Creative Cosmetic Product Photography

This is something we’ve specialised in at Double Exposure for many years. It’s been a genre that we’ve enjoyed over and over again and it’s probably fair to say has led to some of our best work. It’s almost always undertaken in our studio here in bournemouth, where we have a large amount of resources to create shots that look fantastic.

The briefs we receive from our clients can vary from precise detail to complete freedom, and we’re never fussy which way around it ends up – we always enjoy turning a specific vision into a stunning shot!

We believe that there are several key elements to an image that exist outside the creative; for us these are that the shot must have impact, it must have stunning technicals, and above all it should always focus on the product.

Achieving an image that hits those high targets takes time and planning, it’s not uncommon to spend a day on one image, something that might surprise a few new to this industry. We know that when a project comes in needing a ‘hero’ image that it will demand the appropriate time and resources. This often includes pre production, prop sourcing, lighting discussions and styling as a minimum. It’s also likely the image will be broken down into serval components and then brought together in post production, such as the background, main products, and any special lighting effects and props.

Working in this way creates the best results, and that is ultimately what creating a hero advertising photograph is all about.

It’s true that we’re in an ever more disposable digital world, and that’s fine. The challenge of the snapshot and momentary instagram image is balanced out with the need to stand out from the crowd – even shooting for social can lead to photography that is defined by less is more. Just because the project is packshot photography, doesn’t mean it has to be simple and on a white background. When you think about it, with most products, the packaging is so important – it’s an extension of the product itself and is often highly thought-out.

With much of the photography we do, we are always looking at the material aspects of an item. We look for its tactile properties; the reflections, colour and textures that make it unique. It’s by understanding these that our work really portrays the best of a product, especially with cosmetics. If it shines, we want it to shine in the picture.. if it’s subtle and matte, then that’s what we’ll show!

We’d like to say photography isn’t all about the equipment you have, either, but that’s not entirely true. We have a lot of experience, but without world class lighting, cameras and studio facilities we’d not hit the high standards our clients expect. It goes without saying we use the best gear out there.

Another key point to highlight in this article is our location. We don’t believe it matters where our studio is based. Personally, our team loves living in Bournemouth by the sea. The locale and lifestyle here is unique and inspiring – but we have cosmetic clients across the country, including some very big names in London. The great thing about the modern world is the chance to shoot remotely and sign-off live, over the internet. We have all the client space and wi-fi you need here, but it’s also great to be able to whizz shot’s over WhatsApp and email to have signed off remotely.

We hope the work illustrated here goes some way in showing how much we care about attention to detail with our creative cosmetic product photography. We hope it shows our versatility with studio lighting, our understanding of colour and tone, and also the skills we have with our in house retouching team!

Some of our favourite images taken recently are included here, enjoy!

Find more of our product photography on our website, here.

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