Get Ready For Your Product Photo Shoot

1. Professional high quality photographs will help your products stand out online

Working with a product photographer will give you the bright, high-quality images you’re dreaming of. They’ll help you make a great first impression when you’re pitching for magazine features, exhibitions or craft fairs. Yes, you can take your own product shots. But styling, shooting and editing your product photos and styled flat lays are probably not your superpowers. And as a small-business owner, you already have a-million-and-one other things to do. Hiring someone to take your product photography for you will save a huge amount of time and stress. When you’re choosing a product photographer, look for someone whose portfolio makes you feel really excited about working with them and whose style really fits your brand.

2. My Send & Shoot remote photography service

Once you’ve chosen a product photographer, it’s time to talk to them about what you need. Let them know what you want your images for. Will they be for your website, your online shop, your social media platforms, or a combination of all of these? Get clear on price, how many images you’ll get and when, and how you’ll receive them. Ask your photographer if they offer a remote product photography service (like my Send & Shoot service), to save you the time and hassle of having to be at the studio all day. With a remote photography service, you simply send the product photographer your products; they style, shoot and edit your life style photos, flat lays and product photos; and then send your products back to you. Once you’ve got the basics sorted, it’s time for the exciting part - styling your product photography shoot.

3. Styling your product photography shoot

Start looking online for inspiration. Check out your product photographer’s portfolio, look at your competitors’ images, pay attention to what stands out on your Instagram feed, and go wild on Pinterest. Start a Pinterest board with your favourite style elements from all the product photos you like - think about colour, props, backgrounds, and compositions. To get you started, take a look at my Product Photography Ideas board on Pinterest. It’s also really useful to gather together the images and elements you don’t like. This will help your product photographer hone in on your particular style and avoid anything that doesn’t fit your brand.

4. Using colour for your styled flat lays

Your product photographer will style your products for your flat lays, life style and product photos on top of or in front of different backgrounds - a range of coloured or textured surfaces. They’ll have a number of backgrounds in their studio for you to choose from. And a good professional product photographer will also be very happy to source something special for you, if you give them plenty of notice. Play with incorporating your brand colours into your backgrounds, and ask your product photographer for their ideas on what will work with your products. Look beyond standard white and neutral backgrounds. Pops of bright colour can really help your product photos, styled flat lays and life style photos stop the scroll and stand out online.

5. Choosing props for your styled flat lays and product photos

The right props add touches of your own personality and style to your product photographs. They also help to tell the story of your products, giving them context and helping customers imagine how they’ll use or enjoy them. The idea isn’t to overload your product photos and flat lays with too much stuff. But to add one or two elements that will enhance your product shoot. Look around your home and studio for any props you’d like to include. And talk to your product photographer about the props they have already or could source for you.

6. Product Shot List

A shot list is a list of the individual shots you want your product photographer to take of each of your products. It helps them be more efficient with their time. And makes sure you get the all the high quality product photos you need. Use your shot list to specify which products are in each shot, the camera angle, the background and props you’d like included, and other styling you’d like to see in the photograph.

7. Package up your products and props

With your shot list in hand, it’s time to get your products and props ready for the big day. Go through your handy product shot list and make sure you’ve got everything you need to create the photographs you want. If you want to show multiples of some products in the same shot (or the front and the reverse of an item), make sure you give your product photographer enough products to do that. Get together any props you’d like to include too. Then all that’s left to do is package up and send your products and props to your remote product photographer, or take them along to the studio. Planning and preparing for your product photo shoot means you’re sure to get all the beautiful images you need. And getting creative with your styling is a lot of fun!

If you get stuck for ideas or if you have any questions you can book a free call with me to see how we can work together.

Susan x