What to wear
Relevant only where hands or a model appear: plain sleeves, clean short nails, no reflective jewellery. On glossy products the photographer and the…
In short: Relevant only where hands or a model appear: plain sleeves, clean short nails, no reflective jewellery. On glossy products the photographer and the room appear in the surface, so dark plain clothing matters more than it seems.
Colour. Dark and plain for anyone near a glossy product, because you appear in its surface. On chrome, glass or lacquer the photographer is visible in the final image far more often than people expect.
Fabric. Non-reflective and lint-free. Fibres land on dark products under hard light and every one of them has to be retouched out.
Hands in frame. Clean, short nails, no watch, no rings unless the ring is the product. Hands are the most common human element in product photography and the least prepared for.
The thing that ruins frames. Working over a product in a bright top. It bounces colour onto white backgrounds and shifts the entire white balance of the set.
Small brands shooting a catalogue themselves, and anyone whose listing photographs are costing them sales.
Location changes the answer: A table beside a window with a large white surface opposite to bounce light back. That is a complete product setup and costs nothing. For glossy or metallic items, the reflection of the room is the main problem — a white sheet on either side solves most of it.
Planning pressure to account for: Mixing lighting setups across a catalogue, so no two products match. Removing the shadow entirely. Shooting glossy items without controlling reflections. And skipping the scale reference, which is the single most common reason for returns.
Bring each proposed outfit as a complete look, including its shoes and accessories. The final choice is made against the actual background and light rather than from a generic colour rule.
Relevant only where hands or a model appear: plain sleeves, clean short nails, no reflective jewellery. On glossy products the photographer and the room appear in the surface, so dark plain clothing matters more than it seems.
For a one-hour session, plan one complete look and one quick variation such as a jacket, shoe or jewellery change. Two hours can normally support two or three resolved looks. More changes reduce shooting time, so photograph the most important outfit first and treat extras as options rather than promises.
Choose colours that separate clearly from the location and suit the intended use of the pictures. Solid tones and controlled texture are reliable; very fine checks, tiny stripes and reflective logos can distract or produce moiré. Send phone photographs of the options with the brief if you want a decision before the shoot.
Bring the garments on proper hangers, matching underwear, the shoes for every full-length look, a lint roller and simple touch-up products. Pack one neutral backup layer. Steam everything beforehand, but keep a small steamer nearby for travel creases and final adjustments on set.
Send the date, location and what you need photographed.