We’ve reached the final part of the product photography course that I did with my friend Lee’s company, Welshot Imaging, a few weeks ago.

This bit was my favourite, a combination of the vintage products that the lovely Hazel brought along, the fabulous Jen modelling, and some of my bags and bears.  We were using the ‘big studio setup’ which meant a backdrop from a big roll of white paper and studio flash lights.

In this one, I probably wasn’t low enough down considering the lens I was using, as the locker door looks like it’s leaning outwards when in fact it was standing perfectly straight. It might also have been better in landscape format, but it was quite hard to judge at the time as it seemed like it was a bigger setup vertically than horizontally when I looked at it.  With lots of other people there to take shots I couldn’t really spend hours playing about with angles, but on my own I think I’d be able to get it ‘right’

Poor wee doggy got punted for this shot, and my VW Aeroplane bag brought in.  I think I got a better angle with a bit more room in this, but again, maybe horizontal?

All change on the props front.  These were so fun to play with.

This is actually part of a bigger tableau which you’ll see in the shot below, but I fancied getting in close on these.  I think I could have been at a better angle to the mint tin though.

By this point we were rather randomly putting things in shot.  It would be fair to say that Sandy and I need some styling training ;o)

Starting to take over this shot with bears and bags, but I do like the setup:

Time to travel?  The main issue with this one being that the Aeroplane bag handles are all hidden, making it unclear to potential customers what they’d be like.

I’m not normally a ‘pink’ person, but I think this works quite well

Trying those tins out on the small table with the overhead light, it became clear just how reflective they were, and it was a (somewhat unsuccessful) juggling act with camera and reflector to get the mint tin clear, which has left the Oxo rather overblown.

By this point we were just getting silly, but there needed to be more reflected light to the top of the tin:

Did I mention there were wedding cakes there?  Actually there were fondanted polystyrene ‘cakes’ there, and we had a bit of fun playing with them.  I really struggled to work out how to direct Jen to get shots, so I ended up taking advantage of how the person before me had posed her each time.  I think if I were going to work with a model again, and knew the props I’d have, I might try and work some things out in advance.

Unfortunately the cake got rather blown out in this shot, although it was a fun idea.

Time for tea with the bears, but I think the bears are a bit too dark down near her skirt, I should probably have changed the light angle a bit as she was sitting down:

A few seconds before Jen had been talking to Zeke, but I was a bit too slow to catch it.

I think this one might have been a bit better without Edwood, Jack and Zeke on the floor, so we could focus on Jen.

Now we were getting really silly with the ‘cakes’ but you can see that the top of the frame is very near where the paper roll for the backdrop started, so there’s a rather weird shadow.

And finally, a little beary get together.  I should probably have done what my dad did and lay down on the floor, but I was so tired I might not have got up again ;o):

Don’t forget, if you’re in the Anglesey, Chester or Manchester areas, or are able to deliver there, Lee would be happy to include your products in a course or Academy Evening session and you would get free photos back!  Contact her here.

Next week I’ll show you what I now have set up at home, and what you can do quite cheaply to get good shots.