Enjoy this week’s guest post by Ella Sophie!
Hello readers! I’m Ella Sophie, I’m a professional photographer specializing in creating images that empower women and women’s businesses. I’m back to tell you more about product photography. Last time I shared with you the importance of professional product photography. https://melissaforziatevents.com/the-importance-of-professional-product-photography/ The first blog broke down the two main categories of images you need. Today I’m going to dive in a little deeper to tackle some of the main mistakes I see people making over and over again. After reading this you should feel inspired to take action and save yourself from these costly mistakes!
The top 5 mistakes to avoid when hiring a product photographer are: waiting until you need the photos to get them done. Not having a defined brand image. Forgetting to think about where the image needs to live. Having products that aren’t camera ready. And picking a photographer based on price rather than style.
Don’t wait until you need photos to get them done.
So, let’s jump right into number one; waiting until you need the photos to get them done. I can’t tell you how many times people call me with panic in their voice to tell me their product launch is in two weeks and they have no photos! Or they’re selected for a press piece but they need to submit an image (in the next 12 hours! Eeek!) You can miss deadlines and great opportunities if you don’t have images ready to go when you need them. If you know you will need photos in 2 months, start contacting people now. Sometimes I have a wait of a month or more. And while I always do my best to squeeze in those crazy last-minute requests, it sucks when it doesn’t work and you miss the opportunity or have to use a bad photo. Speaking of planning ahead, you also want to think about holidays waaaaay ahead of time. November is NOT the time to be doing your brand’s holiday photos. A great way to make sure you have all your holiday images is to look at your annual marketing calendar. Make a list of all the specific themed images you will need. Then talk to your photographer about the best action plan to get them all done in time.
Not having a defined brand image.
Do you know what your brand image is? Do you have a way to communicate it with your photographer? One of the first questions I ask all prospective clients is if they have a brand style guide. The answer is not always yes – which is ok. But it does mean more work has to happen before the shoot can take place. One of the saddest mistakes people make is going into a shoot without knowing what their brand’s visual aesthetic is. Spending the money, time, and creative effort to make a set of beautiful images that never see the light of day sucks for everyone involved. This doesn’t mean your style can’t evolve over time, because everyone grows – even brands. But you should at least know somewhat who you are. If your brand is dark, soft, and dreamy, you won’t want images that are bright, colorful, and geometric. A good place to start is to gather inspiring images and discuss them with your photographer. Think about what you are drawn to in each image – is it something you like personally or does it also relate to your brand? As a photographer that works with a lot of small businesses, I’m used to having this conversation with my clients and can guide them. But not everyone can. So, if you need help figuring out your brand’s visual aesthetic, look for an agency or freelancer who specializes in brand development.
Not considering where the images will live.
Don’t forget to think about where the images will live. What I mean by that is be sure you know in advance what you want to use the images for. Not only will this help you negotiate a fair price for the usage rights you actually need, but it can also save you from weird crops that kill the vibe. If your web design has a lot of banner images, make sure you plan for a few banner images. And don’t forget about the text! If you know your banner has text in the middle, make sure your photographer plans the composition to leave space for the text. If the images are going on social media or mobile use, vertical is the way to go. So, don’t only shoot horizontal compositions. Often what I do for my clients is create two versions of the same image, particularly for a brand or product’s hero image. (A hero image is the main key photo that is most prominent and often the first impression of the product). If I know a website is responsive, we’ll create a hero image that works both horizontally and vertically. That way the image shines the way it should in all scenarios. Another trick is to look for bonus images within a composition. Often a horizontal group shot can be recreated or cropped into a vertical shot. But this is something to think about in advance and not try to DIY after the images are delivered.
Don’t try to photograph products that are not camera ready.
This one might seem obvious, but do make sure your products are camera ready! Having messed up labels can be difficult or impossible to correct in photoshop. And photographers will charge you for the time spent trying to fix these issues in post. So, give yourself some buffer time between when the product should be done and when you schedule the shoot. Sometimes mistakes happen, and if you have time to correct it everyone will be happier. Make sure each piece that is being photographed is clean and in the best condition it can be in. In addition to the product being in best condition, you also need to have it organized. This is especially important when you have a large number of items. Make sure things that need to be grouped together are clearly labeled. If your photographer is adding skew numbers, those need to be clear on each item. And going through your shot list to make sure everything is organized the way it needs to be is super important. It might seem like you can just bring everything to the shoot and figure it out on the fly, but, trust me, this is not a good idea. It will waste time and limit creativity. The magic happens when things are running smoothly. Then the creative team can think about fun ideas instead of focusing on problem solving or finding pieces.
Pick a photographer based on their voice.
The last product photography mistake I’m going to talk about is picking a photographer without considering their voice and style. Photographers are creatives and have a voice. Many photographers, like myself, enjoy finding ways to embrace and convey your brand’s aesthetic from their own viewpoint. Others only shoot things in one specific style. In both scenarios it is important that you spend time looking through their work and that it resonates with you. Who the photographer is on a human level also matters. If you don’t feel excited about what they have to offer, don’t assume you will like your final images. Just because they are in your budget, neighborhood, or the person a lot of other people in your industry use doesn’t mean they are the right fit for you. Photography is a collaborative effort, so you need to trust the person you hire. For me, I find the most successful shoots are ones where we share values beyond the photography. I care a lot about quality, the environment, and women’s rights. Those are not always things that are obvious in a photo. But when we are passionate about the same things, working together feels invigorating. Everyone gets more creative when they feel connected and supported. Now you might be thinking that you can’t afford the photographer you really love, so you settle for someone cheap. That’s a big mistake, because you will find yourself paying for the work twice when you don’t like the results from the cheaper option.
Now that you have all this information you are in a great position to get your product photography going. I hope you feel more confident about how to avoid product photography mistakes. As a recap, remember to get those photos done before you need them. Have a defined brand image. Make sure you know where the images will live. Get those products camera ready. And, last but not least, make sure you find a photographer whose voice resonates with you! And if that’s me, I would love to work with you! Reach out to me to chat about how I can help take your product photos to the next level. You can find all my contact info on my website at www.ellasophiephoto.com/info.html
Ella Sophie is a San Francisco Bay Area based commercial photographer. Her images are bold, clean, and engaging. Ella’s passion and desire for a better world serve to invigorate her advertising and portrait work. Ella’s foundation is in fine art and a fascination with advertising. Bridging the two worlds has always been a puzzle worth solving.
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