Last week, we discussed how to make adjustments on your camera to get the best possible shots.
Today, we’ll start with some basic product photography techniques you can employ to improve your photos, so without further ado…
DIY Product Photography: Basic Product Photography Techniques
by Tom Pitera
Now that we have an idea of how to adjust some of our camera settings, here are some techniques for composing attractive product images.
Tripods Make a Big Difference
I know we already covered this in the last section, but I can’t stress enough the importance of a tripod. Not only will this prevent unwanted camera shake, but it will also help you reproduce similar shots. With the camera in a somewhat fixed position, you can focus on arranging the products or adjusting the lighting and camera settings.
Busy Backgrounds Are Distracting
Having a nice background or props can really accentuate a product. It can also really detract from the product, which is ultimately the reason you’re taking the picture to begin with! Try to keep your background and prop elements simple to keep the focus on the product.
Start With One Light
A lot of people start their product photography by turning on as many lights as they have. This is fine if you’re using something like a light tent where it is really required, but it’s not as good for environmental shots. Before you add that second light, try to get the first light looking as good as possible. Then look at the image and try to figure out where the light needs to be added. This will give you a much better idea of how to control each of the lights.
Supplement Your Lighting With Reflectors
A reflector is just as simple as the name implies: an object that reflects light. Reflectors can help fill in some of the light in shadowed areas of the frame. Sometimes instead of adding an additional light, you can add a reflector instead. Most photographic stores sell disc reflectors in varying sizes with different materials – each one modifying the light differently.
One of my personal favorite items to use as a reflector is a piece of white foam board. What’s nice about foam board is you can get a decent size sheet pretty inexpensively. From there, you can cut the board down to a more manageable size for your needs.
Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment
A little bit of experimenting can go a long way. Once you get a shot that you are happy with, try changing things up a bit – you might like the results! Try moving the camera or lighting position, adding elements to the foreground or background, or changing some of your camera’s settings. Since everything is digital these days, it doesn’t really cost anything to be creative and experiment. Practice does make perfect!
Now that we’ve covered some of the product photography basics, we want to know what other areas of product photography you need help with!
Please contact us with your question and we’ll try to answer it in the next post!
About Tom Pitera
Tom Pitera is a product photographer based in Orlando, FL. In addition to his work as a photographer, he holds a degree in marketing from the University of Central Florida and is a sales manager for the largest independent photographic retailer in the greater Orlando area. His marketing experience and knowledge of photographic equipment and principals extends to his commercial photographic work, which focuses primarily on food, restaurant and product photography.
If you need product photography and don’t have the time to DIY, contact Thomas Pitera Photography for a quote. Tell him you saw him on IndieSpotting and receive a special rate for small/handmade business owners!
