Product photography is everywhere. Every time you open an online store and browse items, see an advertisement, or flip through a restaurant menu, you’re interacting with it. It’s no surprise, then, that it occupies a larger volume in commercial photography—if someone is selling a product, it needs to be presented.

Let’s clarify from the start. We’re not talking about technical, soulless photography here, where an object is simply photographed from different angles on a white background. Of course, that also has its role and demand, and I’m not in any way disparaging it. Bbut we’re going to talk about a slightly different case: the photograph should not just show the product, but also tell a story about it.

In a rational world, people make purchases based on their needs and the quality characteristics of a product. But in the real world—our world—emotions and mood play a very significant role in that decision. We’re on the other side of the barricade, so we need to learn to awaken those emotions, and our only tool is the photograph.

Know Your Product, Know Your Customer

In business, there’s the concept of “know your customer,” based on the idea that a product or service will sell more if you understand who your customer is. This principle is entirely applicable in product photography, and perhaps we can add the idea of “know your product” to it.

Without understanding both the product and the customer, it’s impossible to do quality work. So, don’t begrudge the time spent filling that gap. You can get some information from your client, and some from open sources (websites, social media pages). This knowledge is crucial because our goal isn’t just a technically perfect photograph. It needs to hit the target, tell its story, and silently present itself. For that, you first need to know what you’re photographing.

This knowledge manifests in the final photograph in two practical ways: form (composition) and color. Let’s address each separately.

Form: The Art of Composition

Form is composition. It’s not just the main subject of the photograph, but also the background, supporting elements, and most importantly, the arrangement of everything in the frame. A good product photograph is, first and foremost, aesthetic and harmonious. It has an ideal composition where every object is in its place, where even empty space acts as an independent subject.

Everything in the frame must be interconnected; they all must have one purpose: to guide the viewer, fix their gaze on the product, and ultimately show what the offered product represents and what the customer will gain by buying it.

Supporting elements aren’t chosen randomly; they must send a clear signal and complement the product. Next to a delicate women’s perfume, there might be a blossoming cherry branch, while next to a men’s leather wallet, a luxurious pen and car keys – but not the other way around. When arranging your future shot, you must absolutely consider the context and the target audience.

The Power of Color

While color is a part of composition, it deserves to be discussed separately. This seemingly simple characteristic of objects plays a primary and decisive role in shaping people’s opinions. The influence of color happens at a subconscious level; this process is instantaneous and uncontrollable. Fortunately, behavioral psychology has thoroughly researched and documented many of the characteristics of color and its perception, and all we have to do is spend some time studying them.

Mastering color theory will help you transform color from a mere attribute into a strategic tool for achieving specific goals. Like alchemists of the past, by carefully selecting and combining colors, you can achieve ideal harmony, and that is already more than just a photograph.

Technical Aspects

Now let’s move on to the technical component of this genre.

You have complete freedom in camera selection. Any relatively recent model with a sensor of 20 megapixels or more will fully solve the tasks at hand. You don’t need stabilization or an advanced autofocus system; the work is slow and unhurried. A tilting or articulating screen will be a great advantage, primarily from a convenience perspective.

The choice of lens should be approached more meticulously. Image quality is paramount, while maximum aperture is generally not important; we rarely need a wide aperture or a blurred background. Ideal options can be short focal length macro (or near-macro) lenses, like 28-70mm. Thanks to this focal length, you can fit quite a lot into the frame, and on the other hand, you won’t be limited by a minimum focusing distance—you can focus quite close and get close-up shots.

Before starting the actual shooting process, I recommend checking the sensor and lens; dust and smudges are unacceptable in this case.

Camera settings

The settings are non-standard and in some ways align with landscape photography settings. We need maximum quality, so we fix the ISO at its base value (100-200, depending on the camera). The aperture should ideally be set to a value within the sweet spot range to get the most out of your lens. And then, you’ll have to choose the shutter speed that provides the correct exposure.

I think you’ve already gathered that a tripod is an essential attribute in this case. And to minimize distortions caused by vibrations, you can select the timer mode from the shooting modes. In this mode, the photo is taken after a certain delay (5, 10, 20 seconds) after pressing the button, allowing all vibrations to subside during that time.

Focusing is quite standard. If the entire frame needs to be sharp, you can use the focus stacking technique. Otherwise, in Single Point mode, you select the necessary point and focus.

Product & Food Photography: The Art of Light

In product and food photography, the correct use of light is extremely important. While in many, many genres you don’t have the luxury of choosing and simply work with the light that’s available, here everything is different: light is your main tool, along with color and composition. Through its proper use, you’ll get a three-dimensional and deep image in the frame, highlight what’s important with shadows, and guide the viewer to your desired point.

Light can be natural or artificial, and of course, a combination of the two. To create a three-dimensional effect, side-lighting is commonly used (at various angles, one of which can also be from a natural source), and then with the help of a reflector or secondary light, you ensure the overall illumination of the frame. Artificial light sources are usually continuous, which allows you to calmly build your composition and understand what the final image will look like before taking the shot. Many professionals prefer to always have natural light in the frame, and some even work exclusively with it (a quite challenging yet interesting task).

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Key Takeaways for Product & Food Photography:

• The essence of product photography lies not just in beautifully presenting the item, but also in evoking specific emotions in the viewer.
• Spend time knowing both the product and your target audience. This will enable you to convey maximum information and emotion through your photographs.
• Approach composition with utmost seriousness. Harmony must prevail in the frame; nothing should be extra or missing.
• Color is one of your crucial weapons in this genre. Study behavioral psychology and master color theory.
• Camera choice isn’t critical; you’ll be working in controlled conditions, so you won’t even use most of the features of a technologically advanced camera.
• The lens must provide good image quality with minimal distortion. It’s desirable that its minimum focusing distance is as short as possible to get close-up shots.
• Settings are chosen with the goal of achieving maximum sharpness in the image.
• You can focus either manually or in Single Point mode. If necessary, use Focus Stacking technology.
• Other essential attributes include a tripod, a studio box (for small objects), and external lights.
• Use light to give depth to the image and to emphasize what’s important.