth is that the camera always lies, no matter how careful you are. This is a fact, and to understand why is simply to appreciate that the human eye and a camera lens work in entirely different ways.
This means that when you look at an object or scene, what you see and what the camera sees are always going to be quite different. As you cast your eye over an object your eye automatically adjusts the aperture of your pupil to allow in more or less light as required. This means that when you look at a brightly lit area of the scene or object your eye will allow in less light, and when you look at a darker area, your eye allows in more light, so you can see more detail.
The problem with a camera lens is that it cannot hope to achieve this same level of realism or honesty, since it only has one single fixed aperture at a time. You therefore have a choice of either over exposing the photograph in order to capture the details, whilst bleaching out the lighter areas, under exposing your photo to capture the lighter, brighter areas, or taking an average exposure which misses out on the details at either end of the dark/light range.
Whatever you choose, the result will be less than realistic and less than inspiring. A professional packshot photographer placed in such a situation will take at least three images - one over exposed, one under exposed and one normal. Using a computer he or she will then blend the three images together, using the best elements of each to create a single composite picture which more closely represents what the eye would actually see in such a situation. These images look more professional and more real.
2. Models Can Be Too Realistic. One of the 'rules' which many amateur advertising photographers feel they should follow is to help customers visualise themselves using the product, and that to do this the use of a model is valuable. In some cases this can certainly be true. But not all. And not all models are suitable.
It's worth bearing in mind that in almost every single car advertisement you have ever seen the driver's face is hidden, darkened, blurred or otherwise disguised. This is not an accident, because advertising agencies know that they have a better chance of selling their car if the customer can visualise themselves driving it. But by displaying a model's face, most customers will feel envy more than a personal sense of involvement, and this can result in a negative attitude. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule - but it's one that's more usually kept than broken.
Many small businesses use models in many of their packshot photographs or catalogue photos, but in many cases this is inadvisable. In some cases small businesses actually use family, friends and their own children in their photographs which whilst very sweet and nice for them, doesn't necessarily promote the products in a professional way. Family photographs should not be mixed with professional business advertising images.
It's also sometimes the case that a close up shot of someone's hand and arm modelling a watch can prove distracting. Customers may be more distracted by a hairy arm, or a mole, than by the watch - and may even be put off! If you're going to use a model, use a professional model, and then only when it really adds something to the image. A professional packshot photographer will not only have access to an extensive list of suitable models, as well as makeup artists, hair stylists and clothing specialists, but they'll know just when to include a model in a catalogue photo, and when to focus on the product alone.
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