shiny objects are fun to light

Posted on February 27, 2012 by jan s

client-supplied image of a stainless steel can and lid

reflection of photographer, no detail in lid

A client came to me with the story of his last young professional photographer who had captured his image in the reflection of the shiny stainless steel tobacco storage cup he was trying to photograph. My client wanted to know if I could do any better with the images. I, being so positive, of course said yes, I can do better.

First, I set the stainless can on a dark grey background, which would give more definition to the steel. Then I positioned the can and lid so that you could see both the inside of the can and the lid, but not the photographer.

The next challenge was to show the letters CV which were stamped in the lid – the original shots were not featuring them as much as my client wanted. This is where the fun started, to position a white reflector just so, to get highlight on part of the lid, but not blending the stamped letters into the rest of the lid. This is what I came up with – my client was most pleased!

stainless steel can with lid

much more detail in the lid, no photographer in the reflection

Moral of the story? While product photography may seem dull to some, every shot presents its own challenges. No matter how small or shiny the product may be, or how large or colorful or… each image deserves the best lighting, and every client deserves the best shot.

Posted in product | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Trade Show Graphics

Posted on February 20, 2012 by jan s
Trade show display for PLI Paklite

Trade show display for PLI Paklite

Going to a tradeshow this year? PLI Paklite recently had me design this display for their trade show in Las Vegas. While your show may not be in Vegas, it still needs to look great. Feel free to call me for some ideas for your next show – there are so many options out there it can be baffling. We can sort through the options, design something using either exisiting or new photography, and have you ready to make some new sales!

Posted in advertising | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

What will you do to promote yourself this new year?

Posted on January 10, 2012 by jan s

The beginning of the year is a great time to plan the year’s marketing efforts. What are your plans to promote your business or yourself?

Here’s a couple of ideas I will be working on for myself that might work for you too.

  1. Update my website: when was the last time new photos were up there? Even if you change out your copy frequently, when the photos stay the same, viewers get the impression the site hasn’t changed.
  2. Update my photo on Facebook: now that Facebook has this great cover image space, you should take advantage of it by making it meaningful to you and to your audience. My photo now is from China, and if you know me, you know that my trip there last year was quite the experience.
  3. Update my avatar image: how old is that photo you are using now anyway? Do you still look like that? Only my hair is different, but it’s time for a new photo anyway.
  4. The big trend for websites is video – do you have one? Even if you don’t want to do a traditional interview style you can still have a video. Create a slideshow that showcases your work and save it as a movie.
  5. Update my enewsletter, printed materials, business card: Have you started offering new services? Removed old products that didn’t sell? Do your clients know that from your marketing materials? I offer more than just photography, so my materials need to reflect that too.

Do you need help with any of these items? Give me a call at 770.931.8170 and let’s talk. I can help you will all of the above, creating new photos, slideshows, printed and web marketing materials. And stay tuned to my website to see changes coming.

 

Posted in advertising, design, graphic design, marketing, photography, print, Uncategorized, website | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off