Over the years of working as a commercial photographer specializing in product photography, I've noticed a common thread amongst clients. When trying to articulate the types of product images needed for any given project, they all seem to have different names for describing them. I've heard anything and everything from "glamor shots" to "amazon shots." So in this article, we'll discuss the 4 most common types of commercial product shots that you're likely to need for your next marketing and advertising campaign or product launch. Aren't there more than 4 types of product shots? Yes absolutely, but I'd argue that these are the foundational categories that describe 99% of most companies product photography needs.
Commercial product photography can essentially be broken down into four main types of shots. These shots are; a pack shot, an environmental shot, a product in use and a hero shot. Now that we know what each type is called, let's discuss the differences between each of these categories. I'll also provide some visual references taken from my product photography portfolio to further illustrate my point.
Pack Shot
Pack Shot (Product on white seamless background)
A pack shot in its most basic form is the product photographed by itself, front and center, on a white seamless background. These types of product images are often created to help provide the viewer with a clear and accurate representation of any given product product, as well as visually describe and call out key features and benefits. Furthermore, a pack shot can be used to help a customer make an educated purchasing decision based on visual facts.
Most often, a pack shot refers to a single product but can also be extended to a group of products. Does the background have to be white? Nope. The background can be any color you specify. But white is the most common and universal background color used for these types of shots, especially when it comes to e-commerce websites.
The Production
These types of shots are typically produced in a controlled studio environment. Though seemingly easy to create, there can be more than meets the eye. You might ask "can't you just simply put a product on a white background, photograph it and put it on the web?" Sure, you can do that. Whether that's going provide you with the professional results your looking for is debatable. Just because it may look simple, doesn't mean that it is. There are many levels of product shots on white backgrounds.
A lot of clients don't know this, but simply placing a product on a white background and setting up a light doesn't guarantee a pure white background straight out of camera. While achieving a pure white background "in camera" is definitely possible through separating the background light from the subject, it really depends on the product and the angle at which that product is being photographed. More often than not, the product will still required being cut out with the pen tool in Photoshop and placed on a pure white background during post production if you want consistent results for print and web.
In the example above, though this portable battery powered saw may look like a simple product shot on a white seamless background, I can assure you that plenty of production went into creating it. When I look at this product, I see a piece of art; a sculpture. In order to really do this product justice and create that polished commercial aesthetic, I was mindful in strategically placing light in specific areas to emphasize the elegant design. Each component was pathed out in order to provide individual attention to each facet of the product. The final image was comprised of multiple exposures in order to create a polished final image.
Common Uses of Pack Shots include:
E-Commerce websites (Target, Amazon, Walmart)
Print Catalogs
Product Packaging
Brochures
Corporate Websites
Instruction Manuals
And so many more...
Environmental Product Shot
Environmental Product Shot
An environmental product shot is a product shot that visually places your product in an environment. This can be an abstract conceptual environment or a real world environment. The idea behind this type of shot is to create a sense of place. I'd argue that for a product shot like this, the environment you place your product in can be just as important as the product itself. Aesthetically speaking, environmental product images can help enhance your product by creating depth and visual harmony. From the viewers perspective a visually appealing environmental product image it can help evoke an emotional connection with your target audience, show the scale of a product, as well as provide a general sense of how a product could look in their space.
The Production
From a production standpoint, an environmental product image can be shot one of two ways; on location or in a controlled studio environment. When it comes to environmental product images, there's an awful lot to consider. The Vibi+ image above for example, was created all in studio. The concept behind this shot was to visualize this emerging wellness brand in a yoga studio environment. In order to create a shot like this without the need for location scouting, obtaining property releases, renting a yoga facility and ultimately setting up photography equipment on location for a single image, I instead sourced and purchased set building materials and props in order to create an environment all in studio. Each of these materials and props then had to be arranged into a pleasing composition that not only highlighted the product, but offered a variety of cropping options, otherwise known as "art direction." The placement of all of these props and materials are crucially important in complimenting and highlighting the product. I created lighting that resembled a natural morning light. I wanted all of the colors in the image to have balance and harmony. And compositionally, I wanted to create leading lines that easily allow the viewers eyes to move directly to the main product.
Common Uses Of Environmental Product Shots Include:
Company websites as banner images or product pages
Editorial print and web - An article about your product whether digital or in print
Print or web advertising
Product In Use / Lifestyle Shot
Product In Use
A product in use shot is simply a product photo that shows a "product in use." Sometimes a product in use image is also referred to as a "lifestyle shot" or "action shot." The idea is to convey a certain type of lifestyle associated with the use of the product or to visually demonstrate the functionality of a product i.e. showing how the product works. While these types of images usually involve talent, they don't always. The term "talent" can however refer to a variety of subjects. Talent can include a single person, a group of people, a person's hand or even an animal. For example, if your product is premium grade dog food with all natural ingredients, a product in use shot might involve a well groomed dog eating that dog food. Some products may only require the use of a hand in order to show the functionality of how the product works. And in other cases, you may not need talent at all. For example, if your product is a coffee maker, the product in use shot could simply be the coffee maker brewing a cup of coffee. No talent required, because the product itself is the talent in this case.
The Production
These types of images are generally photographed on location or in a studio environment. I've included a product in use shot that I created for a food packaging solutions company in the example above. This image was part of a much larger body of work. But essentially, the concept a behind this image was to convey the convenience and reliability of their proprietary freshness technology, perfect for grab and go food packaging found in the deli section of your local supermarket.
Common Uses of Product In Use Shot Include:
Company websites as banner images or product pages
Editorial - An article about your product
Print or Web Advertising
Hero Shot
Hero Shot
A hero shot (not a glamour shot) is the one shot that defines the face advertising campaign or product line. This type of shot evokes emotion, desire, intrigue, allure and production value. When you're putting money into any form of advertising, this is the shot you're using in that advertisement. It's the kind of product image that makes you feel like you want one, even if you don't know what the product is or does. The visual speaks to you. It's a piece of art that stands on its own. I think it's also worth noting here, that a hero shot can in fact be a product shot on white, an environmental shot or even a product in use shot. What really makes it a hero shot is the production value. It needs to look damn good.
Production
Typically consumer electronics and water don't play well together, that is unless that product is waterproof! In the example above, I created a hero shot of a bluetooth speaker that plays off it's IPX7 waterproof rating. IPX7 meaning that it's fully waterproof. The concept for this visual was loosely inspired by the song "Rock You Like A Hurricane" by The Scorpions. A lot of thought, time and production went into creating this image. Not only did I have to artfully sculpt moving liquids to creatively convey a hurricane, I had to make sure that the product looked amazing without being completely overshadowed by special effects. It's a delicate balance.
Common Uses of Hero Shots Include:
Company websites usually as main header images
Print & Web Advertising
Billboards
Posters
And so many more...
Conclusion
There you have it, the 4 most common types of product shots in product photography. Again, there are technically more than 4 different kinds of product shots. But again, these are the foundational categories that describe 99% of most companies product photography needs. The next time you're looking to hire a pro, my hope is that this article will help you in describing and articulating the types of shots that you may require for your next product photography. And if you happen to work in a marketing role already, this will show your boss that this isn't your first rodeo!
OTHER HELPFUL ARTICLES
WHAT IS COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY? HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES?
WHY YOUR COMPANY NEEDS A CREATIVE BRIEF WHEN HIRING A COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER AND HOW TO WRITE ONE.
WHY YOUR COMPANY NEEDS A SHOT LIST WHEN HIRING A COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER AND HOW TO WRITE ONE
