The Product Background

There are many choices available to you for a home studio background. Today were talking all things white... why is it the most common and effective product background? That question, and others will be answered today, plus I will share a couple of great tips that you can use at home!

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Simple white backgrounds are common, effective and an industry standard. I don't know of a professional studio or product photography that doesn't have at least ONE option for a seamless white background!

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Why is it popular? It's clean. It's seamless. It's simple. It doesn't distract. It makes colors appear to "pop" and be brighter, and more vibrant. It's professional. It is easily manipulated and created in Photoshop.

Ah. Bet you didn't know that!

It is often "created" in photoshop, when you look at professional product images, magazine ad's, Pinterest ads, even on TV commercials you find that when they want to make a statement, or really highlight an item - you find it on white. Many times that white background wasn't really there (or it has been digitally altered.) Many times it is shot on a green screen called a chroma key (yes like the weatherman) and then the product is selected and dropped onto a flat white background within a photoshop style program. Interesting, right!? Professionals shoot this way to insure there are no distracting seams, creases or shadows on the background, as well as creating that "floating" image feel. Plus, it is easy to drop the image on to any color of background once it has been selected off the chroma key background, making one image very versatile.

The Bonus of White: You have a solid white to set your WB mode to. If you make your white, white... all the other colors in your digital image fall into place. Plus, they are easy to find, purchase and create yourself.

Different Types of Materials: Professionals use several different kinds of white backgrounds they often have rolled white paper backgrounds this are not every day paper.. but a heavy stock.  Others opt for some sort of fabric like cotton, canvas or white muslin, again typically a heavy stock. For the home studio, I think it is important to judge the size of your product needs and then look at the type that would best fit those needs. 

For small items thick white paper - like foam core, or poster board works well. The poster board can be leaned against a wall or table to create a seamless look... like the set up I did for the phone vs camera post.

You can also get larger rolls of white paper from your craft store if you have larger items, it isn't as heavy as photography rolled paper, but it would work in the home.  If you are using more of a paper over the poster board thickness... a lighter paper stock,  I would suggest picking up a piece of white foam core as well to place under the paper and your product to prevent bleeding from the color of your table or surface (unless it too is white). One of the reasons many photographers use large rolls of thick white background paper ( and it is thick and heavy stock!) is that it can be rolled out over another background,or over a painted wall and nothing will bleed through so it will stay white. Another is because when it gets dirty they simply cut it, roll new paper down and then go to the next shoot. This is really common for family, portrait, and commercial photographers.

©VertePhotography

If you have larger items, hanging items, or want something a little bit different you can purchase a muslin from someplace like Steve Kaesler's Website where he offers 6x9's at a fair price $59 or so. I know many a home photographer that uses a cotton sheet... however I am going to tell you - that may not be your best idea!

You can certainly use any white cotton (or other) fabric and it will "work". However, when looking you want to find one that is thick enough not to let light pass through it, sheets tend to be too thin. If you can hold it to your window on a sunny day and it doesn't block the light... it is not the best to use. If it is simply all you have, then again I suggest you double it up, or place something else white under it - like foam core. (Do you think Foam core is a photographers friend?) The idea is that you want it to bounce light off of the white and around the product, not for the light to pass through the fabric. This will help add light to your image, reduce shadows and create a seamless look. You want your product to pop, not the background.

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Think about what you are shooting, if your shooting people it will get dirty. You may need to bleach, repaint, or replace your background as it gets used so be thoughtful and look at the care instructions of what your using!

You also want to look for something without a texture or weave to the fabric, as these can look distracting on close up images. When you use a fabric, it's very important to iron it flat, and to place it where it will cover your surface area and like the paper curve up like along the wall to give that seamless look. If there are folds or wrinkles this will look distracting and create shadows and highlights that you don't want!

While this image doesn't look "bad" it can easily be so much better by simply placing the product on a smooth background!

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And here is my top tip for a simple, elegant white background that you can recreate at home super affordable.

Product provided by Crafty Gal Creations

See where there is a slight reflection of the product on the background? Super sleek right?
To recreate this look (for small items) and in fact what I used for this shot, head to your local craft store and pick up one "wipe off" poster board... it has a shinny side that works like a wipe board with a dry erase marker! Use this side to catch a reflection of your product! Of course be careful that your product is all that reflects, you don't want your lights, or camera or anything showing up! Also, you have to use your macro function and make sure you have enough light to create the reflection!

Now, white is not the only game in town! It is simply the most common and often the most practical. However, in the next few days I will be covering some alternatives to white, and why you may want to use them!

Phone vs Camera

What is the difference? 

Does it matter?

How does this topic play into product photography?

I am so glad you asked!

I will start this post by saying I did not purchase my phone for its camera... nor do I shoot any images that are important to me with it. I don't have an I-phone, I did borrow one for the sake of being fair while posting this.  I admit the I-phones do have better specs... but they are still so limited that I still feel that I can group them in with all the other camera phones and give you a solid understanding of why I feel the way I do about the use of camera phones for product photography. 

First, do you remember our sensor size handy chart?

See that small grey square - that's your sensor size compared to all the other camera sensors... now this image is obviously NOT showing you "real" size... but you can see by reading 3mm x 4mm is like smaller then your pinky nail... so no matter how many pixels are on it - they are SUPER tiny! It simply can not grab the same amount of information that even the most basic Point and Shoot (being twice as large) can. When you compare it to a DSLR  or Pro Camera well... come on! I have said before I don't consider them to be "real" camera's for a this  reason alone! Let's not even start on the quality of lens, light gathering abilities or anything else that makes a great image!

However, I know looking at this you still might not understand how a sensor with 5 or 8 mega Pixels can really be all the different in a phone, compared to a camera.. so I thought I would put it to the test for you. In the interest of fairness and full disclosure -

For the this series of images  I used my Pantech 4G LTE phone with a 5mp Camera and no flash
The DSLR I used for this shoot was my trusty (but old) D80 (only a 10mp) and 35mm 1.4 lens, however I used it in Program mode, with auto WB, and no flash unless noted.

Here are my sample images, I like many of you I shot next to a window, rather then with studio lighting, as well as with a simple piece of tag board for a background, so you can get a solid comparison.

I have done no photo shop editing, and only changed the file name.

So you can see  where I was shooting - it was roughly 8am for the first round

Cell Phone Image - Natural Light 8 am

SLR Image - Natural Light 8am No edits

SLR Image - Natural Light from Window, along with a low powered, bounced flash (pointed straight up so only reflected light from the ceiling was captured)

Cell Phone Image - Natural Light 8 am- close up

SLR Image - Natural light - Close up - 35mm fixed lens.

 

 Ok. So this is as close as I can get since this isn't a "macro" lens... however.....Because the larger sensor size, better lens, and more clear image... I can crop in using Photoshop. Cropped to 4x6 at 300ppi - still without any other color balance, or editing done to the image.

Cropped Image - Here you can see the texture of the paper its so close!

 While if I take a similar image off the phone and crop the same way and crop the same distance out... we end up with

cropped image - Can YOU see the pixels?

Now.. it doesn't really matter that my camera phone says it is 8 mp. The size of the chip, the poor lens (which is plastic) along with the poor light gathering capabilities is what is causing the difference in quality for these images. You can see that the image with the bounced flash is honestly the BEST, with the truest colors, and the most pleasant to look at because it is sharper, and the light bouncing around creates a solid clean background. You can see details even though it is not a "detail" shot. This is the difference you get with better equipment and some basic knowlage of how to use it.

Now just to be perfectly fair, I wanted to give the phone a fighting chance and try it with some bright sunlight, because we know that LIGHT does MATTER! So at 10am this morning when the sun comes in my office window at it's brightest, I took these. I used the same set up. Despite the fact that the window panes cause a very distracting shadow here are the results.

Phone - Bright Sunny Day 10 am

Camera - Bright sunny day- Program Mode, No flash, No WB

 Even with the shadows from my window pane the clarity and quality are clear.

Now, I understand that I didn't have a point and shoot camera to be able to compare in the mix for you, however... depending on camera, lens options and what settings you can do with it - You can expect the results to be (not surprisingly) somewhere in the middle.




I did also have a chance to shoot my husbands brand new Iphone 5 that he has for work - unfortunately he doesn't keep it on the weekends, so the only chance I had to test was after work one afternoon. The window itself was in the shade of the overhang, still there was a solid amount of strong light coming in... not that you could really tell.

Iphone No Flash, Sunny Day 3pm

Yes, thats still the white background....

Using the built in Flash - Same window light

Still the white background. Plus, since there is no way to direct the flash, it creates a harsh shadow behind the subject. It also created a very odd line where the paper bent along the wall, and should have been seamless - it looks like a horizon line but the paper was one long slope.. so thats very odd to me.

No Flash - Macro shot with available sunlight 3pm

Macro with flash

I admit the images were more clear then I expected the lens appears more sharper then I expected. However, without the flash (which you can't bounce or control in any way other then on or off) the images were still very poor. They were better with flash, but still not great, the color was off DRASTICALLY and the flash created harsh shadows you couldn't control. So, I wouldn't tell you to go off and buy one for your imaging needs - ever! However, I admit if you already have one, it is probably as good as what you could expect from a simple point and shoot from a few years ago. Not great, or even what I would say was "good", but better then my android phone.


With the way the shadows fall, and the look of "interpretation" with the creation of the horizon line and the color differences I would be shocked if the processor (sensor) didn't have some sort of programing to help improve images. Since I am not a phone sells person I have no idea if this is true - but it certainly didn't act like a normal camera under the same conditions. If anyone is really curious let me know and I will find the answer.

The results:

If your phone is the only option you have - I suggest you visit your local used camera store and see what is out there for a year or two old point and shoot or mid range camera - I have seen some good ones  online like on  Adorama for $50- $80 - it would be a whole lot easier then investing in a phone tripod, and imaging apps/software to edit, maybe lighting, or product tent kits, or even a new phone. Many of them would have fantastic white balancing, macro and even the possibility to work with additional flash!

There was a day when used digital (especially point and shoot) wasn't worth it - but not any more. For core imaging needs you can pick up a good quality used or refurbished camera if you don't have money for a new one and feel good about your purchase! I recently picked up a used DSLR for my nephews digital photo class - all in we spent $400 to set him up with cards, basic lens, Nikon entry level body, bag, battery and charger. Really a solid investment, as long as he doesn't skateboard with it.

Plus, once you have solid product images selling your items becomes SO much easier! The more you sell the faster you pay off the camera (oh and yes - it would be a business write off for taxes!)


Again the Phone Charm featured in these images was created by Crafty Gal Creations. Please do not pin those images without adding her information! If you wish to purchase similar items please visit her shop!

The Product Image

What makes a "good" product image? What makes one striking? What stops someone and makes them say, "Oh yes! I want that!"

Crafty Gal Creations

When I started this blog I posted a similar tip post about product photography. However, not knowing very much about blogs I didn't execute that post very well - I don't think. I guess it is good that so few of you read it! So what better time to revisit and clarify a few points then this month right?!

First, regardless if your a serious business owner, or dabble with online stores, or are a blogger your images in many cases your online impression is the first people see of you. The images on your website, shop,or blog are going to be what they notice. It will speak to your sincerity and professionalism as much as to the quality of your product.Without the ability to feel, touch, taste or otherwise interact with your product your image has to tell them everything the need to know about it.

So what makes an amazing product image?

• Focus and Clarity 
• Placement and Details 
• Lighting and Quality of Image
• Perspective and Angles
• Backgrounds
• Consistency

In doing some searching about how I wanted to approach this topic I found several great posts from others talking about what makes great product photography like this one. While I only skimmed over it, most seems along the same vein of what I would say so I don't mind linking it up. What you will notice, and more importantly why I linked it for you to look at, is that in most every case... the backgrounds are solid (if not solid white) they are seamless and clean without clutter. You can't see an edge or a horizon line, there are very little shadows, and none of them harsh or on the product itself. They have consistency. Even the T-shirt company you notice its the same guy, roughly same pose, same cropping and perspective so each shirt is highlighted for it's differences and you tend not to look at him much at all. 

This is where you want to be. Consistent. Quality. Showcasing your items and people being able to see the quality of work, materials and your product... not distracted with shadows, poor editing or worse... trying to figure out WHAT that product is! Nothing makes me more sad then when I stare at an item in a shop and think... what IS that!?

You tell me.. what image would you click on to learn more about? Do you think one image represents the artist and shop better?

Crafty Gal Creations

Chances are if you saw the second phone charm image in my clients shop, you would click it and see several other images of the same product. I provide each of my clients with several images that they can choose from for each product, so that not only can they offer a full image and detail images... but they can also go from an every day item, to a holiday item by replacing an image, or simple refresh the look if something isn't selling to bring new attention to it, without having to send it for new photography! ( I am told by several clients that changing images, and having seasonal images to use gets them showcased more often in treasuries)

I have one last part of the equation to add. While writing this post it occurred to me what most shop owners don't have at their disposal and without it your images (even my images) tend to suffer.

TIME

You can be the best artist in the world, but know your limitations... if you don't understand f-stops, types of lenses, cameras, lighting... and all things that play into great product images including the time to do it right... please let someone else take on the project! I have said it before and I will say it over and over.... Do what you do best... and let a professional (or even an experienced friend do it for you) This will save you a huge amount of time and energy, not to mention increase your sales!