The perfect frame starts with proper product preparation. What to look out for?
It would seem that in the age of advanced image editing software and artificial intelligence, all matters related to product photography will be taken care of for us by Photoshop. To make our frame perfect, it is a good idea to take care of the appearance of the subject being photographed before pressing the shutter button. This will definitely make work easier and reduce post-production time.
Preparing the product for the shoot – what is most important?
Let’s face it, not all the product photos you meet on the Internet encourage you to buy. Many of them show imperfections, dirt or creases, which could have been gotten rid of already at the stage of preparation for the session.
Such negligence is particularly evident in packshots . On a white background, the product is not accompanied by any other prop that can draw attention away from the imperfections, making them stand out, and perhaps irritate, much more. Therefore, it is important to clean all dirt, such as dust or fingerprints, before photographing the product. During a photo shoot, it’s a good idea to have a cloth handy, which can be used to wipe off, for example, the imprints created when rearranging the object.
Spirit photos – how to prepare clothes for a photo shoot?
The preparation stage should not be skipped when photographing clothing either. Here our best friends should become an iron or steamer, as well as a clothes roller. Clothes should be ironed, there should be no pollen on the material. The camera lens often shows many more imperfections than our eye will see. It is also worth remembering to hide any paper tags and cut any loose threads sticking out.
In the case of flatshot photos of clothing (we wrote about flatshots in a previous article), it is worth remembering that clothes should be arranged lightly, without creating unnatural shapes. And let’s not forget about elements such as straps, hood or belt. These should be well exposed.
Before photographing clothing on the spirit it should be properly fitted to the mannequin. It should not hang from it or be too tight. For the former difficulty, pins or safety pins can be an aid. In the second situation, size replacement – clothing or mannequin – can be a lifesaver.
Preparing the background for product photography
Products tricked out? This is excellent! You can start taking pictures. Well, almost… It is worth noting one more small detail, which is the clarity of the background. It is not always freshly purchased and clean, and small spots or dust may appear during use. These, although sometimes invisible when laying out the scenery, are very conspicuous in a photograph. That’s why before we start laying out our dream scenery, let’s take a look at whether our background looks exemplary.
Professional product photo shoot
On a product photographer’s checklist, many points should be taken up by product and studio preparation. It is necessary to remember to clean the object from dust and dirt, as well as to iron the materials. It is worth remembering the proper positioning and matching of the photographed products, as well as a clean background. When each of these points is ticked off, we can be sure that any packshot, organicshot or arranged product photo will look great without spending extra time on post-production adjustments.
