DIY Brand Photoshoot
GUEST POST by Jessie PeterS
Below is a list of DIY photography and styling techniques CURATED BY JESSIE PETERS to create an effortless approach to your brand and social media photography when you aren’t YET ABLE TO to invest in a professional.
Having a professional shoot your content isn’t always an option so I’ve listed below some of the few pointers to get you started. One disclaimer; DIY social imagery will get the job done but to really elevate your brand, get a consistent look and feel and quality ‘shareable’ images, a professional is the way to go. Consistency is key and permanent images like those on your website really need to showcase your brand perfectly!
DIY BACKDROPS
Start with a clean and clear base, I love to use Polystyrene boards as makeshift photography backgrounds. They are cost effective, lightweight and easy to set up. Use them as is for product shots with a white background or you can paint them with a test pot for something a little more brand specific.
Although these are not the most environmentally friendly item, I do get so much use out of them and if you look after them, they will last you a long time! Purchase from Mitre 10 or Bunnings and make the perfect at home background or reflectors for product shots or small scenes.
NATURAL LIGHT
Hands down nothing beats natural light in photography. The white balance stays true and when it gets soft in the morning or late afternoon it’s pure magic. Shoot by the biggest window possible and keep the other three sides of your set up a little darker for some contrast and shadow.
Photography is all about balancing the use of light, so use your DIY polyboard painted in a dark colour as a light absorber set up on the opposite side to the window if you need to control the light a little.
SOURCING PROPS
Start Collecting! You will always need more than you think, and it always pays to have extra on hand. Op-shops, garage sales, extra bits of fabric or dried florals are always full of styling treasures. Utilise props with little more texture and an organic feel to help give depth to what you’re shooting. For me it’s always about being just a little bit undone.
Have a look at a few of your favorite food photography references I will guarantee they have used a lot more layers and props than you will naturally find on a dinner table. Don’t be afraid to layer napkins, tablecloths, extra plates or cutlery just be sure to always keep the props related to what you are shooting so they help to tell the story. If I’m shooting food I like to add in a few of the raw ingredients around the shot too, e.g. if you are shooting a lemon meringue pie show some lemons, it’s really often that simple!
PORTRAIT MODE
This may be an obvious one but use that good old portrait mode. If you have a good camera with good lenses go for gold but your iphone can be great and still give you high res and quality images.
I have even posted a few snaps of food taken with my iPhone before and ended up having the restaurant contact me asking for the images, don’t underestimate the marriage of iPhones + good lighting. Google put together this great guide so have a read if you would like to know a bit more HERE
DON’T OVER-EDIT
It can often be a good idea to add a few tweaks to an image to get the edit just right, Lightroom is fantastic if you have it but otherwise apps on your phone are often enough. The key, however, is to use these to tweak, not to fix. Concentrate on shooting the image well first.
Make sure you keep it consistent for your brand, use the same filter or edits for all of your content and don’t be tempted to get too extreme. I will generally just play with the exposure and contrast rather than applying a blanket filter. If you do use a blanket filter see if there is a toggle to reduce the intensity so it’s subtle. Most brand imagery hardly uses edits at all so the product can really shine through. Some of my favorite editing apps are VSCO, RNI Films and of course Lightroom for mobile.
ANGLES
If you look closely at a lot of brand or product imagery you will often find that a majority of imagery uses only a few angles. If you are just starting out I would begin with directly overhead (flatlay) and 45deg. Think about what it is you are shooting and what you are trying to show off. 45 degrees is great because it’s so versatile you can often show a little bit of the front and top of a product to give context. Getting the angle wrong is a subtle detail but can often be one of the main reasons a photo just feels a little “off”.
These are a good start and with enough practice you will be able to get some good results when a professional photographer isn’t at hand however, consistency is key in branding and these days there is no excuse not to have really good imagery. We live in such a visual world it’s so important that you are able to show off your offering well. If your budget allows you to begin to work with a professional when you can, they will have the experience and equipment needed to really help you to elevate your brand collateral and should be able to help you mood board and plan your shoots well. If you are a small brand, look to partner up with someone else who needs visuals and book your jobs on the same day, help each other out and see if you can combine to book a day rate between you, this is often cheaper than an hourly rate and maybe you’ll learn something new along the way!
TIP. Don’t forget to film the behind the scenes for your social story, people love to know what’s really going on!
Guest Author + IMAGE SOURCE:
JESSIE PETERS
Jessie is a wedding and lifestyle photographer with a background in fashion and marketing, she owns Jesse and Jessie studio along with her husband Jesse. As well as capturing weddings they work alongside aspirational fashion and lifestyle brands helping to tell their visual story consistently and beautifully with imagery.
