The way that businesses sell products has evolved in many ways in the last couple of centuries. No longer are brick and mortar stores required to sell goods, with online stores and social media platforms offering a world of alternatives. With it becoming easier for anyone to sell goods, businesses are forced to find ways to make their products stand out to remain competitive.
As the marketplace has become digital, the way that we present products has also become digital, with people relying on your product photos to determine whether they want the product. Although we were told “don’t judge a book by its cover” when we were young, we’re now frequently purchasing products based on a couple of nicely lit photos. Unless you have experience and equipment, you may struggle to get the snaps you desire, so finding a photo studio Brooklyn or wherever you’re located can help immensely.
Other than utilizing a photo studio, here’s a look at how else you can perfect the product photography for your business.
Well-Equipped
While smartphones have advanced to a point where they have formidable cameras, there are still limitations on this function due to the minute size of the built-in camera technology. Utilizing a proper camera, as well as all of the other relevant equipment, can ensure you get true-colored photos and minimize post-processing time.
Camera
The modern camera comes in four main types: compact, bridge, mirrorless, and Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR). For product photography, it’s recommended to avoid using compact or point-and-shoot cameras as they have limited features much like smartphones. Instead, depending on your experience you may want to use a bridge, mirrorless, or DSLR.
The aptly named “bridge” cameras are the intermediate between a compact and a DSLR, with some of the fixtures and features of a DSLR but certainly not all, these are ok at best for product photos. Mirrorless and DSLR cameras have interchangeable lenses, which allow you to refine the lighting as well as where the eye focuses due to the depth of field.
Be sure to do your research into the appropriate lenses for the style of product photography you want to shoot in your rental photo studio Brooklyn or elsewhere.
Tripod
No matter how steady-handed you are, constant micromovements are happening in our bodies that will be noticeable in photos of a slower shutter speed. A tripod is the best way to avoid this problem and can allow you to set up and photo and interact with the product without trying to find your place again.
Lighting
The lighting of your photos is not only important for visibility, but also for balancing the color, as light is typically cool (blue) or warm (red). There’s a huge range of different types of studio lighting that you can harness to maximize the visibility of your product and to draw attention to certain features. Be sure to do your research in advance to find those that suit your product photography style, whether it’s crisp and clear or bold and dramatic.
On top of utilizing digital lighting, it can also be important to include some daylight to balance out the hue. The best kind of photo studio, Brooklyn or anywhere, are those that have windows to allow you to balance the digital and natural light in your photos.
Backdrop
A studio backdrop is more than a white surface behind your products, they usually consist of vinyl or muslin as these are best for spreading and reflecting light evenly. They are also effective in shining diluted light on the backside of your products, giving a more holistic spread.
Well-Advised
Having all the equipment can only get you so far, you also need to be able to use it effectively to get the shots you want. If you’re a complete beginner, then you may consider bringing someone along to show you the basics of using a camera and lighting equipment to take the photos you desire.
Otherwise, if you know the basics of using a camera you could always do an online crash course in product photography, there are both free and paid courses online.
A Vision
As important as having education/experience and equipment is a vision of what you’d like to achieve. This can be a culmination of other companies’ styles or something you see in your mind’s eye, either way, you’ll need to know what you’re aiming for.
This can give you something tangible to refer to when setting up the lighting and backdrop and can inform your final result.
