What is "Lifestyle Product Photography?"
I often times throw around the phrase, "lifestyle product photography." So what do I mean when I use it?
Here are some definitions according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
Lifestyle: (n) "the typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture."
Product:(n) "something that is made or grown to be sold or used."
Photography: (n) "the art or process of producing images by the action of radiant energy and especially light on a sensitive surface (such as film or an optical sensor)."
Okay, you probably already knew what those words mean. But what does it mean when I put them together?
It means that when I capture pictures of things that you want to sell, I show them in real-life situations. Not on cut-and-paste, white backgrounds. I stage a scene, that your ideal customers might find themselves in and insert your product into it. Often times I add a human element as well, since your product is probably for humans. This means that if your product is a food item, I probably have my model start to dig into it for the photo. Or if it is a candle I light it before shooting. It means that I use simple everyday props to showcase your product.
Why do I embrace this philosophy behind my work? Because I believe that people will start picturing themselves using your product when they see photos of it in everyday scenes. My goal is that they actually won't be able to picture their everyday life without your product, or that your food will look so delicious and ready to eat that they will start craving it immediately!
Sure, if you request it I'll get you that standard shot that shows all the details of your product. The shot that is at the back of the carousel on your shopping cart page. But that's not really where you sell, is it? In this day and age, you sell with a compelling Instagram feed or on Pinterest. Before your customers even open your website you are showing them how your product would seamlessly fit into their everyday lives through lifestyle product photography!
