The Power of Product
Since I started shooting photos professionally there always has been the task of shooting products in a natural, authentic way. For me I relate to and am most likely to buy products that show me the product in actual use and doing what it was intended to do. I grew up skiing and as young kids we would scrutinize photos to see what the new prototype skis, boots, bindings, jackets, googles and so on would be for the next year. Pair that up with skiers/snowboards that I respected using the product and it was a no brainer that I was buying those pieces of gear. When I began shooting hunting and fishing images I took that same approach. We were lucky enough to spend copious amounts of time out in the field and could wait until those great moments came along that really showed a product doing its thing.
This is where time in the field makes all the difference in product photography. Success often helps out.
No when you’re hired by a brand to go shoot images for them they really have one goal in mind. Acquire assets that will help them sell more of their product. The sooner you can understand the client’s end goal and mindset the sooner you can start delivering meaningful images that help their brand and thus your ability to continue working with them as well as getting new clients. Now as I’d mentioned above not every photographer has the luxury of dozens and dozens of days in the field on their side when it comes to shooting a product in use in a hunting situation. When time is limited you might not be able to control the elements or the hunt but there are things you can control that help you deliver a quality set of images to your client. The following is in no order of importance but is simply some thoughts on how to improve your product specific photography.
Shoot Product Doing What It Was Intended To Do
Here is a shot of a hunter packing up his spike camp before chasing elk. This is perfect use scenario for the product and the image was used in Stone Glacier’s 2020 Product Catalog.
This seems like an obvious statement but definitely gets overlooked. The above image is an example. An early season archery hunt is often a hurry up the mountain type of deal in the morning. So when the sun is coming up and camp needs to be broken down some might just hustle to get their own tent into their bag. This is where being out in front of your hunter is key. There’s very few mornings where I’m not the first one up sorting my gear so that I can document my hunter doing his thing. For other shots this also means I fall behind to get a shot and then need to hustle twice as fast to catch up. It’s work so remember it’s supposed to feel that way.
This isn’t a flashy image but it shows how the product is used and some of the details.
Don’t forget to shoot the photos that aren’t the epic hunter on a badass vista. As consumers we want to see how products work, when they are used and how, as we try to get an understanding of whether that is a product we want to buy and use.
Make Sure Your Hunter’s Backpack Looks Good
Backpacks were designed to carry things, shoot photos of them doing just that.
The two shots above are nothing amazing but both are executed well. First and foremost they show the product doing what it was intended to do like we just talked about. Hoisting a pack off your tailgate before embarking up the mountain is something almost everyone who has hunted can relate to.
Now to the current point, a few things to note with backpack photography is that it’s so important to make sure that the backpack is packed correctly, that the weapon is attached properly and that the image looks clean. Andrew works at Stone Glacier so he’s an easy subject in this regard but one thing that has ruined more great photos is a sloppy backpack with the weapon or kill attached poorly. Take the time to make sure the hunter’s pack looks good.
Shoot When The Weather Sucks
Drake attempts to start a fire as we wait for a snowstorm to pass before continuing to look for mountain mule deer.
One big factor that differentiates some products is their ability to handle adverse weather. When shooting technical gear I’ll hope the weather sucks because it makes for much stronger imagery. Just be prepared to get your own gear wet and your hands extremely cold if it’s snowing. No pain no gain here folks. One thing to remember is to be conscious of how wet your gear is getting if it’s snowing or raining. There is a limit when you need to either dry your camera or put it away. Know where that’s at. Also be careful of condensation. If you get a lens wet, throw it in your pack and pull it out 10 min later the chances are high that the changes in environment will make your lens fog up.
Shoot As Much The Last Day As You Did On The First
Slipping and sliding down the mountain and back to the truck. Tough hiking conditions but great conditions for imagery.
Often when we get into days 3 and 4 of a hunt and the hunt is going nowhere we often let the lack of action keep us from giving 110% to shooting images. This is a mistake and one I’m totally guilty of. The above image is sweet but I didn’t take the time to shoot a variety of images and get detailed shots of Drake’s gear with snow on it. It was the last day of the hunt and we we’re headed out with about a 1% chance of seeing a shooter buck. I snapped a few photos here and there but I let my enthusiasm diminish.
Get Creative
The prey and the product that killed it.
This is where your experience and photographic eye come into play. The standard shots are things just about anyone could shoot as long as they’re out there and yes that is most of the business. About 10% of the imagery that sets photographers apart are the small details they see in the field and can capture with their camera. The shot above was one of a few I took and was a creative look at the trophy shot. I had just watched the guides and outfitter shoot about a trillion trophy shots and I wasn’t about to follow their lead. I wanted to get the sheep and the bow in the frame without doing something that I’d seen a hundred times before. Being creative on the spot can be tough, so shoot a lot and shoot often.
These are just some basic thoughts but definitely things that will help. Shooting product is and can be tough. Other good things to do are:
Talk to your client and understand their needs
Understand how the client wants the product portrayed
Know how to properly use the product
Make the product look good
Take advantage of good light
There are a lot of other aspects to touch on depending on brand and product BUT if there was one thing I’ve learned that 100% will help is to PAY ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS. You can typically control how the product and your model looks so keep a close eye on both and don’t be afraid to make sure both are looking their best as often as possible. I hope that helped and please leave comments if there’s something you’d like us to cover in further detail or in future blog posts.
-Zack Boughton (@zackboughton)