Pictures are powerful vehicles for communicating ideas and messages, and commercial product photography is no exception. The different types of product photography can help you tell a story to potential partners and customers so you can effectively communicate the ideas and benefits that your products can bring them. That being said, the success of your campaign’s product photography is largely affected by how well the type of product photos you use match your wares as well as your target market.
In this article, we go over the types of product photography shots that you can explore and apply to your brand and how these types of product photos differ from each other. Our team at Stellar Studios will also give our recommendations for the type of products that each product photography type works best for so you can narrow down which type you should choose for your product. Read on and find out which type of product images will work best for you and your brand!
The Solo Shot
The solo shot (also known as the individual shot or the studio shot) is a staple among online shops and e-commerce portals. Defined by how a subject is featured as the solitary subject on a white, plain, or transparent background, solo shots are all about highlighting the product and its details in product catalogs and individual product pages with a simple and no-frills approach.
Though solo shots are occasionally laid over other colors, a simple and clean white background is the most effective accompaniment so buyers can fully appreciate the product and examine it in greater detail. Brand owners can opt for the crisp, clear white background generated by post-processing, but a recent trend in product photography types is featuring the solitary product with a simple yet visually interesting background. Examples of this include a light or neutral-colored wall while the product rests on a glass or wooden tabletop to create visual interest with wood grain or prismatic lighting.
This Type of Product Photography is Best For: Individual product pages that feature different color variants of the same product. This is also a great type of product image to use in catalogue pages for easy grid organization and navigation.
The Group Shot
Marketing a bundle or collection of products with a cohesive theme or function? Then perhaps a group shot is what you need to execute your concept. Group shots are an excellent choice of product photography type for items that are meant to be marketed as one line, set, or combo. At times, this type of product photo is also used to showcase different finishes and colors of the same item. An example of this could be dinnerware in different patterns or materials, or perhaps the same cut of garment in different patterns.
Group shots can be styled simply with a pointed focus on the subjects and how they differ from one another but may also benefit from stylistic staging, especially when depicting a group of products that are of the same line. Beauty items like skincare and makeup of the same line would look great poised on an elegant vanity, telling a story of how these items can be used together in an effective routine.
This Type of Product Photography is Best For: Catalogs that feature products of the same style but different colors and finishes. From fashion items like clothing, shoes, and accessories to household items like mugs, plates, and even cooking ware—group shots are meant to look cohesive while displaying a wide variety of goods. This is also a great marketing material choice for bundles that you want to be sold or marketed together, as your target market may see the group photo as a story of how these items work best when used together with other products of the same line.
The Lifestyle Shot
Sometimes, customers relate more to a product when they see it in a familiar scene. That is when the lifestyle type of product image comes into play. Lifestyle shots are all about showing your customer what the product will look like if it is integrated into their life. By placing the product into relatable scenes that look like snapshots of their own life, you can make your products feel more personal and necessary to the viewer.
Establishing rapport with your buyers is always an important part of taking them down the consumer funnel, and a lifestyle shot makes this task easier and more natural. Create a meaningful connection between your brand and your customer through this type of product photography shot by utilizing your target market’s favorite furniture pieces and props to make your photo feel like home.
This Type of Product Photography is Best For: Magazine and social media features with an intent to connect with your consumer base. Lifestyle shots are also an effective type of product photo to feature on your company’s website, as they feel less commercial and advertorial. Instead, they may feel like a more personal touch that will have customers wondering what your product would look like within their own spaces. Lifestyle shots are a flexible product photography type, lending its beauty to food items, furniture, electronics, appliances, and many more.
The Detail Shot
Some items are best examined up close and personal. The Detail Shot is a type of product photography that requires a high-powered macro camera lens in order to show your customers your products down to the finest detail. Intricate and complex products such as jewelry, electronics, cosmetics, and accessories often require some examination on the part of your consumers. By capturing your goods in this type of product image, you can give your target market a chance to inspect the product from angles that would otherwise be unavailable.
This also shows your customers that you are a credible and trustworthy brand, giving you a chance to raise rapport because of your willingness to dispel any confusion or doubt by laying your product’s most minute details out in the open.
This Type of Product Photography is Best For: Jewelry with precious stones and metals, electronics with fine details, and cosmetics with special properties such as texture and finish. Photos captured with product photography type can be featured on your website, social media platforms, and even in product catalogs on your e-commerce channels to give customers the confidence and reassurance that they are getting exactly what they paid for.
We hope that this short primer on a few of the different types of product photography can help you narrow down which ones you would like to feature on your respective digital spaces and marketing materials. If you have spotted a type of product image from this list or are still unsure which would suit your goods best, simply reach out to the Stellar Studios team so we can offer our advice on the best product photography type for your branded content!