Simplicity in Commercial Product Photography

Photography Tips  •  Product Photography

In the world of product photography, simplicity is a common element. It is very eye-catching and often exudes a sort of elegance. Somewhat ironically, however, simplicity is often one of the most difficult things to achieve. The video below shows a photo shoot for Jameson Whiskey in which the photographers attempt a very simple and minimalist style. What may surprise you is how many people and how much work it takes to create such a minimalistic photo:

Some things that should be considered when trying to create a simple image:

• Lighting – Basic white, or neutral, lighting is usually the best. Mixed lighting is often distracting to the viewer.
• Color – Keeping the number of colors to a minimum is best, and the colors you choose should work according to the color wheel. They may be complementary, analogous, triadic, etc.
• Text – Words should also be kept to a minimum or be organized in a way that keeps the viewer’s eyes from darting back and forth across the image
• Composition – This is usually when you want to stick to the rule of thirds. Horizontally or vertically symmetrical images work very well for minimalist compositions.

Rig designed to hold a bottle at various angles that can be photoshopped out later

Hand-picking mint leaves and placing them to look perfect

One of the “simple” images from the photoshoot

As the video shows, it may take several people and a rather complicated set-up to create minimalist imagery, but the results are well worth it.