Product Photography / packshots

[andy-xr]

Anyone have any examples they'd like to share? Something I'm thinking of doing on the side, probably volume based low cost for local businesses

[S. Gonzales Esq.]

andy-xr said:

Anyone have any examples they'd like to share? Something I'm thinking of doing on the side, probably volume based low cost for local businesses

As a full-timer in this activity you might not expect me to be too encouraging, but I think it's with good reason.

If you're after a simple way to make money from photography, then portraits are probably the way to go - minimal kit, less technically demanding, high margins.

The problem with products is that clients all have access to cheap digital cameras and pop-up light tents, so you have to be better than that to stand a chance of getting work.

On the other hand, if you've got the experience and have invested in the equipment to do a decent job then you can't make a living if you're really low cost.

The ideal client values product imagery sufficiently to pay enough to get it right, but they're hard to find.

Here are two examples - the first was time consuming and relatively expensive, the second was one of a large group of cheap 'n' cheerful shots for which I charged less than £20 each (including the cutting out). At that price there's not much room for creativity, but hopefully it's still technically sound.

Edited by S. Gonzales Esq. on Tuesday 15th June 00:16

[Ed_P]

S. Gonzales Esq. said:

As a full-timer in this activity you might not expect me to be too encouraging ...

Love the stuff on your website Tony. Shows just what an impact this type of photography has, when done to the highest standard.

[Bob_Defly]

I have a small amount on my website:

http://www.robsmithphotography.com/product/

A lot of the packet type shots I do aren't up there, I'd agree with everything Tony says though. The marketing agency I work through set up their own studio, I just have to convince them I can do it cheaper/faster/better than they can. It sounds simple but reflections can take ages to get rid of if shooting shiny plastic packets!

[andy-xr]

Interesting stuff, thanks gents. I'll give this some thought. I think the photogrpahy side of it would be fairly straightforward to compete on looking at what I'm up against locally, it's just going to be whether the price point it's being done at by others is worth getting involved with.

No plans to retire off the proceeds, just checking out options and doing a bit of research incase things go tits with the day job

[ian in lancs]

Why don't people use rendered images from CAD packages that were used to design the product in the first place? The graphics I've seen recently are a match for photos and a lot cheaper, controllable and viewing angles and perspectives are infinite.

[S. Gonzales Esq.]

It will happen increasingly in the future - pretty much all my work shooting new build commercial property has been lost to computer-generated impressions.

However, currently lots of products don't have CAD designs, or don't justify the expense of creating digital versions - for example:




Another insight into the glamorous life of the professional photographer.