Everything You Need to Know About High-End Product Photography.
Introduction:
If you’re a marketing professional in an industry that produces a consumer product – such as manufacturing, e-commerce, or retail – you likely have a few questions on what kind of photography you need. In today’s competitive market, establishing a strong visual presence, online and in person, is essential for success. Your product photography serves as the visual identity of your brand, conveying professionalism, credibility, and authenticity. In this guide, we’ll take you through some common questions surrounding product photography, ensuring you have the tools and knowledge to make informed decisions that will elevate your brand to new heights.
Why Invest In High-End Product Photography?
Investing in product photography is all about your brand image. Professional photographs of your product help legitimize your brand and make it recognizable to just about anyone.
The images you use to represent your brand, both in print and online, give your potential customers a sense of who you are and the quality of product you provide. They may even make a decision about working with your business solely based on what they see on your website, brochure, or marketing materials. Presenting the best photographs possible sets your brand apart from the competition and has the potential to significantly increase your business.
How To Determine How Many Shots You Need
In order to know how much photography you need for your company or retail store, ask yourself how you intend to use your images once you have them. Using photographs on store signage or in printed marketing materials need a more limited amount of unique images, whereas projects like multiple brochures or a library of social media posts might entail more unique images.
You can also ask yourself how “shelf stable” your images will be. Do you produce an extensive magazine every quarter? Focus on a few key items now so you can more consistently update your photography with each new item. Do you have a consistent, stable stock of products that you intend to market for years to come? An investment in a large number of angles and items might be worth it for you!
If you have any questions about how many images you think you might need, an experienced product photographer can help you navigate this process in a pre-production meeting.
The right professional photographer can not only capture the best angles and bring out the vibrancy of your product, but so much more. They know the best backgrounds, have extensive knowledge in product styling, and accessories to use in your photographs to make sure that your vision and brand identity are woven into every image they capture.
An experienced product photographer will have industry connections to top notch behind the scenes staff. They will know the best post-production editors and product stylists in your area so that not only are your photographs stellar, but once they are captured, you know that your creative team can take one additional step to make sure your photographs are curated exactly the way you imagine.
What is a Product Stylist (and should I use one)?
A product stylist is an industry professional who has expertise in making product shoots work more quickly and efficiently. Especially when things get messy or complex, product stylists can be an extra set of hands to keep the process smooth. They can organize between takes and set up for the next shot while the photographer adjusts lighting and lenses or communicates with you, the client.
You might need a product stylist on set if you’re looking to get the most out of your photography day; if you only have one day of a photographer’s time but would like to accomplish slightly more shots than reasonable, the collaboration of a product stylist might help you fulfill your goals. The other reason you might need a product stylist is if you have a particularly messy shot list – such as pouring juice into a cup to show off glassware. The product stylist can be the hand pouring the juice as well as reset when it’s time to try again with a clean table and a fresh cup.
Do I Need Post-Production?
This is the most straightforward question of them all; the answer is always yes! Whether you’re looking for product photography, headshots, or architecture, the last step across the finish line for a great photograph is editing.
No matter how good a photographer is, the most perfect images come from a photographer who knows how to balance getting as much right in front of the camera with harnessing the power of a light editing touch. Experienced product photographers will have industry-tested post-production artists standing behind them to finish your images perfectly.
How Can I Use My Photographs to Their Full Potential?
When it comes to end usage, the potential of your product photography is nearly endless!
Do you manufacture your products? Use photographs on your e-commerce website, social media accounts, marketing materials – even on training manuals!
Do you sell to distributors? Brochures and marketing pamphlets are just the beginning. Put images on your website, use it as backgrounds to your business cards, or put it on thank you notes you write to your clients.
Do you sell straight to consumers in a retail setting? Your photographs can be used for printed ads, in-store signage, television advertisements, or maybe even printed on the back of your custom receipt paper.
This unified image created by high-quality product photography can enhance potential customer’s experience and lead to growth over time. A better question might be, what can’t your photographs do for you?
Conclusion
Throughout this article, you’ve learned new things about the world of custom architectural photography. Hopefully you are now armed with all the knowledge you need, to take the next steps in creating photographs that enhance your brand and reflect the high quality work you and your team complete every day. So what are your next steps? If you’re ready to learn more about what we do, check out our portfolio, or request a quote. We would love to work with you!
Tags:
Architectural Photography, Branding Photography, Marketing Photography, Brand Identity, Construction Photography, Engineering Photography, Architectural Photographer, Brand Storytelling, Professional Image, Brand Credibility.