You need great product photos to help sell your physical product and that does come at a cost - either time, money, or both. Today I’m speaking to an expert, to find out the pros and cons of taking your own product photos and, if you do decide to take your own, how to ensure they look professional.

Georgina Little is a photographer who specialises in Personal Branding and Product Photography - helping businesses uplevel their brands with images that sell.

We covered a lot of ground in our chat, including:

• The benefits of taking your own product photos
• The downsides of taking your own product images
• The pros and cons of hiring someone to do your photography
• How to know what’s included
• What you need to take your own product photos
• Tips for using your phone to take product photos
• How to get the lighting right
• How to avoid shadows
• How to best position your product (and yourself!)
• Taking product shots outside
• Lifestyle photography - what that means and the kind of photos to take
• How to plan out the shots you need
• How to edit your images, or find someone to do it for you
• How to find and brief a product photographer

USEFUL RESOURCES:

Blog post - DIY photography

Blog post - how to write a product photography brief

Georgina Little Photography

Georgina’s Instagram - Brand

Georgina’s Instagram - Family

Georgina Little on Linkedin

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Lightroom

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How to take your own professional product photos - with Georgina Little

Welcome to the, bring your product ideas to life podcast, practical advice, and inspiration to help you create and sell your own physical products. Here's your host Vicki Weinberg

Georgina Little is a photographer who specializes in personal branding and product photography, helping businesses, Uplevel their brands with images that sell. So I've invited Georgina on the podcast today because I really wanted to talk about product photography and two things in particular, one is taking your own products vatos, as you know, at time of recording this, which is October, 2020, finding someone to take photos for you. Isn't it perhaps as easy as it was at the beginning of this year. And also there's a cost involved with finding a product photographer. So I've invited her on to have a chat about if you wanted, if you want. Well, first of all, if you want to use it for, to put up photographer her best tips and advice, to make sure that if you are investing that money, that you're getting everything you can out of it.

But also to talk about if you aren't in a position where you can pay for product photography at the moment, how you can do it yourself and her best advice for, you know, setting up great shots, taking great shots and editing your photos and that kind of thing. And I'm really pleased to say, actually that it's much simpler than I thought it would be. I've taken my own product photos before, and I've got a blog post on it, which I'll link to over in the show notes. And after speaking to Georgie, and I feel like if I did it again today, I would do us a much better job than I than I did. Initially. She's got some really fantastic press call tips that I can't wait for you to hear. So I really hope you enjoyed this episode and his Georgina.

So hi George, thank you so much for being here.

Hi Vicki. Thanks for having me.

So can we start by you telling us a little bit about yourself and what it is that you do please?

Yeah, absolutely. I'm a photographer. I mainly specialize in personal branding, which obviously includes product photography. So when somebody is photographing their brands and business and they also want their products, photographs, that's, that's what I do.

Perfect. Thank you. And that's what we've got you here today to talk about. So that's good. So I'm just going to start jump right in, I think. And what I'd like to talk about is obviously people have an option, have choices

when that you're looking to sort of get your product photography done. You've I've got the choice of taking the photos yourself, which I imagine is perhaps cheaper or hiring a professional to do it for you. I just wondered if we can just touch briefly on sort of the pros and cons of each. So why might it be best to let's start with, why might it be best to take your own photos? And what would some of the benefits of that be? Would you say

yes, absoloutly, I think you've already answered it. If you take your own, the pro of doing that is basically it's the cost. That's the main Advanced edge. I think I see more, some more disadvantages. So when you're taking your own, it's going to take longer and, and possibly gets frustrating. If you're not getting what you want, depending on your camera and experience, the quality might not be exactly what you want either. So I, you know, a bit blurry too. Dark might be the wrong size of image for your website. So unless you know how to resize your images, then that's going to might be a sticking point as well. Some of the pros of taking your own at home is that you have gots potentially all the props you want.

You've got every weekend, everything there that you need. So you don't have to post it to a photographer or get a photographer in. But at the moment on Missy with the way the world says, it's a lot of product photography is happening where people send their products to a photographer and then, then they are, they need to get the photographer to buy props, or they send the props as well, which is the added extra costs.

Perfect. Thank you. So what would be the pros and cons of hiring someone to do your product photography?

So if you're going to hire someone, the cons offset again, the cost, but it's not taking you the time to do it. So here you need to think how much time versus what it costs you. So if you're spending three or four hours taking photography and doing photography for your products, how much is that time worth to you? So if you're paying someone else to that, that's for me, that's how you've got to look at it. It's a productivity. And the pros of, of hiring someone is, you know, you're going to get good quality. The composition is going to be correct. So it looks creative. It's going to be the right colors depending on we'll. We'll obviously, hopefully we'll go on to talking about briefing a photographer, but they'll do what you want them to do.

So as long as you've got a good brief of talk for about whether you want a white background, whether you want lifestyle, if you want props, are you going to send, it has a photographer got props for you. Don't have to spend that extra money. That's going to be a really good pro of having professional. And obviously if you need a specific file size, whether it's for social media, for your websites, any, any other sort of factor, they can give you the right fire size very easily.

Perfect. Thank you. And so generally, if you were using a product photographer, would they do your editing for you as well? And come back with the images that you need and the size and formats that you Requested?

Absolutely. So if you're, if you're, if you're employing someone's to take the pictures, they should be editing them. So all the editing will be consistent. So they'll all be the right colors. So, you know, sometimes you might take a in one room and it looks quite blue and you might take it in another room and it looks quite yellow. So flock format, extra that the right color all across. And they will, if you say some, I need it in 2048 PX, which is a website, a really good websites file. They they'll do it in to that size for you, or should be able to, if they call them, perhaps find someone else.

And I'm assuming as well about where there'll be included. So it sounds like if you are going to use somebody, it's a good idea to work out how many images you get upfront. Is that the sort of thing you would normally agree?

Yeah. So, so when you're looking at the photographers, we all work differently with our style and some people offer packages, but yeah, double check what's included, they should be editing. They should be giving you a certain amount of images. Some will give you all the images. You know, if you want one product that you want three different shots, then you need to be specific about what you need, because those shots will take time to set up. So it'll cost the photographer more time. So they'll factor that into their quote. Some photographers have packages. So they'll say, you know, it's a certain amount of money. You get 10 images and you can have full resolution where resolution solution or a certain resolution you need. And some photographers will do it on a bespoke quotes point of view.

I think you can go to and say, I need 15 images. How much will you charge me?

Thank you. So I think a bit later when we will talk a bit more about, if someone decides to use a product photographer, what are the kinds of things you need to tell them up front? We will come on to that, but I would really like to talk about what you need to do. If you want to take your own photos. I mentioned in our little pre-interview that this is something I've actually done myself. One of my products, I did take an edit all of my face Hayes. So I know it's possible. Not entirely, you know, I think what I did was passable, but as you say, I'm well aware that it takes a lot of time for, and I'm absolutely sure that there were lots of things that I

didn't do quite right. So let's start with, what do you need physically need to have to take your own photos.

So do you need a special camera? Can you use your phone? That kind of thing.

Yeah, I think, I think great. If you, I mean, you can use a point and shoot. If you've got an entry level DSLR, as long as you know how to use it, I'm going to say use it. You know, how to get a very, what I call a sharp image. So it's not blurry and it is not fuzzy. But with camera phones these days with phones, these days, the cameras on them are actually really good. And you can, if you've got the right setter, which I'll, I'll talk through in a minute, you can take a decent picture with a camera and the file sizes are large enough that you can use them. So some tips, if you're using your phone, I would suggest get yourself a very small tripod, whether it's, you know, something from Amazon, you can get small gorilla type tripod.

So it just means that it's still, and that means it will just help make sure that you get a very sharp image. So it's not blurry. As I mentioned about using a small point and shoot, you can use small points and shoot, and these are very automatic. The key thing with any photography is getting the right light. So depending on it doesn't really matter. As long as you've got a camera, you can use a camera is the light is gonna make or break a picture. So my key top tips for getting a good product shot is to find natural light. So find a window in your home, set up a table.

If your product is able to set up on a table and you're looking for just a white background or white background, you can get large pieces of white card perfectly non-reflective, but you could go to the high street shop and get that, or just get it off the internet again. And you can, if you've got a very large piece of card, you can, you can

bend it. So the product sits on it and the background, you can't see any creases and then have a play. So if your window light is coming and directly hitting the product, you should get a very nice flat light. If you're after shadows and kind of that kind of thing, then you need to again, have a play. But we're talking to very about a very simple product shops. If you're finding that you've got one shadow on one side, part of your product looks dark and the other looks lighter, use white card on either side of your setter.

And you'll be able to work, call and be able to bounce the lights, what we call bouncing the light, but basically reflects you women's or light back onto your product. Does that make sense? Am I making sense? That does make sense. So yeah, to avoid those harsh shadows to get very, even light is to put white all around your product, basically. And you can use card. If you haven't got a lot of card, find anything that's widening your house. Just looking around my room at the moment, it could be a white blanket, honestly, anything why it's called works better because it'll bounce it a bit better, but anything that is white will reflect the light back

onto it so that you get very even tone. And that means with the light, the, the, the, the amount of light you've got on there, the easier your camera phone, your pointed shoot, your DSLR will be able to cope with it, which means you get a much cleaner, sharper, more professional looking shot.

Well, if you have white walls and it sounds silly, what if you have nice white walls, do they make a good backgrounds or is there a reason not to

No, absolutely. You can use white walls. It, I mean, obviously it really depends on the product, how big it is. If it's the small product, I would still suggest get in a table and getting some white card and putting it closer to your window. The problem with the wall is depending on how close it is to your window lights, if you using your home lights, you will get a very yellow looking image, which you can edit out. But it's not that simple if you don't know what you're doing with your editing, but if you've got, if you've got a room and it's full of lights natural day lights, and you've got no harsh shadows coming in, you can absolutely absolutely use a white wall.

Perfect. And how close to the window would you want to be? Would you pick your table right by the window? Or would you want to be slightly away?

Yes. Well, obviously you've got to get, you've got to be able to still shoot it. So it really depends on how, how narrow or big your room is, and it needs to be the height. So the light is hitting your product directly. So I think you can play around, you can put it a little bit further away, put it closer and have a look. You've got to look at where the light's hitting your product and where the shadows are. And the more you think about it, the more you'll start to see it, even without sort of professional photographers are, you'll start to see the difference and have a play once you get it. And you've got it right then you'll know. And you just start taking that picture. And if you've got more than one product, top tip is to do everything at the same time. So you've got the same light. You've got your same set up and you've got a consistency in your images then.

So if you wait and the two hours you like, might've moved and you went in your room or from the window and it's coming out from another window, which means it will change how your image looks.

Oh, that's great. That's really good advice. And so you would have your back to them as the photographer. You would have your back to the window just trying to pick Azure. Yeah.

Yes. So if, if you've got a small window and obviously you don't want to block the light, she don't want to be put standing. That's where the tripod comes into handy. So you're not standing right in front of the products. You can use your camera to have a look through, test it, just make sure that you're not blocking the light with your body.

Perfect. Yes. You're not casting shadows. And what about taking pictures outside? Is that an option as well? Is that, is the light outside? Yeah,

Let's see. The light is better outside and it really depends on the product. You could set up a tape if it's a nice day, which actually doesn't know about where you are, but it's quite nice for him today. As long as it's not windy and you are not trying to shoot in direct sunlight. So find shade, you'll still get an, a flight, find a piece of shade, whether that's underneath the tree or whatever you've got, whether it's a wall, shading, the lights. And again, you can set it up on the table and, and put the white card and source it. Will that make that? Or if, if I'm a big fan of lifestyle, product shots. So if it's something for outside, then, then shoot it with the outside surrounding it.

But yeah, as I said, no bright sunlight. So if it is very sunny, great light, but make sure you're in the shade. If it's cloudy and you've got flat light, you're, there's a bit more, it's actually a bit easier. Cause you don't have to worry about hotspots or shadows or bright sunlight hitting part of the product.

Thank you. And you actually just mentioned lifestyle shots is actually for anyone who doesn't know what that is. Could you just explain that?

Yep. So say you've got a product and it's a, okay, it's a bowl for a baby. It's this amazing, all that. I don't know. Some kind of USP to it that it sticks. And it's got lots of compartments. If it's dishwasher proof, that's a really good key selling points. So show a picture of the bowls in a dish Tricia, and you can set it up so that you don't have other stuff within the dishwasher, but it could be that you've got water droplets on the bowls. So it shows that it's washable in the dishwasher and it's, you know, you've pulled the dishwasher out and it's all sitting lovely within the dishwasher. So for me, the key to sometimes, or not sometimes at all, when you're sending products is to try and put it in a lifestyle situation. So the people that are buying it can see themselves using it because they can see that their lifestyle, you know, they've got a baby, they need to be able to wash something quickly.

It goes in dishwasher. Great. I don't have to wash it by hand.

Thank you. So this leads on really nicely to the next thing I wanted to ask about was how you sort of plan out. So you're taking the photos yourself. How do you plan out what images you need? Cause I'm assuming you, you don't just set up your car boards and start clicking. You actually need to think about the shots you

Pinterest. Pinterest is my best friends. Literally look for inspiration on Pinterest, go to product shots, have a look, use loads of different searches, creative board for yourself, and start to look at the different styles that you really like. And see if you can start try, I know some of Pinterest, we laugh because you might go Pinterest worthy and you try and do something. And it's nothing like Pinterest, but, but keep playing. So have a look. See what style you like. And you'll start to notice that you're picking exactly the same type of pens with the same look, whether it's a white background, whether it's a lifestyle background, whether it's, you know, has got people in it and you'll start to see a real theme come through about what did he look like?

And you can use that to start to think of ideas. You might take an idea from one pen and merge it with another idea from another pen, but it's a really good way of starting that first planning process is to get yourself a board on press Pinterest and start thinking about the creative side of how you want to shoot it.

Thank you. So I'm thinking that wherever you want to take photos yourself or wherever you, you, you, you know, you think you might hire someone to do it for you. It's probably a good idea to actually have a shot list and say, these are the however many photos I want, and this is what will be in them because yeah, I think that's something I just wanted to talk about a little bit, because I think that, you know, it's very, it's probably, you've made it sound really simple. I don't know. It's not really simple to go and sort of set yourself up to take photos, but actually before you do that, I think there's a lot of work that goes into working out. Actually, what photos am I even taking? I might not just be snipping away in a white backgrounds. I'm assuming you probably want a bit more than that.

Absolutely. I think it's a really good starting point to start with Pinterest. And then I think you need to really work out and make the plan of where are your images being used? Are they being used for your websites? Are they being used for social media? Are they being used for absolutely everywhere? So, you know, social media and you might want the lifestyle shots for your website. You might want the clean white background shots as well as the lifestyle shots. So you've really got to think about what you're using them for. So you, like you said, when you make that plan and then you make that plan shot list, which is what most

photographers will do with you and work out exactly what's needed. So all the different setups they're very, will be very good with our time as photographers because we have to make sure that we're not spending hours and hours and hours, but only charging a certain amount because that's our time and that's, you know, that's our business, so we'll go, right.

We're going to shoot white background. So we'll make sure we've got everything sorted out. We've got the right lights and we'll do that section first. And then the lifestyle images, here's my props. This is where I'm shooting and we'll do all those at the same time. So if you've got a really good plan, you know exactly where you're posting them, you know what you want. So you don't miss anything you don't tomorrow the day after your shoot, you think, Oh, I didn't get that shot that I wanted for my website panel. Or I wanted that shot for my Facebook header, you know, then going back and redoing orcas, it's just, it's more time and more time is better spent potentially somewhere else trying to market your products and, you know, getting the ideal clients, looking at them.

Absolutely. Thank you. So do you have, I mean, you've shared lots of them already, but do you have any more tips on how to take good photos yourself? Let's say if you were using your smartphone as an example,

Smartphone, as I said, that that the biggest tip is using the light to your advantage. I, some people will set up lights. It really depends on your budget. You could get a ring light, which will set up some lights, but personally, to save on that money, I would use daylight every single time, because it will give you a natural look that you can have a consistency with as long as you shoot it at the same time as you grow that, if you do more than one product shirt and, and you learn how to use the light secure advantage, if you go around on the, on say, you're going out for walk with your kids and it's a sunny day and you'll see where light hits the ground.

And the more you start to think about lights and how it's affecting, you know, have a look at the lights on your daughter's face, or have a look at the light on your bag. That's on the floor while you're at the play park and you'll see how it works. Well, when you look at it, if you're looking at it and it's got a bright sunlight patch on it, you know that you wouldn't necessarily photograph it there. So get used to looking at lights. That's my top tip. When my first start in photography years and years and years ago, I used to just walk around looking at different patches of light and seeing how they hit somewhere and how it changes the appearance of things. And once you've got your head around how to use lights, you'll find it a lot easier to be able to shoot products because you'll go, that's perfect.

That's a great light. It's all flat. It's it's even, this is what I want. Or if I want harsh shadows, you know how to stop manipulate the light, then that's perfect. I'll bounce it off this side and I can, I can really get something quite creative.

That's brilliant advice. Thank you. And it's really good to know that you don't need any special apps or features or anything to take good pictures. That's really reassuring and speak in a practice. I guess another thing you can do is just take lots of pictures and just like you see how they come out.

I see anything in life when you're trying to do something that sort of requires a skill, whether it's, you know, when you were, when we were kids and we used to try and play tennis or netball or hockey or whatever we did, it's, we've learning to write, you, don't learn to write. And then one day, you know, the next day you're doing it really well. You've got to practice. So keep practicing. And if you think, right, well, I'm not this isn't ever going to make it to my website, but I'm going to start just taking a few pictures to practice and see how it turns out and how it looks, and then kind of critique it yourself and, and keep practicing. The more you practice, the more you will get better at it. There is lots of information on the internet and on YouTube. Sometimes there is so much that it can be a bit overwhelming.

So if you're going to do it, just, just be mindful. Don't, don't jump from one cheap YouTube channel to another. If you're going to look at some information, stick to the same YouTube channel, stick to the same photographer, talking about a certain way of doing things because they weren't over complicated, or generally you weren't overcomplicate it by going to another photographer who may be does things differently. But my key thing is just practice, practice, practice, practice, practice.

Thank you. That's such good advice. And, and that's feasible I wanted you on because I think with most things that we do, you can just go down this Google YouTube rabbit hole, and everyone's got their own way of doing things. And yeah, I really appreciate you're making it very simple for us, which is I think what we need. And of course, if you want to go and get more information or go into more depth, then absolutely do. But I think this is a great starting point. So thank you. So let's say we've, we've taken our product photos. Now, the bit that daunted me the most, I'll be honest. When I had to go with this, myself was the editing more than actually taking them because I don't have Photoshop or whatever it is that photographers use edit photos usually, or something fancier than that.

I don't know. So, but let's assume that you don't have any editing software. Say someone doesn't have editing software and w let's start there. Do you need editing software, professional software to edit your own

photos?

You could say no, but it isn't gonna look as professional because if you're not going to be able to, unless you are a webs and you've got all your product shots done within 10, 15 minutes, and it's all the same lights, it, you will have a variation in the exposure. So how light or dark the product shot is. So editing is needed a little bit, but you don't have to be a super weird editing and you certainly don't need to use Photoshop. Photoshop is the kind of the big, the big thing that you need to learn. If you're a photographer and even then that's normally fine, not photographers. So a lot of photographers don't use Photoshop. They might use it for a few things, but they don't necessarily use Photoshop completely.

There is. If you're using your camera on your phone, there are lots of free editing apps you can use Snapseed. For example, also another one which most photographers use is in terms of an actual editing program is Lightroom. So Lightroom is part of the Adobe family, but you can't get it free for mobile. So the main point of the editing that I was suggested is this ensuring gets the correct exposure. So as I just said, whether it's too dark or too lights, so it's making sure that if you've got one shot and it's a little bit lighter than your next shot, making sure that the right, that the same light or darkness basically. So you get that consistency and that is easily done. And it Snapseed, I think even like we, mobile will actually show you how to do that.

And there are YouTube videos about library mobile that are very simple of just looking at your exposure. Perhaps the colors are a little bit yellow so that you can do that yourself. And it would just be looking at putting a little bit of, if they're too greet, you put a bit of pink and if the two pink, you put a bit of green in and it's just tweaking with the editing apps on phones, especially play with it. You know, if it looks horrendous, doesn't matter, save the original. That's like a top tip with the editing is save your original making sure that you're not that you've got a copy of it. So you're just editing the copy and you can have a play with it. Things like cropping. So if you're, if you're using an editing tool like Snapseed or Lightroom mobile, you can, you can make it square for Instagram, or you can make it a certain size that you need it for your website or your panel.

And also straighten I'm a photographer. And a lot of us cannot shoot straight to save our lives. So whenever I take my, whenever I do a shoe, so I always have to straighten everything. So an editing app will also give you the option to edit. And again, it is a lot of it is actually automatic, so you can press auto and it will straighten it

automatically. According to what lines are in the, in the, in the actual product shots. If there are lines, if you want to at an angle, you can edit it at that angle. So, yeah, so I would say you need a little bit of editing, but it doesn't have to be your fancy layers in Photoshop. You certainly do not need to learn to do that

yourself at all.

Well, that's very reassuring and good to know that you can do it on a phone app as well.

Mm th th the editing Snapseed, especially, they're really simple. And I think, again, it's practiced. So have a play, get, get a picture, whether it's, if you cared or whatever it was on your phone, just have a play, download the app and have a play and have a look at the different features. If you're not sure how to use it, then go on the internet and just double check all the features that it's got and what you ideally need to need to use. So the things I would say is you need to look at your exposure. You need to look at your contrast, look at your shadows, which will come up with shadows, your blacks and your whites. So those, those are, I think that was five. Wasn't it? Those are the five things that you probably need to look out. So if you've got something that's very black, you can bring that shadow up. You'll bring the blacks up. If they're a big shutter, you can bring the shadow up and you will be amazed at how much of a difference it actually makes to the overall picture.

Thank you. And I will actually have a look at this. I'll actually link to these apps in the show notes as well. So anyone who wants to go and have a look can, and I was interested to hear about you saying to shoot on a white background as well, because for some platforms you have to have a white background, or at least for your main shots, that was really useful. So if you say you decided you wanted your product on a pink background for argument's sake. So would you, would you shoot it on a pink backgrounds or would you shoot on why and then edit the backgrounds afterwards?

No, I think unless you're a super-duper editing Wiz and you know how to change the color, then I would suggest shooting on the background that you want to shoot it on. Just be aware, it's going to change your product color. So that's when editing, you need to look at what color you wanted to be and make sure that what the customer is seeing on your website or social media is the product that they get home so that you don't get all of these people saying, well, that's not the same color as I saw on there. So yeah, I would S I would say, however you want it to look is to try and make it, keep it as simple as possible. A photographer might not do that, but then we know how to change the color of the background very easily. And without, you know, it might take you an hour instead of 30 seconds.

That's really good. Thank you. Because I actually thought you were going to say the opposite. So I'm glad I asked that question. So it was really, yeah, this is all fantastic. So, and if you take your photos and you decide that actually okay. Editing and them, you know, you've got some fairly decent photos editing them is a

bit daunting. I'm assuming there are people out there that can help you just with that side as well.

Absolutely. There are, there are actually quite a few companies that you can search for on the internet, and they're not just UK based. You can, there's lots of them that you can send your image to and say, I need it to be on a pic background. I need this to be, I need to get rid of this part of the photo and you could put a brief down and actually they're not that expensive. So yeah, just search on the internet, editing companies, photo editing companies.

Thank you. So let's say, you know, you're listening and you're thinking, actually, this all sounds a bit much because it is, I think it sounds both simple. And how do I say this? Don't take an simple all in one guy to me, at least if it's decided that actually it is too much, and I'd like to work with somebody, do you have any tips on how to best find a product photographer, how to have to brief what basically, how would you get the most out of it? Because considering it is an investment and it might be one of your biggest investments when you're starting out, what's the best way to make sure you're getting everything you can from a photo shoot, if you hire someone.

Okay. So first things first is when you're looking for a photographer and obviously Google, where there's people in your area, and if you can send it to them easily, then it doesn't really matter what area they're in. Why are you looking for a photographer? Just make sure you like the style of their work. So, you know, if your brands and your, your vision of your product is kind of a light, airy, very bright look, then look at a photographer who has that style of work. But if you book a photographer whose work is generally shot on black, and he's quite dark and moody and quite edgy, you're not going to get what you want. Cause that's not their style. Equally. A lot of photographers is if you said, I want the light area and they don't shoot like that, we'll turn around and say, well, I'm not for you, but here's another photographer that can help.

As I mentioned earlier, about Pinterest, when you start working with a photographer, even if they don't ask for it, get a Pinterest board together and say, this is the kind of thing I'm thinking of. They won't match. No photographer will mimic those photographs, but it gives them an idea of what you're thinking creatively. And you know, your product inside out. You also know, hopefully know your ideal customer. So those pictures that you're looking at on Pinterest will also should be the kind of looking at the target of who you're looking at and who you won't sell to also as a picture to, you know, clear pitch to photography on the style and look that inspires you. So having a clear idea about your shots you wanted is great, but if you don't know, most experienced photographers can help you with a product shot list and ideas.

So I can mentioned about, you know, maybe you're setting a, a baby bowl. I don't know why I'm thinking about baby ball, but if you say, I don't know, you know, it's on a white background, it kind of looks a bit uninspiring. How do I do this? You know, talk through a term, I'll say, well, okay, what's the features available? What's the point of it? Do we want a baby as a, you know, in the product lifestyle shot? And I would say, yes, you know, if I, if I was photographers who will find that let's have a child or, you know, whatever we're sending to, let's get, let's get people in it. So if budget is a bit concerned and you can't afford your local photographer or you've looked around and you think it's just too much money, really top tip is actually to find photography students.

So someone who is studying photography at college, go and go to the college and say, you know, I'm looking for a photographer for product shots. Have you got any students that, that, that I can pay? I wouldn't say do it for free because if the students want to be growing their portfolio, but you want to pay them, because then you're, you're invested in they're invested, but it will be a minimal cost because they want to build their portfolio. But you'll still get someone that knows how to use the camera that is learning. And you still an investment, but you are taps not going down the route of spending hundreds and hundreds of pounds, depending on how many product shots you've got.

That is fantastic advice. Thank you. I really like that. And so talking about lifestyle shots and having people in images, given where we are now, so we feel we're recording this on a set filming so I can see you, but we're not really filming. We're recording this in October. Is it still possible to have people in shots and filming locations is that is cam that's okay. Happen?

It's it's, it's, I think we're in an ever-changing moments. If you can find a photographer and you're selling products for children and the photographer has children, then it's easy. You know, I have three children, I can use them as models and I don't need a model release for them because they're my children. So yes, it is possible to a certain degree. And as long as the social distancing going on, and we're within the rules of not more than six people in the building, your teammates are socially distance. A lot of tacos are wearing face masks now. So there's no, you know, there's no problems in that respect, then it is possible. Obviously getting a child in it's. It's not as easy shoot, but, but I think as long as you're following the government guidelines and at the moment during October where we are, I'm in the Midlands at the moment, although I'm based in Suffolk, I could do it.

We're socially distancing and not than six people in the room.

Thank you. And I know, of course it's a big question because, you know, by the time this comes out, who knows the rules might have changed, but if you're locked out again yeah. If it's worth, at least bringing it up, I actually, I've always used my own children for my pictures as well, because again, I don't need them as a release form, but yeah, they're getting a bit big now. So that might not last much longer.

I think I would say if you are using your rate, if you're doing your own product photography, and it is a, a product for children, it's really authentic using your own children, because it also lets your eyes or customers kind of a little bit into your own life. If this is me, these are my children. They're using my products because I believe in them so much. So I think it's, there's quite an, a good authenticity and a good story behind you, various graphing your own children, using the products that you've created.

And I guess the same could be said from, I don't think for myself necessarily, cause I'm a bit camera shy, but if someone wanted to be in their product shops, there's probably something to be said for that as well.

I shot that's, that's kind of part of my, what I, what I specialize in, I suppose, personal branding. And it does make a big difference when you show it for your audience and you show them who you are and showed them the story behind you. It makes a big difference. People buy from people they like know and trust. And when you show up and they get to like you, they get to know you and they get to trust you. They buy from you, people buy from people and it is it's really key. It makes a big difference in having high end imagery to kind of maybe just be that person that just stands out above the competition. Makes a big difference.

Thank you. So if someone wanted to get in touch, you try and get a baby a bit more about you, sort of the product of the services you offer, what year, what are you did at the moment Georgina?

I am. So I'm, I'm working. I am doing personal branding, shoots socially distance and very Covid safe. And I also, I also do family photography. So next week I'm off to Windsor, all outdoor photography things cause it doesn't rain. So people can lppl me up on Georginalittlephotography.co.uk. And I also have two Instagram pages. I've got Suffolk brand photographer, which is where you'll find my personal branding and product photography. And then my other Instagram family is Georgina.

Thank you, George. And I'm going to put these in the show notes as well. So if anyone's driving, walking and didn't write them down, we can get them as well. So yeah. Fantastic. Thank you so much for this. I think this is all really useful information and it's hopefully taken away some of the unknown around, you know, how on

earth do I even think about getting product images? So you've given us two really good options and yeah, I would say it's down yeah. Down to you now it's kind of think about which one, you know, would work and yeah, I guess. Yeah. Thank you.

No problem. So can I give you one big tip?

I would love you to give one top tip.

So I think the one, the biggest mistake that I see many bits businesses make, especially small business of is that they only post typical product shots to the website and online stores. You know, we were talking about just the white background or just a very clean shot, which shows the product beautifully, but it doesn't necessarily sell it. I really do think that whilst these shots are obviously important, really missing out on a huge opportunity with the lifestyle shots. So if you've got a combination of both product and lifestyle shots, they help tell the story of your brands and they can show how your product fits into customers' lives. I think product photography, it's more than just about the product itself because you're not setting just the product you're selling something that's going to make your client's life easier.

Plus images of you with the products that we just touched on, can help put a very terminal personal touch on your story and just let your audience get to know the face behind the brand. So when I shoot products, I was making sure to take some lifestyle shots to round out the experience, basically.

Thank you. That's really good. And actually, as you were saying that I'm sitting here thinking through my own shots and thinking, yeah, I could probably do a bit of a refresh at some point because while they're fantastic high quality images. Yeah. Maybe they need a bit of personality. So after something to think about. Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for sharing that because I think, yeah, if you haven't got any product images yet that's yeah. That's definitely something to think about as well as I think traditionally I know when I took my first product jobs, I was just thinking, well, I need this angle and that angle and this, the other angle didn't even really occur to me that I could be a bit more creative.

So that's fantastic.

Yeah, definitely. And just practice if it doesn't work straight away, don't just give up. And if you've got, you

know, if you don't have the budget to employ a photographer, just, just keep practicing. Eventually you'll get there. And if you get frustrated walkway in Africa and come back to it also,

And I would say that if, if you know, if some of the shots maybe, you know, you might not feel they're good enough quality for your website, but they might be fine for Instagram. For example,

Absolutely Instagram stories, everything you can still show ups with. Some of those images I use a lot of by phone pictures I'm taking about sort of around my home or kids or whatever I put on my stories and I don't edit them. All the stories get kind of iPhone pictures. It's fine.

Thank you. Well, thank you again so much for being here, but everything you've shared and I'm going to link through to everything we've spoken about in the show notes was episodes of people can get all the resources really easily. Yeah. So thank you. That was really

thanks for having me.

You're welcome. So what did you think? I really hope that you found that conversation with Georgina, as interesting as I did and that you picked up some hints wherever you are planning to now go and take your photos yourself or wherever you're planning to find a product photographer. I really hope that you found this useful as always. I would love to hear from you and vicki@tinychipmunk.com, please do let me know what you think. And if there are any subjects, you know, any experts or areas that you would like me to find, come on for future episode, please do let me know, because I really want to, you know, produce the kind of content that you're interested in and it's going to help you with wherever you are right now.

So do you get in touch? Do you let me know? And in the meantime, if you haven't already please subscribe. So you don't miss any upcoming episodes take care and I'll speak to you soon.