Shooting still life product photography on location

Still life Product photography

Shooting on location is a great way to showcase your product in a stunning natural environment, creating a visually appealing effect that can draw in customers. It requires staging the product in various locations and ensuring the image is well-lit, making it an exciting but complex process. In this blog post, we jump into a shoot we completed late last year and provide an overview of how to successfully take product photos on location, including tips for finding the right location, getting the perfect shot and more! 

Finding the Right Location for Still Life Product Photography: The first step is finding the best spot to capture your product image. This could be a beach, forest, park or urban area, depending on the look you want for your product. When scouting for a location, pay attention to details such as natural lighting and how it will affect the overall aesthetic. Additionally, consider the smaller details and how the surfaces or backgrounds could affect the product’s colour and texture. For this shoot we had a location already sourced by the client, a mansion in the outskirts of London with a pool, large garden, gym and large bathrooms.

Capturing the Perfect Image by Combining Natural Lighting and Artificial: Once you have chosen your location, it is time to decide on a lighting setup that will work best for your product image. For still life product shots, you can experiment with natural lighting (sunlight) or artificial lighting and a combination of both, remember if there is partial cloud cover the exposure and light could change quickly making it a challenge so you will need to consider this. You will want your photography to look real, multiple shadows created by multiple hard light sources could look confusing. When shooting inside then consider the indoor lighting and how the colour balance and luminosity are affecting the image.

Posing Tips for On-Location Product Photos When Shooting with Models: If you are shooting on location with models, it can be helpful to plan the poses and have an idea of how the model will be interacting with the products or scenes. It may be helpful to create a storyboard or mood board of the poses and angles you would like your model to do. This can help keep everyone focused throughout the shoot and ensure that the right poses are captured. Additionally, if you are shooting outdoors in a natural setting, make sure to have your model looking as natural and relaxed as possible.

Logistics and Post-Production Editing and Retouching: Depending on the location of your shoot, it is important to consider the logistical elements that will arise such as finding the right props, dressing the set, the model's wardrobe, hair and makeup and the required level of post-production. This is where a great team is essential when shooting on location. Great models, amazing product stylists and a clear creative vision are all important to the success of a shoot. 

Conclusion: Taking product photos on location can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it requires careful planning and attention to detail. By considering the tips outlined above and have a great team of professionals, you will be able to capture stunning images of your product in natural lighting and scenery. This can help you create a visually appealing effect that can boost sales and draw in customers. Good luck!