As I have grown over the years as a photographer, the one constant is that there will always be new challenges to overcome. I think that might be the allure of making images, as soon as you start thinking “I’ve got this” the nagging desire to keep improving pushes onward. All of my old work starts looking stale, and I start thinking about big overhauls.
Here I am once again, staring at the same old product shots in my online portfolio for too long. So, behind-the-scenes I have been building up a body of new work over the past several months, some commercial work that hasn’t yet made it in and some work intended to show off my chops as an advertising photographer, and collecting it all into a fresh new product photography portfolio.
This shot was made on location. All of the styling tells a story and sells the product. In this case a mother and daughters boots are lined up to suggest that they have been outside playing or gardening. The fall colors in the leaves and pumpkins give a homey cozy feel. The dappled light suggests the sun going down. It all goes to make an inviting image full of warmth and nostalgia.
Product photography can be a lot of fun, people are often amazed at how much can go into a image of something tiny like a watch or ring. The setups in the studio get quite complicated because often these tiny still-lifes have reflective or mirrored surfaces, so not only are there plenty of lights but there are also cards positioned to give just the right quality of light to each part of the subject.
Here another tiny set tells a story. A well-worn work bench is home for some reliable tools that deliver day in and day out.
After I finish shooting, once each light and card has been finessed to make every part of the photo look its best, then the real work begins. Retouching for product photography is a ton of work. I use compressed air and anti-static cloths but on a tiny piece of jewelry, there is just no way to get rid of all of the dust, or horrible fingerprints that ruin the look of the stone. The only way to fix the tiny details is with hours of exacting work.
So, if you would like to take a look at all of the new work stop by my product page.