When it comes to product photography, you want to capture your potential customers’ attention through the visual appeal of your photos. And one way to achieve that successfully is by considering these composition tips for product photographs, as these best practices can help ensure that your product images showcase the essence of your brand.
In product photography projects, hiring a professional photographer or working with a photo retouching company is usually advisable to make sure you get photos of the highest quality. However, it’s also good to learn the process that these professionals go through to better understand what they do to make your vision come to life.
And by having a grasp on the process, you can plan your other business strategies more efficiently, and maybe even create properly conceptualized proposals where your vision is translated seamlessly to professionals.
In this article, we’re going to explore essential composition tips that can help elevate your product images. Whether you’re a seasoned professional, just starting out, or a business owner, these tips serve to guide you in creating stunning photographs that can engage your audience.
But First, What are Product Photo Compositions?
In a nutshell, the composition in an image refers to the arrangement of elements present in the photoshoot and positioning them to create compelling product photos. Every piece in the picture is thoughtfully placed in the frame to highlight the product’s features and showcase them to potential customers.
Using the right composition partnered with properly enhanced images from product retouching services can ensure that you capture the attention of the viewer and direct it toward the product being promoted.
This is why composition plays a crucial role in commercial settings. Proper execution can encourage customers to interact with your brand which can eventually lead to product sales.
Searching online, you’ll find many product photo composition tips you can incorporate into your photoshoot. You can mix and match these rules and decide which ones would work best for your product. Just be mindful of maintaining the underlying theme of the shoot, since not all composition styles go with all types of products.
Compositions You Can Apply with Product Photos
When you see product photos from your favorite brands, you don’t really think anything of it and just click on the photo to learn more about the item or to buy. What you don’t see is that the photo was strategically made that way through an exchange of carefully thought-out product photoshoot ideas to entice you to engage with it.
This strategy is what brands typically use to advertise their products on their online pages and sponsored ads. And to achieve such attractive photos, they actively follow tips on product photoshoot composition as their guide.
Here are some of the essential composition rules professionals usually follow:
1. Rule of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds is one of the most popular composition principles which divides the frame into nine parts equally using two vertical and horizontal lines. With those lines, you want to position your main subject along the intersections to create a visually pleasing and balanced composition.
For product photography, place your item at one of the intersection points to draw the viewer’s attention to it while adding visual interest to your image.
As a rule of thumb, choose just one side of the intersecting lines you want to follow. If you want to use the two intersecting points on the left, then stick to that. It wouldn’t make sense to hit all the intersecting points in one frame as doing that can make your photos look messy and unorganized.
2. Negative Space
When we talk about negative space in product photography, we refer to the empty areas surrounding the main subject. Utilizing this principle can provide a sense of simplicity, elegance, and emphasis on the product itself.
What you do is leave ample space around your product to avoid clutter and allow the viewer’s eyes to focus on the essential details. You can experiment with different ratios of negative space to find the right balance that enhances your product’s appeal.
3. Symmetry and Patterns
Using symmetry and patterns can add a sense of harmony and balance to your product photos. This principle showcases your products arranged in symmetrical patterns that highlight repetition.
Doing this can create a sense of order in your image and can be particularly effective in products like home décor, jewelry, or electronic devices.
4. Leading Lines
When you use leading lines within an image, the idea is to draw the viewer’s eyes toward the main subject. It creates a clear and defined path for the viewer’s gaze to what you really want to showcase.
To apply this principle, you don’t necessarily need actual lines as part of the elements in the photo. You can utilize various props, backgrounds, or natural elements like roads, fences, or architectural features to create leading lines.
5. Framing
Framing your subject involves using elements within the scene to make it the center of attention. By placing your product within a frame like a doorway, window, or foliage, you create visual context and draw attention to the main product.
You can use this technique to add depth and interest to your product photos, focusing the attention of the viewer on the main element being featured.
6. Depth of Field
Controlling the depth of field simply means adjusting your camera’s settings to create a blurry effect in parts of the image so that you can set which elements in the photo will be focused.
By adjusting the aperture, you can achieve either a shallow depth of field to limit the featured elements, or a larger depth of field to add more. You can experiment with the different settings to create the desired effect that enhances your product and separates it from the background of the image.
7. Rule of Odds
The rule of odds mainly suggests that you must have an odd number of elements in a composition as it’s more appealing to look at than an even number of products.
When you’re photographing multiple props, try using three or five items instead of two or four. The sense of asymmetry ironically adds a certain balance to your photo, making it more dynamic.
8. Texture and Detail
Using various textures and details can bring your product photos to life. Whether it’s fabric, jewelry, or the surface of a product, capturing these elements can also add depth to your image.
Pay attention to the lighting and angles to showcase textures and details effectively. This can allow your viewers to appreciate the quality and craftsmanship of the products you’re featuring.
9. Color Contrast
Like in any photography project, colors play a crucial role in the composition. Look at the color wheel and recall the rules of the color theory. This can greatly help you make your products stand out.
For instance, if your product has warm tones, place it against a cool-toned background to create a striking contrast.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different color combinations to find the most impactful and eye-catching compositions.
10. Unique Perspectives
Adding unique perspectives to your product’s shot gives it a fresher and more distinctive look. Instead of shooting straight on, try shooting from other angles or getting close to your subject to capture its details.
Experimenting with different perspectives can allow you to present your products in a new light, making them more intriguing to viewers.
With all these composition techniques, engaging in product photography will be much easier to understand. And if you’re a businessperson trying to conceptualize what you want your photographers to execute, understanding these principles can give you a better vocabulary in photography that experts can comprehend.
Retouching Your Photos with Paper Boat Creative
If you decide to allot time to master these various product photography composition tips, it can be a lifelong skill that you can apply at different moments in your life. Whether it’s for your e-commerce business, a personal passion or hobby, or something else, learning about how your photographs are put together is always a great addition to your artistic talents.
However, if you’re someone who needs professional photographers and photo editing services to improve your product’s visual representation, consider working with the experts.
Here at Paper Boat Creative, we specialize in high-end photo editing that can elevate your products into more unique visualizations. Our team of experts have a deep understanding of the principles of composition which can help transform your images into more striking products — images that your consumers would be enticed to interact with.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about us and how we can help you level up your photographs!
