Types of Product Photography

Photography makes up much of the work we do at Amplitude Media, and we’re incredibly proud of the quality of our work. There are many styles of photography, from campaign to e-commerce, so we’ve produced this handy blog to explain some of the different approaches and how they are used.

Standard Product Photography, Creative Still Life, Model, and Campaign are all varieties of product photography. If you’ve browsed our website or social media, you’ve likely seen examples of all these types of product photography, but here’s a rundown on the differences between them:

Standard Product Photography

Standard Product Photography is what you’ll see on most e-commerce websites. It’s usually done on a plain white or coloured background, with consistent lighting to create uniformity across a product range.

An example of a standard product shot; one of the simplest types of product photography. This example shows a watch photographed at an angle on a plain background.

Having a product on a plain background removes distractions for browsing customers, helping them see exactly what they’ll be buying. While a single photo will be enough for most products, we might take multiple shots where a product has unique features or functions. In this case, we use close-ups or different compositions to show off all product benefits.

Once we’ve taken a shot, it’s over to editing. We’ll tweak brightness and remove background blemishes or unwanted reflections. The final step for any kind of product shot is colour matching. This is where we tweak image colouring to ensure that the picture people see on their phones is as close to the colour of the real thing as possible.

Creative Still Life 

Creative Still Life photography is a more complex beast. Products are shot on a set designed to infuse them with personality, and the effect is further enhanced through use of different camera angles and lighting setups, and the careful selection and placement of props.

Creative Still Life styling varies massively from product range to product range, brand to brand. Some of the sets we use are simplistic, with bold colours and plinths at varying heights, while others feature entire rooms. Where it’s more cost-effective, we look to rent existing locations rather than build sets from scratch.

While CSL photography takes longer than standard product photography, the results are striking! We work closely with our clients before and during shooting to ensure we deliver shots that’ll blow them away. We put extra gusto into our editing too, making sure the product truly pops.

Model Photography

The three photography types covered so far all feature products with or without sets and props. As you might have guessed from the title, this type of photography features models. Human models, not miniature railways or Warhammer… though we’d happily shoot those too.

Model photography is often used in e-commerce, digital advertising, and in print. Shots show the model holding, wearing, or interacting with the product, giving the viewer a chance to see how it might look in person if they purchased it.

We often take multiple shots per product, showing the model and product at various angles and distances from the camera, making sure we show off all product features and detailing.

Campaign Photography

Campaign photography is often a cross between Model photography and Creative Still Life. We show the product in a setting and situation that makes sense for it, infusing it with both personality and purpose.

For example, to sell a range of gardening tools you might want shots of a model outside cultivating a flower bed or mowing the lawn. For fashion, you might show a smiling model in a flowing dress on a sunny street.

One of the most complex but engaging types of product photography, lifestyle mashes together creative still life and model photography. In this example, a young couple are laughing while cooking. The woman has batter on her face, and the man's apron is covered in cake mix.

The key here is not just to show a product looking good, but also to show how a customer will use the product to improve their lives. Will their gardening flourish? Will they walk down the street feeling a million pounds?

Get In Touch

So, there you have it. That’s a breakdown of the types of product photography we offer as standard. If you’re interested in using our photography services, or just want to find out more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We don’t bite.