DIY vs Professional Product Photography: Which to Choose?
Professional Product Photography: The Pros & Cons of DIY vs Professional Product photography Services
In this article, we'll delve into an effective yet underrated aspect of marketing and advertising - product photography. We'll discuss the comparisons between Do-It-Yourself (DIY) and professional product photography services and shed light on why an expert’s touch matters when it comes to quality, consistency, and making a lasting impact.
In the ever changing landscape of e-commerce, digital marketing and online advertising, one thing still holds true; the visual appeal of your products and services are often the first interaction potential customers have with your brand. Your visuals are often the key to engagement and ultimately conversion. Which is why the significance of having high-quality product photography cannot be overstated.
As a business owner, in house marketer, or ad agency, you're often faced with a crucial decision: Should you take the DIY route or invest in hiring a professional product photographer for your project? In this article, we'll explore the pros and cons of each approach to help you make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals. Furthermore, to put things into perspective, we'll draw some parallels between DIY product photography and the all too familiar scenario of fixing things around your home.
DIY Product Photography
Pros:
Cost-Effective Solutions: Much like tackling home repairs yourself, opting for DIY product photography can be a cost-effective option. A smartphone or basic camera can serve as your tool to capture product shots without breaking the bank.
Flexibility and Convenience: DIY empowers you with the flexibility to shoot product photos at your convenience – a sentiment echoed by homeowners who prefer to address household issues on their own schedule.
Quick Turnaround: DIY product photography allows for a swift turnaround, ideal for businesses needing quick and frequent updates to their product catalog or e-commerce store. This parallels a homeowner's ability to promptly address and fix issues around the house without the need to schedule an appointment and wait for a service to be fulfilled.
Cons:
Skill and Experience Challenges: Just as fixing home issues requires a certain level of skill (think electrical or plumbing), achieving professional-looking product shots demands a background in photography and visual communications. Without this expertise, DIY attempts may not evoke emotion from your target buyer or capture the nuanced detail and vibe of your products.
Equipment Limitations: While entry-level cameras and smartphone technology can be impressive at times, it won't possess the same sensor technology or optical quality required for high level production value, similar to the limitations faced when attempting complex home repairs without specialized tools, some of which can be very expensive.
Inconsistent Results: DIY product photography can lead to inconsistent quality across your entire product catalog, mirroring the disparities that might arise in the outcomes of DIY home repairs, such as variations in the finish, execution or wasted time that still didn't fix your initial problem.
Commercial Product Photographer Brian Rodgers Jr. working in studio creating a hero shot of a consumer electronic bluetooth speaker.
Professional Product Photography Services
Pros:
Expertise and Experience: Much like hiring a professional for home repairs, enlisting the services of a professional product photographer brings a wealth of expertise and experience. They understand how to showcase products in creative and unique ways as well as capture details that might escape the untrained eye. Things like color theory, composition, lighting and post production are all essential skills in creating well produced product imagery. If your company designs and manufactures products with highly reflective surfaces, do you know to properly light those types of surfaces to make them look as good as an Apple product? An experienced product photographer would immediately know how to approach the lighting on those types of surfaces and would have the right tools to make it happen.
High-Quality Results: Investing in reputable professional product photography services ensures consistent, high-quality, polished images that ultimately elevate your brand's image – just like hiring a skilled contractor to guarantee a flawless finish in your home repairs. How you present your products to your customers and competitors is really no different than how you present you home to family and friends. I'd like to think that most people have some form of pride in their home and if you really care about how your products are perceived by your customers and competitors, it's worth hiring a professional.
Consistent Brand Image: Commercial product photographers understand aesthetics and have the ability to maintain a consistent visual style across your product catalog, mirroring the importance of a unified aesthetic in the overall design and decor of a home. This consistency fosters brand recognition and trust among your audience. Not to mention plays a huge role in quality of your content marketing and advertising efforts. Having access to consistent, super high quality imagery can elevate your brand image, increase engagement that generate leads and ultimately drive sales.
Cons:
Financial Investment: Similar to the cost associated with hiring professionals for home repairs, investing in a professional product photographer entails a financial commitment that might be substantial for smaller businesses or startups.
Scheduling Challenges: Coordinating with a photoshoot with any commercial photographer can introduce scheduling challenges, just like reflecting the need to align schedules with contractors when addressing home repairs promptly.
Less Control: While professionals bring expertise to the table, relinquishing control over the process means trusting someone else with your brand's visual identity – akin to entrusting a contractor with the aesthetics of your home. However, there really shouldn't be any issues if you've put together a comprehensive creative brief.
Need To Hire A Professional Product Photographer?
If you’ve made it this far into the article, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Brian Rodgers Jr., an American Advertising Federation award winning commercial advertising photographer and digital artist based out of South Bend, Indiana. I’m the founder and owner of Digital Art That Rocks™ and I specialize in product photography and architectural photography with an emphasis on high end retouching and post production.
My relentless work ethic, creative vision and technical proficiency has allowed my company, Digital Art That Rocks™ to craft commercial photography for SMB, global corporations and ad agencies located all across North America spanning from California all the way to New Hampshire.
Probably one of the biggest advantages of working as a product photographer is that I work remotely. Clients from all over the country simply ship their products to my studio. For really large products that can’t be shipped, I’m happy to pack up my mobile studio and tethering station to work on location.
So if your company is interested in hiring a credible product photographer that has the creative vision, skillset, experience and tools needed to produce incredible product photography, you’ve come to the right place! Why not fill out my contact form? I'd love to see how I might be of service. Also be sure to check out my product photography reel linked above.
Taking A Gamble With The DIY Route?
If you decide that the DIY route is the route for you, that’s ok. However, it's important that you equip yourself with some knowledge. And, I can help with that! It just so happens that I created the "Ultimate Tutorial On Product Photography," it's called The Hero Shot - How to Light And Composite Product Photography. In this 13+ hour tutorial, I'll teach you everything you need to know to start creating stunning product imagery.
If you want to take it even further, I've also have an advanced lesson featured in Fstoppers The Well Rounded Photographer that will blow your mind! Not sure about my teaching style? Check out this free lesson that I filmed on the topic of commercial beverage photography, it has over 1 million views on Youtube.
It’s Your Call…
I'd like to think that most people know how to change their furnace filter. But could you replace a furnace or an entire HVAC system yourself? Chances are...probably not. And I don't know about you, but when it comes to extreme heat or cold arctic air, I find comfort in knowing that my HVAC system is maintained and working properly by hiring a professional that has the right tools and the knowledge needed for that specific job. Product photography is kind of the same thing.
The DIY approach can get you by to some extent if you're just starting a business or you have a side hustle. But if the products that your company designs, manufactures and sells are in any way tied to whether or not you put food on the table as a small business owner or goes toward the payroll of a corporation that employs 500,000 people, it's probably a worthy investment to hire a professional product photographer. Best of all, it’s a business expense, so you can write it off on your taxes.
Ultimately, the decision should be based on a careful consideration of your business goals and priorities. Striking the right balance between hands-on engagement and professional photography expertise is key to creating a lasting impression that keeps your brand top of mind.
