Taking product photos is a little more complex than just making the product itself shine.
To make your photos pop, add some creative props around them or in the background.
Using floral items often evokes feelings of femineity, new life, romance, and seasonal changes.
Food, Ingredients, or Kitchen Utensils
Taking photos for any food-related product goes hand-in-hand with using food-based props.
For healthy food, consumers love to see healthy ingredients in the photos.
Adjacent to food photography is photographing toiletries.
Many toiletries use food-based ingredients that evoke freshness and delightful smellspresent those ingredients in your photos.
Its especially great for photographing smart shoes, eyeglasses, suave furniture, and the like.
Using magazines as props can determine the angle of your market.
check that the tone and reputation of the magazine or literature suit your target market for the product shots.
You dont have to keep books or magazines in their final form.
you’re free to use curated pages to tell a storyas literally as youd like to.
Or use pages to make a collage or a textured surface on which your product can sit.
Lighting
Were not talking aboutstudio lighting used to light your shot.
Instead, you’ve got the option to use separate lighting as a prop.
Of course, you might also light your subject with your prop light instead of another light source.
you’re free to even pair props togetherdainty lighting pairs well with traditional literature for a cozy feeling.
You could also use table lamps or standing lamps as props, even with the lights turned off.
Stationery
Stationery is a photographers best friend.
Who knew a simple pen was such a versatile prop?
Using paper of various styles and sorts is a lovely incorporation for many product photos.
You might add stationery props to your graduation photos if you want to be more creative.
it’s possible for you to show off the tools you used alongside the end product.
The same can be said for childrens products.
While not totally original, baby blocks are a common prop that doesnt come off as too immature.
Theyre a sweet reminder of how children learn by playing.
you might include other educational toys for a similar effect.
Be conscious of colors and materials when using baby products as props with other products.
Tech Accessories
One of the biggest markets for product photography is technology.
If youre photographing a smartphone, why not use its accessories as props nearby?
Or use other Apple products alongside the main Apple product youre photographing.
Use headphones, earphones, or even vintage props like cassettes or CDs to highlight music’s history.
The best way to show how a product works is by showing it in use.
You dont have to be so traditional with this, though.
you’re free to be as artistic with this approach as you want.
you might use aspects of the body as props, too.
Drape hair around a hair product or rest a pot of body lotion on a models midriff.
Push your composition skills with your prop ideas and see how much your product photography improves.
