Product Photography Tips: Outdoor Catalogue Shots

In one of the previous articles we tackled the always interesting but sometimes frustrating world of product photography, featuring of course, sunglasses. Well here’s giving you more, this time some outdoor shooting tips to complete those catalogues.

Done haggling for wholesale sunglasses? Then marketing should be high on your mind. A good way to market your sunglasses is by making a catalogue, which should help you whether you have a physical or online store.

If you think outdoor catalogue shoots are fun, well you are not mistaken. Surprisingly, they are also simpler than you probably expect. It surely won’t take expert level lighting and camera work. In fact this article was written with the store owner in mind doing the shoot, and for this, here are a couple of things that should concern you:

Photo credit: modelmayhem.com

Exposure

As with any outdoor shoot, exposure is critical. For starters, backlighting is very important as it provides the separation between the model and the background. When the sunlight is at the back of the model, you are not only keeping the sunlight off of the model’s face, you are also eradicating unwanted shadows from appearing on the photo.

When done right, backlighting will add drama to your photos. Use diffusers and/or reflectors for warmer skin tones. Be sure neither of the model nor the background is over/under exposed.

Composition

You want your background to be simple. This isn’t glamour photography so you don’t want a lot of things going on in the photos. Remember, all this outdoor production is for a catalogue. You want the customers to focus almost entirely on the model and the products.

Find a location that is apt for the theme of the shoot. The time of day is also important because of the sunlight. It all depends on the theme but to be safe, early morning and late afternoon sunlight are most flattering to the human skin.

In doing catalogue shots, professional photographers will advise you to take note of the eyes and clothing. Because you are doing this for your sunglasses store, the more you should highlight that part of the body.