Storytelling product-shots
This is Step 1 of “product shots” if you want to showcase or sell physical objects. The primary goal of this activity, and the next one, is to help you create images that will actually sell your products, so feel free to skip ahead if you don’t intend to sell anything tangible.
The reason I’ve called this section “storytelling” is because these images are intended to tell (or hint at) a story, and set a mood. They are all about helping people visualise your product in their homes or in their lives, and inspiring them with ways that your product can make their lives easier, more relaxing, more beautiful, or whatever it is that you are trying to do.
This kind of storytelling photography is very different to descriptive photography, which we will cover in the next activity. You’ll have the best chance of selling your products or work if you provide both styles of photographs in your sales pages.
Do you remember last week, when we looked at “head and heart” in your sales copy? This is the visual equivalent. These storytelling shots are the “heart” of your product photography, and the descriptive shots in the next activity are the “head”.
When I was learning journalism, my first editor told me that the key to writing any good story was to know the 5Ws: who, what, where, when, and why.
Shall we see how this might work for the story of a photograph?
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The story of this photo...
What: a large leather bag (which is available for sale)
Where: a sandy path in the country, surrounded by trees
When: a spring or summer’s day
Who: the “who” in this photo is the mother, even though we can’t see her face - we know this is her story
Why: they look to be off on a mini-hike together as a family. The “why” in this case is togetherness, family, and love
The message: this bag is big enough to carry around when you have small children, but still looks stylish
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The story of this photo...
What: an antique English trug (which is available for sale)
Where: an old country kitchen
When: looks like morning from the soft light
Who: the “who” is implied in this case. It’s a person who has just exited the room, leaving behind this lovely flower harvest
Why: they’ve just come in from picking roses in the garden. We can imagine that maybe they’ve just stepped out to find a suitable vase…
The message: antiques can still be practical, and bring beauty to your home
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The story of this photo...
What: a bed draped in woollen blankets (which are for sale)
Where: a bright and cheerful bedroom
When: from the bright light and the fact she’s dressed and not in the bed, we might assume this is an afternoon break
Who: a woman and her dog
Why: the weather outside is cold, so they’ve retreated to the cosy bed for a lovely spot of down-time, reading a magazine…
The message: treat yourself to some cosy down-time with these soft blankets
Homework
Choose a product that you want to sell or showcase, and see if you can photograph it in such a way that it tells a story. Not a long or complex story, but enough of a story that your audience-members can imagine being part of that story themselves.
When you think about the story you want to tell (the message), also think about locations, props and other elements that will help bring the story of this photograph to life, and gather them up. Use the instructions below to help guide your thinking.
Repeat this process for as many products as you have time and energy to photograph. When you’re done, drag your photos into your “Products” file, and name each one according to the product featured, to make them easy to find.
Plan the story of your photograph
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The message
Start with the overall message of your photograph. What do you want people to take away from seeing it? What is it about this product that you want them to feel?
The message doesn’t need to be too lofty, and shouldn’t be too complex (or it becomes difficult to get across in just one photograph) but if you’re not sure what message you want to convey, look back at the work you did on your audience persona. What are the challenges you solve for them, or the needs you meet? Pick one, and make it the message of this photograph.
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What
The “what” is the product you’re hoping to showcase or sell. It’s the star of the photograph, even if it doesn’t take up all the space in the photograph
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Where
This is the context you provide to the product you’re showcasing. It’s not isolated on white paper in a studio, it’s somewhere in someone’s life.
Where is it? Inside? Outside? In a specific room, place, or country?
(For example, if your product is a kitchen pot, maybe step back a little so we can see it is in the kitchen. Or lay a wooden spoon with some sauce on the end of it next to the pot, to show us we’re in a kitchen.)
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When
As with “where,” “when” gives us further context. You don’t need to share details, but think about what you want to convey. Long afternoon light drifting through windows suggests “relax”. Warm woollen clothes suggest “winter” - what do you want to suggest about time in this photo?
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Who
The “who” might be an actual person (or part of a person) in the photograph, and the story is their interaction or relationship with your product. Or, the “who” might be implied, as it is in my second example above - we can assume that the “who” is someone who just left the room - as shown by the things they left behind. It’s also possible that the “who” is the unseen observer (you, the photographer)
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Why
What’s the action going on here? Why is it happening? This is where you set the mood, and answer the question (in your head), “Why is this product here, in this way, right now?”
You could also frame this question as, “Why should anyone care about this photograph?” Because that framing reminds you to think about your audience, rather than yourself. If the answer is “Because I want them to buy my thing,” you’re probably not telling a story, and your audience is unlikely to engage.