It takes a lot of experience and technical understanding to successfully pull off a product photoshoot. The photo team within Works Design Group will guide you through all the details that matter, from lighting and lenses to cameras and speed settings, to help visually bring your brand to life.
Why take our word for it?
At Works Design Group we’ve worked with hundreds of national brands to create high-quality photos for thousands of products. Our photographers use our in-house studio to bring all of our products to life and create photos that reflect a client’s and product’s brand identity. We know that every product is different, and every shot must be tailored to the look and feel the client is trying to establish for their product.
Lighting is Everything
Lighting is without a doubt the most important part of any photography session, including product photography. There are a variety of different types of lighting setups available depending on what you’re going for, like:
- Soft lighting: relies on softboxes and diffusers to create a gentle, flattering look.
- Natural lighting: uses natural light, but may not be very consistent.
Strobe or flash lighting: a consistent high-powered light source, easy to control. - Continuous lighting: continuous artificial lighting, easier to adjust on subject.
Product photography lighting is all about control. The more you can control the lighting, the more consistent and better the results. That’s why our experts recommend using studio strobe lighting. You’ll still need to consider other lighting elements of your shoot, including v-flats, bounce cards and diffusers, as you work out your setup and shape the lighting on the product, but strobe lighting provides the best chance of control.
Best Cameras for Product Photography
The camera you use for a product photo shoot will depend on where the final image will be displayed. For example, you wouldn’t use a 500-pixel thumbnail on a 500 foot-billboard; the same logic applies to the camera being used for that image. Using the right tool for the job is essential. Whether you’re shooting photos for an instagram ad or a print catalogue, our experts always recommend using a full-frame or medium-format camera.
These cameras give you the most versatility and have a large image sensor, meaning they produce higher-quality images because they capture more light. They also have an increased dynamic range and are better at reducing overall ‘noise.’
What Lenses to use for Product Photography
Once you’ve established your lighting setup and chosen your camera, it’s time to focus on lenses. The lens for your product shoot will vary and change based on the type of product you’re shooting– there’s a huge difference between a bottle of cologne and a car. Always consider the product’s scale, complexity, and the types of shots you need when choosing a lens. The most important things to consider– the focal length and the aperture, or speed, of the lens.
Start with the focal length. Since most product photography involves shooting a singular item, we recommend any lens that gives you the best chance to isolate your subject. A fixed focal length of 50mm to 135mm helps to avoid distortion and capture a natural perspective. It can also be handy to choose a lens with good macro capabilities for featuring product details.
Next, consider the aperture. This controls your depth of field and the overall product image quality. As most product photography is shot in a studio, we recommend using any lens with an f/4.0 or greater to create a shallow depth of field and better highlight the product.
Camera Settings for Product Photography
You’ve chosen your lighting setup, your camera, and your lens type. Now, it’s time to choose which camera settings are best for your product shoot. Camera settings for shooting products generally fall into the three settings of the exposure triangle:
- ISO: our experts recommend keeping the ISO as low as possible, around 100-320 ISO, to capture the clearest product shots.
- Aperture: keep your product shots clear and in focus by using an aperture range of 5.6-8.
- Shutter speed: offers the most flexibility on a stationary object, should be set between 125-160.
A few additional tips to make your product photo shoot a success:
- Always shoot raw photos. Raw photos offer more flexibility in post-producing editing, coloring processing, and designing.
- Always use a tripod. Allows each photo to be consistently well-framed, balanced, and in-focus.
Always Plan and Practice
Product photography often requires more time management and coordination than a standard shoot. With consistent practice you’ll develop the skills needed to master it. Practice, practice, practice!
If you’re a brand just starting out with product photography and looking for professional support, make sure to do your research. Choose an agency that has a diverse portfolio of product work and understands how to bring your product vision to life while staying true to your branding.