Welcome back to my blog! If you read my last blog, I hope you found it entertaining.
Today's entry in this series is about why I chose to base my photography career on product photography. It's actually a pretty straightforward answer: I enjoy it.
Product photography can be seen as boring. When you think of product photography, you probably think of photos with a white background and not much else. But let me tell you: it can be so much more than that, and it is one of the most fun forms of photography you can do.
When I finally decided to take the leap and try becoming a professional, I racked my brain trying to figure out which photo services I would provide. But the answer was obvious. Portrait photography isn't for me (although I will do it), and I wouldn't enjoy taking photos at events. I certainly didn't intend to become a wedding photographer. The thought of shooting weddings sends me into an anxiety-riddled downward spiral like no other.
So, product photography it was. It was a no-brainer. Shooting products is one of the genres that I am more familiar with. Having watched YouTube videos on the subject for years, I had a foundation to build from. I also had some experience in the area.
Long before I even considered the idea for my photo business, I was asked to do a shoot for a local restaurant. The story of how that happened is actually quite interesting (one which I will tell in a later blog.)
With the decision made, I got to work gathering the images I had done from that local restaurant and taking some sample shots to show off the rest of my skills as a photographer. That's also how I decided to include food photography in my list of services. I hadn't looked at those photos in years, and upon looking at them again, I deemed them good enough to go into the portfolio.
Also, I listed it as a separate service because most people don't think of food photography when you say product photography. When most people think of product photography, they think of photos of shoes, jewelry, or eCommerce photo like the ones you see on Amazon.
I could see myself as a product photographer but as a food photographer! I never thought I would willingly choose that path haha. I have never been a fan of food photography. I think it's because Instagram, in my opinion, has given it a bad rap. If you were caught taking photos of your food, you would be instantly judged by everyone within a five-mile radius. Although, after doing that food gig, my eyes were opened to how fun food photography is.
Probably the major reason for becoming a product photographer was because it's a very fun form of photography. It allows you to use your imagination to its fullest extent. If you have the set dressings and an item to photograph, you're all set to go crazy!
It's crazy fun to photograph an object lying around the house. It can literally be anything. Then, find other objects that complement or enhance the main subject, and see what kind of photoshoot you can put together with what you have. It's a fun challenge to see what you can do. Just look at what I did with this ring in the photo below. The ring is the focus, but I found other objects that complimented its nautical theme. I even challenged myself by using a match to get that smoke effect you see over to the left of the photo.
Product photography isn't just those photos with a white background that you see when shopping online. It can be so much more than that! It is a free-form genre that really lets you express yourself. There are fewer restrictions than in other genres; for example, the weather conditions play a huge role in how a shoot can go if you're doing anything outdoors. Or, in wildlife photography, you may have to wait in one spot for hours, hoping that a peacock appears, but it never does. There are fewer obstacles in product photography. You can, however, be restricted by the client's wants and needs. They may want you to make a change to a composition, or make an edit that doesn't look as aesthetically pleasing as it could have been. Sometimes, you will have to compromise a vision for the need of your client. This can be a bummer, but can also be a fun challenge for yourself to do something incredible with less freedom.
The possibilities are pretty much endless when it comes to product photography. You can go for any theme or aesthetic. You can choose to focus on the smallest detail of an object to show it off, or you can make a photo you can taste just by looking at it.
So, there you have it: the reason I've based my professional career on a genre that can be seen as bland or boring. Product photography is anything but boring! So, this is my challenge to all of you. Find an item in your home to be your main subject, then three to four other items to go along with it, and see what kind of photo you can get playing around with those objects. Let me know how it went and what you achieved!
Thanks for reading!
Chris Mayer
Bad Dog Photography
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