How does one approach product photography before a product is launched? Well, since it’s essential that all aspects of a product and/or brand reflect its personality, it’s vital to consider how photography can be used to further promote and accentuate the persona of the product.

In a recent product launch for Scotch® Tough Duct Tape products, it was determined that the personality should stand out against the other Scotch® Duct Tape products and be positioned as more rugged, masculine, robust and naturally, tough.

Go East accomplished this by shooting each of the Scotch® Tough Duct Tape products in a rusty toolbox. The tools in the box relate to the specific product and the type of projects for which the six different tapes are used (e.g., paint rollers, brushes, a paint mixer and the 5-in-1 tool with Scotch® Tough Duct Tape – Outdoor Painter’s Clean Removal tape).

The lighting in the photos is dramatic and comes primarily from the right of the toolbox. The roughly textured background is positioned at a great distance behind the toolbox and is not in focus, unlike the items in the foreground. In the photos the color of everything except for the duct tape packaging was converted to a bluish-gray monotone to emphasize the product and ensure it would stand out. This monotone color also provided a blue collar, DIY aspect that fit in perfectly with how the products would be portrayed.

In addition, a rough edge that underscores the brawny aesthetic was added to the collateral designs and further communicates the tough and rugged brand personality.

The photos were a great success and used on product launch materials for the sales force, sell sheets, point-of-sale items like shelf danglers and product displays, as well as other merchandising tactics.

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Tilt-shift is a photo manipulation technique that makes a real scene look like a miniature reproduction. I found a large collection of tilt-shift photos on Flicker and was happy to see how many ways photographers are using the technique. I love a good optical illusion, and this one really helps us see our everyday world in a new way.

I really liked this example by Kenneth Hynek. The bridge could easily pass for someone’s model train set, yet the amount of detail makes one realize, “Hey this is real.” Given the large array of photography out there today, it is nice to imagine all the optical techniques available that, like tilt-shift, help us look a little more closely at a shot.

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Perusing this year’s photography trends, there’s nothing to shock or delight: The woman is the hero, the product is the hero, green is the hero, the almighty buck is the hero and … the hero is the hero. It’s about what you’d expect in — yes, I’m going to say it — this economy.

1. Microstock Photography. Driven by a need for affordable, royalty-free stock photography for Web use, many brands are choosing microstock over other royalty-free and rights-managed stock photography agencies. Major stock houses are marketing photos at lower, affordable prices in hopes that designers will become enamored with the quality and move up to more expensive photos. But beware; chances are that direct competitors may be using the same image you just bought for the low, low price of $1.

2. Belief, Spiritual Heroism and Sanctuary. As outlined in this Getty Images report, the testimonial trend in portraiture is shifting to accommodate ideas around “belief,” “spiritual heroism” and “sanctuary.” Consumers are hoping to obtain a sense of control in an age of information overload.

3. Women Subjects. A different Getty Images analysis reveals that 36 percent of all advertising tear sheets picture individual women, compared to only 5 percent that picture individual men. This makes sense; women buy for themselves, their partners and their family. Additionally, women are beginning to revolutionize the image space in advertising, particularly in business imagery as companies start to develop leadership models based around female values.

4. Green. From bugs to trees, lifestyle to industry, “green” will become the default position for clients and advertisers. The trick here is not to make photography choices that are too cliché.

5. Packaging: Show, Don’t Tell. Much packaging sitting on store shelves is loaded with bullet points, copy bursts and lists of features and benefits, all of which ends up confusing the customer. Let simple, eye-catching photography show the consumer what’s in the package and, if possible, the product’s benefits. Designers can achieve this by depicting a solitary, sharply focused product on a white or colored background or by using a shot that evokes a mood or feeling about the product and that illustrates the benefit to the consumer.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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I have recently experienced two occasions in which one person has questioned another person’s participation in a photo shoot. In each case, the conflict was avoidable. If everyone knows WHY they are there and everyone knows WHAT’S expected of them, people on a shoot can work together to create a smooth process and a successful outcome.

The roles outlined below give general guidelines. Every shoot is different and open communication between client, agency and photographer will lead to clear expectations and stronger partnerships.

Client:
The client’s role is to ensure that the brand is clearly demonstrated and that, from a positioning and technical standpoint, the product is used correctly. When questions or concerns arise, the client should take them to the agency.

Agency:
The photo director and account supervisor work jointly as the liaisons between the client and photographer, and each has specific tasks. The photo director ensures that the brand is brought to life through a clear, strong photographic vision and determines excellence through composition, color, propping, talent and lighting direction. In addition, the director ensures that the tactical needs for the photos are met, taking into account size, layout and other design concerns. The account supervisor’s role is to ensure that the brand and project objectives are met. This person holds everyone accountable to meet budget and timing expectations.

Photographer:
The photographer’s role is to ensure that all photos will meet the expectations of the brand as outlined by the photo director. The photographer’s talent, vision and skill determine the composition, color, lighting, style, contrast and other technical aspects of photography. The photographer also directs the post-production of photos to ensure that all files meet the project’s objectives.

The photographer often works with a producer who is responsible for the overall organization and management of the photo shoot. A producer secures locations, casting and propping, and hires prop masters, location scouts, talent or other necessary experts. The producer also creates and manages the photographer’s budget and timeline, as well as manages the photographer’s crew, including assistants, stylists, set builders, caterers, etc.

Stylist:
The stylist is responsible for making the model or objects in the photo look their best in order to create visual impact and meet the project’s objectives. The stylist may work with sets, props and food, as well as the model’s hair, makeup and wardrobe.

While understanding and sticking to these roles won’t eliminate friction, it can help reduce it. And while it may be tempting, cutting out roles or multi-tasking doesn’t pay in the end. In tight, tense and sometimes expensive situations like photo shoots, each player brings valuable skills and vision, all of which contribute to any shoot’s success.

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During a design project’s brainstorming and idea-forming stage, designers usually select images and use Adobe Photoshop to “fake” certain effects in order to get their visual ideas across. And most often, designers assume that these “faked” images will be replaced by photographs shot professionally during the development stage. But what happens when a concept is expected to go to final art within days or hours of a concept’s selection? Should the finished-looking, Photoshop-created concept be considered final art?

There have been various debates about whether it is better to use Photoshop to create an image or to take original photography. I think it really comes down to the situation one is in. These approaches may cost roughly the same or may differ drastically in cost, depending on what is involved. Original photography may involve pre-production costs, photography costs, model costs, location costs, color correction costs, and many other post-production costs. And using original photography may still require some Photoshop work. Creating an image with Photoshop involves stock photo costs and the design costs associated with a designer’s advanced retouching skills.

In addition to thinking about cost considerations, time issues may be relevant. Using original photography and designing with Photoshop may require about the same amount of time, or one or the other may require less time. Maybe it is not feasible to coordinate a photo shoot under a particular scheduling crunch, although often the time that it takes to design with Photoshop would allow for a professional photo shoot. On the other hand, an image might prove to be so difficult to create in Photoshop that time would be saved just shooting the image.

The bottom line is that each situation is unique. Hopefully, people will have enough time to think through each decision during a project’s brainstorming phase, ultimately ensuring that the final image not only represents the brand appropriately but is worth the cost and time that will be put into it.

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Let’s not kid ourselves. Photo shoots are stressful and require a lot of hard work. Most likely, you have a limited amount of time to create an image that will make or break all the marketing efforts it touches. It will be on 3,500 brochures, two Web sites, 10,000 displays and 48 sales PPTs before you know it, and then it will be be too late to ask, “Is this the best image we could come up with?” This is not the time to try out your nephew’s skills with his new Nikon D4. It’s time to dream of — better yet, dream up — an image that only a seasoned professional can give you. Check out some pros at Workbook!

Here are my top 10 reasons to shoot with high-end photographers.

1. They have been shooting the type of  photo you need for a long time. Find someone who excels at shooting what you need, whether it’s people, food or locations.
2.  They have more lighting equipment than you’ve ever seen. This means they can nail your job without compromising quality.
3. They take care of the models, from casting calls and model searches to booking and confirming. This increases the chance that the eight models you need over the next 48 hours will all show up at the right time, at the right place.
4. They have photo assistants who take care of set and lighting requirements. This keeps the photographer focused on you and your shoot.
5. They know and use stylists. They have a bank of stylists that can prop and clothe your models and set with up-to-date styles. If you ask for red shirts, they’ll bring six for you to choose from!
6. They demand make-up artists, professionals who are called artists for a reason. Lighting at a photo shoot is quite unique and you need someone with the right make-up equipment to make the most of that lighting. And when your teen model shows up with blemishes, you’re going to need a pro.
7. They have been in the business long enough to know where to find great locations and great props for your shoot.
8.  They know model-speak. No kidding; they have a great language that the models understand and can relate to.
9. They provide a nice lunch. When you’re shooting for 10 hours straight and you still have two more days of shooting ahead of you, don’t underestimate the power of a decent meal to keep everyone happy.
10. They know the job isn’t done at the end of the shoot. A great studio will know how to best review all the shots they’ve just taken, what to do with them next and will give you tips about proper color correction, outlining and retouching.

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Your model shows up and she is 25 pounds heavier than she was in her headshot, with shoulder length black hair instead of long brown hair. Her skin has suffered a massive breakout. The stylist went to DEB for wardrobe and brought back four versions of three different homely — not to mention cheap — tops. The pants are too tight and two inches too short. And on top of everything, the model is pathetically stiff and unnatural in front of the camera, giving canned poses and only one expression.

So … some words of advice:

1. Always ask for a current headshot or digital snapshot. If one is not available, confirm the model’s current weight, clothing sizes, hair color and style and even nail polish color.
2. Preview all wardrobe, thus allowing the stylist additional shopping time, if needed. Ask your model to bring some clean and “gently used” pieces from her home wardrobe as well. These will most likely fit her and be comfortable.
3. If you have the luxury, ask for a casting call. Holding one usually doesn’t amount to a big additional expense.
4. Have a pre-production/fitting day to ensure success with wardrobe, to review the shooting schedule and go over the shot list.
5. Think about details: jewelry, accessories, hair accessories, shoes, even socks and undergarments. Will your model be wearing a delicate white blouse in the shot and only have a black bra?
6. Ask coworkers for recommendations of models with whom they have had success.
7. When working with children, infants or animals, have back ups on call. You never know when a meltdown may occur.

And most importantly …

8. Use only professional, experienced models. Ask for the model’s current résumé, as well as additional shots or composites. Agencies provide these upon request.

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These days, seems like all you hear is royalty-free, royalty-free, royalty-free.

Budgets are tight, so the trend is toward cheap, and more and more people are searching for royalty-free images.

The only problem there is that all of us are searching the same sites and searching for the best, most current images out there. Hence, an image used on our client’s work has a very good chance of showing up on another company’s work — often times a direct competitor, such as in the Dell and Gateway campaigns above.

(more…)

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