# Building a Portfolio for Product photography



## flightless_beaker (Dec 31, 2013)

So I'm looking to get out of portraiture for a while. Well, actually mainly so I can start up my own portraiture business . I've been looking for other work so I can pursue portaiture on my own. Been seeing quite a few listings for product photographers for ecommerce sites and the likes in my area. It's got me thinking instead of looking for a part time job I'd hate, I can still use my skillset in product. However, I don't really have a portfolio for that. I did one shoot one time a couple years back with a couple shop lights and a light tent made of PVC pipe. They were decent shots but really nothing to show off. I guess I have a few questions

What kinds of shots do employers look for in a portfolio?
What kinds of products should I put in my portfolio?
Maybe some advice from current product photographers on technique (though I can always browse the forum too  )
Any other advice you guys can offer.

Thanks!


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## tirediron (Dec 31, 2013)

I would shoot something similar to the product that the company sells; if they sell t-shirts, shoot clothing.  If they sell groceries, shoot groceries, I would shoot at least half the portfolio (say 5 images) in a style similar to that which the company already uses, and up to five more in styles that are popular on other 'sites.


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## Light Guru (Dec 31, 2013)

flightless_beaker said:


> So I'm looking to get out of portraiture for a while. Well, actually mainly so I can start up my own portraiture business . I've been looking for other work so I can pursue portaiture on my own.



So you want to get out of portraiture so that you can start doing portraiture?



flightless_beaker said:


> Been seeing quite a few listings for product photographers for ecommerce sites and the likes in my area.



Problem with most product photography work you find listed is that they pay vary little these days. 

Honestly you will probably find more work doing portraiture then you will find doing product photography.


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## flightless_beaker (Dec 31, 2013)

Light Guru said:


> flightless_beaker said:
> 
> 
> > So I'm looking to get out of portraiture for a while. Well, actually mainly so I can start up my own portraiture business . I've been looking for other work so I can pursue portaiture on my own.
> ...



Probably should clarify. I'm currently am working for a portraiture company as a photographer. I want to start out on my own and own my own business. I originally was planning to get a part time job to pay the bills but have been seeing quite a few listings for jobs for product photography. I'd rather work in my career path and maybe learn new techniques in another niche while also still trying to start my business. My thinking is that it would make me a bit more rounded and something I can always fall back on down the road.

tirediron, that's some good advice. Thanks for your input


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## Light Guru (Dec 31, 2013)

flightless_beaker said:


> Probably should clarify. I'm currently am working for a portraiture company as a photographer. I want to start out on my own and own my own business. I originally was planning to get a part time job to pay the bills but have been seeing quite a few listings for jobs for product photography. I'd rather work in my career path and maybe learn new techniques in another niche while also still trying to start my business. My thinking is that it would make me a bit more rounded and something I can always fall back on down the road.



Unless your employer made you sign a non compete agreement then why not do your own portraiture work on the side while you still work for them?

You should look into what those product photography jobs pay first.


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## gsgary (Jan 1, 2014)

Have you got studio lighting and plenty of modifiers ?


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## flightless_beaker (Jan 1, 2014)

Light Guru, I did sign a noncompete. I hate those things. And I've seen jobs that pay what my job pays.

gsgary. Yes on the lighting.  Not so much on the modifiers, lol. I usually buy modifiers as I need them


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## tirediron (Jan 1, 2014)

flightless_beaker said:


> Light Guru, I did sign a non-compete.


Okay, I can understand a non-compete clause which prevents you from using the employer's client-list, references, etc, but does this clause actually prevent you from doing any sort of portraiture on your own?


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## KmH (Jan 1, 2014)

Does the company you work for let you alter the lighting and the camera settings?


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## mmaria (Jan 1, 2014)

flightless_beaker said:


> What kinds of shots do employers look for in a portfolio?
> What kinds of products should I put in my portfolio?
> Maybe some advice from current product photographers on technique (though I can always browse the forum too  )
> Any other advice you guys can offer.



what kind of products are we talking about? I shot some scissors today, f.e. as an isolation. you can shot scissors in many ways, as every other product.
I think you need to give us more information about what kind of products you are talking about, it'll be much easier to give you some info or tips.


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## flightless_beaker (Jan 2, 2014)

tirediron said:


> flightless_beaker said:
> 
> 
> > Light Guru, I did sign a non-compete.
> ...



Yes. It does actually prevent me from doing any other portraiture, which has been the biggest hurdle in getting my own thing up and running. It says I can't work as a portrait photographer within 50 miles of any of the stores, with the franchisee or any of the other licensed stores.



> what kind of products are we talking about? I shot some scissors today,  f.e. as an isolation. you can shot scissors in many ways, as every other  product.
> I think you need to give us more information about what kind of products  you are talking about, it'll be much easier to give you some info or  tips.



That's the thing. I'm just starting to look into it. My niche is portraiture, not necessarily product. I don't have much knowledge of it on technique or the styles or types of products shot with the exception of seeing product photography on e-commerce websites like Amazon and ModCloth, etc. I guess I can narrow this down for the sake of discussion. I recently saw Amazon is hiring photographers. That's something I'd really like to pursue but want to practice the kinds of photography they're looking for and building my portfolio.


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## tirediron (Jan 2, 2014)

flightless_beaker said:


> ...Yes. It does actually prevent me from doing any other portraiture, which has been the biggest hurdle in getting my own thing up and running. It says I can't work as a portrait photographer within 50 miles of any of the stores, with the franchisee or any of the other licensed stores.


What is the duration of the non-compete?  I would spend the couple of hundred dollars it will cost and consult a lawyer; a lot of what is put into contracts and agreements is not enforceable; it's there in the hope that people will accept it blindly.


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## flightless_beaker (Jan 2, 2014)

tirediron said:


> What is the duration of the non-compete?  I would spend the couple of hundred dollars it will cost and consult a lawyer; a lot of what is put into contracts and agreements is not enforceable; it's there in the hope that people will accept it blindly.



Agreed. And I think I have accepted it blindly. It says for the duration of me working there and 2 years after I separate. But we have photographers who quit and worked for the portrait studio down the hallway in the mall. So I don't think that part is enforced. A good friend of mine is an entrepreneur and knows quite a few lawyers. I should give him a copy and have one of his lawyer friends take a look.


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## Derrel (Jan 2, 2014)

Well, build a product portfolio. Get a couple good books on still-life and table-top work, and get busy. Product photography has a lot of tricks and techniques, and a solid knowledge of how light functions is essential. Light,Science,Magic, the newest edition, might be a good read for you.

Shoot glassware, metal, paper goods, until you can pull off shots of most subjects without going crazy. You might be surprised at how complex this field is if all you are used to lighting are "people".


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## flightless_beaker (Jan 2, 2014)

Thanks Derrel. What I was looking for. And I'll definitely check out that book. Now the glassware, metal, etc that you are saying, would that just be stuff I would shoot from around my house? I did some more job searching today. Found some apparel photographer positions. Any advice on how to get started on that?

EDIT: Checked out that book online. That looks really good. Can't believe I've never seen that before. My lighting techniques could use some sprucing up. I'm good with people lighting. Other things could use work


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## Light Guru (Jan 2, 2014)

flightless_beaker said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> > What is the duration of the non-compete?  I would spend the couple of hundred dollars it will cost and consult a lawyer; a lot of what is put into contracts and agreements is not enforceable; it's there in the hope that people will accept it blindly.
> ...



From what I have read (you may want to consult a laser in your state) a non compete agreement is only valid while you are currently employed by them.  The moment your employment with them ends the non compete agreement is void.


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## Light Guru (Jan 2, 2014)

flightless_beaker said:


> I've seen jobs that pay what my job pays.



But can you get enough of them to replace the income you have coming in now?

It may be easier to take another job thus getting out of your non compete and then start doing portraiture on the side.  Finding enough constant product photography work is more difficult then you may think. I looked into it at one time and there are so many people who will do this work on the side that there it is difficult to get enough work and pay for them has gone down.  for those doing it on the side its not a huge problem but if you plan to replace your current income doing this it could be a big problem.


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## mmaria (Jan 2, 2014)

Derrel said:


> Well, build a product portfolio. Get a couple good books on still-life and table-top work, and get busy. Product photography has a lot of tricks and techniques, and a solid knowledge of how light functions is essential....
> 
> Shoot glassware, metal, paper goods, until you can pull off shots of most subjects without going crazy. *You might be surprised at how complex this field is* if all you are used to lighting are "people".





flightless_beaker said:


> .... Now the glassware, metal, etc that you are saying, would that just be stuff I would shoot from around my house?



Well I was stuck in my house for quite some time and that's why I went to food and product photography. Of course, be in your house and learn, shoot.

Take an apple and a pear. Shot them together and separate, notice how is their surface like, different, and how they reflect the light differently. Metal  and bread. And so on...
You have to pay attention to the texture of everything, color. 
Take just a glass of water, observe light, reflections. Glass of juice. What is the difference? 

I assume that you know how to light people, apply some of that on a glass and on some ceramic dish, wooden something. All materials behave differently. Observe.


Here are those scissors f.e. an isolation. Those are a bit different then you would shoot/light regularly, in environment that is.  I shot them for my blog, bad scissors and professional. But, it's not that easy to shoot this highly reflective metal. That you should learn and observe. Light is crucial as always.









It really is a complex field and I like it. 

I don't know if I helped you anyhow, but I hope I did.


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## flightless_beaker (Jan 2, 2014)

mmaria, you did. Sounds more technical that I initially thought. Though I like a challenge so makes no difference to me. The more complex the better


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## mmaria (Jan 3, 2014)

just to note. 

you're going to need black and white reflectors, for sure, and not the big one. You can find them inside of your house. You'll have to influence on light and manage reflections.
colors must be completely accurate. 
you'll need to set and pay attention to white and black values.


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## Helen B (Jan 3, 2014)

Brief notes on what you might want to include in a portfolio:

'Product photography' can cover a very wide range of production values. Aside from those quality / time / cost issues you might break it down in to three general, indistinct types:

A) Product clearly shown in deep focus and almost completely lit on white
B) Product clearly shown in deep focus and almost completely lit in a location or on a set that evokes a location / task / craft / lifestyle etc
C) Product possibly shown in shallow focus and more moodily lit that strongly evokes a location / task / craft / lifestyle etc

Think about where the images are intended for use. Attractive for repinning on Pinterest? Amazon marketplace? Attractive and easy to use for bloggers without jarring with the look of the blog? Fitting in with style of company website? These may require different mixes of A, B and C. 

A) is best for Amazon and other shopping engines, and helps bloggers.
B) and C) are good for enticing repins on Pinterest - which is becoming quite important - and sharing on Facebook

Challenges:

Bright and/or shiny items on white background - show that you can show that they are bright and shiny without losing them.

Rounded polished metal, particularly colored metal like brass and copper, and very glossy painted surfaces - particularly dark glossy paint. Show the color, glossiness and shape. Don't light too evenly, but avoid distracting reflections. Make the reflections show shape.

Glass, both curved and flat (showing the flat glass is there, often with a faint partial reflection that isn't overwhelming)


Often a client will want a single image to show a lot about the product, and to go as far as it can go as a replacement for handling the thing itself. Choose your angles well. If necessary, show that you can do believable composites that show the item in two configurations in the same image, even though you only have one sample.

I generally use one large softbox (with 400 W of incandescent lights, unless strobe is necessary for stopping motion or carefully balancing with light coming from the product) and a few silver reflectors, black flags, scrims, white cards.

A few very quick examples, not from a portfolio but from general run-of-the-mill daily work. I can find lots more, or go in to more detail on selected shots, what equipment I use etc if you are interested - though it may take a while.

Only one sample, two configurations:





Showing an item in use, carefully positioning the fingers to show the yellow button, balancing strobe and indicator lights to be natural looking and unPhotoshopped.





Lighting to show handle shape and each facet of each chisel (only one main light, with a few small silver reflectors and flags)





Showing shape and material of handle, and all bevels and concave grinds on the blades (two different, but similar, knives, fake snow and fake pine needles)


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## flightless_beaker (Jan 3, 2014)

mmaria said:


> just to note.
> 
> you're going to need black and white reflectors, for sure, and not the big one. You can find them inside of your house. You'll have to influence on light and manage reflections.
> colors must be completely accurate.
> you'll need to set and pay attention to white and black values.



I'm sure poster board will suffice?

Helen, some great things you mentioned that I didn't even think of that I can now ponder. The information about the types will be very helpful in building a well rounded portfolio and if I go for a job interview, I can definitely tailor it to whatever the needs. BTW, those pics look great and if I have any questions, I'll def let you know


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## JoeW (Feb 4, 2014)

flightless_beaker said:


> So I'm looking to get out of portraiture for a while. Well, actually mainly so I can start up my own portraiture business . I've been looking for other work so I can pursue portaiture on my own. Been seeing quite a few listings for product photographers for ecommerce sites and the likes in my area. It's got me thinking instead of looking for a part time job I'd hate, I can still use my skillset in product. However, I don't really have a portfolio for that. I did one shoot one time a couple years back with a couple shop lights and a light tent made of PVC pipe. They were decent shots but really nothing to show off. I guess I have a few questions
> 
> What kinds of shots do employers look for in a portfolio?
> What kinds of products should I put in my portfolio?
> ...


I'm kind of surprised how much of this thread focuses on the Noncompete Agreement.  Regarding product photography...

1.  My experience is that you make money off of it in bulk.  As in....you go shoot 200 products for someone who's going to put them up on e-bay.  Or 300 items for an estate sale.  Or 80 clothing pieces for a small regional clothing boutique and their website.  So the keys are:
--work fast and efficiently (b/c you rarely make enough money just shooting 2-3 products), you've got to be an assembly line.
--either have tremendous rep out there so people come to you (like estate sales and auctioneers) or you're very versatile (shooting someone's jewelry collection on Monday in a lightbox/tent and then someone's car collection in their garage on Tuesday with your portable lighting setup and then some watches for a store and their catalog on Wednesday and then using models wearing gloves on Thursday).

2.  Yes to Darrel's recommendation on Light:  science and magic.  Many other good books out there on product photography.  Do some looking around on google until you find one that focuses more on the type of product photography you're interested in.

3.  "Types of shots"...really tough to answer on that one.  There are shots in a lightbox/tent where the focus is totally on the product, lighting is soft and even and the product is clearly displayed, showing as much of it as possible.  There are other shots that might utilize shadow, have a smaller DoF, might have other items in the background or foreground (such as a model wearing the item, fake ice or stones) that show an effective advertising look that improve the sizzle or potential attractiveness of the product.  Both types of shots have their respective markets.  "Types of products" is also tough to answer.  In my limited experience, many of the potential clients for you aren't evaluating your photography very accurately, they judge you on if you've shot the products that they offer.  So you might have great shots of watches and bracelets in your portfolio and the schlub who wants to put a bunch of rings on e-bay passes you by b/c you haven't shot rings.  Or you have pictures of dolls but not action figures.  The best way to summarize my advice on these issues (types of shots, types of products) would be to figure out who/what niche you're going to appeal to.  You want to appeal to amateurs who sell on e-bay and aren't happy with their point-and-shoot or phone camera products, than aim for small products using a lightbox/tent, probably have a website set up with contrast photos (the point-and-shoot on a table with contrasty light, the same product on a white background with even, soft light).


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