The complete guide to packshot photography, 4: which media to choose

Welcome to the fourth article in our series The complete guide to packshot photography. Today we are going to talk about the choice of media, an essential question to ensure you have the most impacting packshot possible. Indeed, some products need to be seen from every angle or in motion, while others gain nothing. In this article, we will thus present to you The three most used media types in packshot photography : still photography, 360 degree animation and video. For each media, we will also present its advantages and disadvantages, as well as examples of products that can be highlighted thanks to it. So, which media will you prefer for your products?

Sensory marketing and media choice: what is the relationship between the two?

If you are a business looking to sell products online, it is essential that you understand the importance of sensory marketing in reaching your potential customers. However, choosing the right medium to present your products, whether it is a still photograph, a 360 degree animation or a video, is a major step for good sensory marketing.

In fact, some products are better suited to a moving presentation for example, like clothes. Seeing a dress worn and in motion thanks to a video, the customer can better imagine how it will move on their own body. It's not as easy with still photography.

For some three-dimensional products, such as works of art or sculptures, it is on the contrary preferable to propose a 360 degree animation to allow customers to view the item from all angles and at their own pace (whereas a video takes that control away from customers). This will give them a better overview of the product and help them project it into their own space.By offering a richer user experience with the right media, you offer your customers a much better experience, which avoids unpleasant surprises while giving them the tools they need to make their purchase decision. So, to fully exploit the potential of your online store, you must adapt your product presentation by choosing the right media in order to engage your potential customers as much as possible. But Be careful not to give in to the “gimmick” appeal of these media : in some cases, a 360 degree vision or a video will not bring any added value to the product, so it will be better to settle for simple photographs.

Overview of possible media in packshot photography

Still photography

It all starts with the still photography, the “simplest” of the media, the one we find on all e-commerce sites without exception.Here, you will not need any specific equipment, except that which is usually found in packshot photography: lighting, lenses, camera, tripod, not to mention a support for your product.To find out how to take an effective still photograph, we recommend that you refer to our previous article: The complete guide to packshot photography, 3: how to highlight your products.Note that you will always need still photographs of your products, even if you decide to highlight them using a 360 degree animation or video. Still photography is therefore essential.

Benefits

• Fixed packshot photographs are easier to make than a 360 degree animation or a video.
• The files obtained in .png or.jpg are easy to import to your e-commerce site and can easily be used in print as well.
• In addition, these files are lightweight and quick to charge on a web page, as long as they are optimized correctly.
• Images can also help you move up in Google searches thanks to their alt tag, if you pay attention to the natural referencing of your site.
• You are in total control of composition and details of the product that you want to show or not show in the photograph.
• Incredibly versatile, still photography can both allow you to capture the product as a whole or to present certain details and accessories of the product: while it is preferable to limit yourself to a single video or animation, it is instead encouraged to have several photographs of your product from different angles.
• Finally, some products do not benefit more from other media : this is in particular the case of a panel, cables or electronic components for example.

Disadvantages

• Despite its great versatility, Still photography is sometimes not enough, and it is then appropriate to use other types of media in addition.
• For some types of products, the customer may experience the need to go around the product in order to see it from every angle. Imagine sculpting a bust for example: the customer will naturally want to examine it in all its facets before making a purchase decision, which is only partially possible with still photographs. One 360 degree animation can then be valuable for the customer.
• Another limitation, more important this one: still photography does not allow you to see the product in motion, while this movement can be a real force for certain types of products. We have already used the example of a worn dress that can twirl with movement, but this is also the case for a household appliance whose use can be staged in a video for example.

Once again, these disadvantages are in no way prohibitive and you should always take still photographs of your products, whatever they may be. Instead, consider using other media in conjunction in order to highlight your products even more, if some of their assets do not stand out enough with simple still photographs.

360 degree animation

360 degree animation allows your potential customers to have a complete product overview, rotating around him to explore every angle. This can be particularly useful for products that are complex or that benefit from being viewed from multiple perspectives, such as works of art or jewelry.

The process for creating a 360 degree animation is more complex than for a simple photo. You can use a manual rotating platform (you can even create one by yourself!) or automatic to take pictures at regular intervals. You will then have to Assembling the different images obtained using software. However, and as you can imagine, this can be difficult and particularly tedious. Fortunately, there are specialized photo studios who can do this for you. Thanks to a automated rotating platform and integrated into the photo studio, you can easily create 360-degree animations of your products in just a few minutes.

Benefits

• A 360 degree animation provides a complete view of your product, which allows your customers to better visualize it. They can observe all the details of the texture, the finishes, the colors and the quality of the materials. This global view is not possible with a simple photo or video, which does not allow you to see the products from all angles.
• This is a fairly innovative technology, which allows you to differentiate from the competition. Many online sales sites highlight static photos or basic videos, without offering a complete and interactive vision of their products. A 360 degree animation can thus boost your site and bring real added value.
• Offering a complete view of your products can also reduce the doubts and hesitations of your customers, who will be more confident in their purchases.

Disadvantages

• Creating a 360 degree animation is a tedious process if you want to do it manually: you have to take numerous shots from all the necessary angles before assembling them using specialized software. This not only requires a lot of time, but also a great deal of patience and absolute precision to ensure that each image aligns perfectly with the others.
• You will need a rotating platform capable of supporting the weight of the product that you want to capture: this can be a costly investment.

Video

If you are looking to create powerful and dynamic images of your products, the packshot video is a great choice. Unlike traditional photos that often show only one angle of the product, the packshot video offers a complete view of the product in motion, allowing customers to better understand and appreciate its features. To shoot a good packshot video, start by checking your camera settings and making sure the focus is correct. Stability is also crucial, so use a tripod and avoid moving the camera while shooting. Finally, make sure you have a good lighting source for optimal results.

Benefits

• The video allows Show your product in motion or in action, which may be essential for some items.
• You will have a good control of information : you can highlight the positive aspects of your product while mitigating the less positive aspects.
• A video allows you to attract customer attention more quickly and in a more profound way than a photo, which can provide a more engaging shopping experience for your customers (as long as the video is relevant and offers additional information).
• Video can help reinforce your brand image, because it highlights your products in a more professional and attractive way.
• Videos also tend to increase your conversion rate, which allows you to increase your profits.
• The packshot video is finally an effective way to show your product on a large scale: it can be shared on various social media platforms and be consulted by a large number of potential customers in a short period of time.

Disadvantages

• A video is more bandwidth-intensive just a photo or an animation: if your customers access your site via a slow connection or from their smartphone, they will have to wait a long time before being able to watch your video.
• The time and money needed to shoot and edit high-quality videos can quickly add up: this can be an obstacle for businesses with a limited budget.
• A video only allows very little interactivity, which can quickly annoy your customers: you should therefore not abuse video, and only use this medium when it provides real added value.

You will have understood it, Video is a medium to be reserved for products that benefit from being highlighted in this way : otherwise, you may lose the customer's attention. We recommend that you consider video for products that the customer needs to see in motion or in action, such as clothing, for example, or a household appliance that could be shown to be used.

The power of automated photo studios

One automated studio allows you to easily and automatically take photos, but also and especially 360-degree animations and videos, with no additional hardware required. These studios have thus revolutionized the world of packshot photography by offering considerable time savings and savings in the long term. Indeed, these automated photo studios are designed to be very easy to use, even by newbies. They do not require advanced photography knowledge, as they are equipped with a intuitive software that allows you to take photos, animations or even videos quickly and easily.

Whether you are a company or a product photographer, an automated photo studio allows you to offer packshot photographs as well as 360-degree animations or videos, all in one and the same professional quality studio : you are thus free to choose the media that will best highlight your product, with no limit of material or means! You are now better equipped to Getting started in packshot photography, for highlight your products according to their characteristics and to choose the right media to represent them... Our Packshot Complete Photography Guide is coming to an end soon, but we still have one important concept left to present to you in the final article in our series: the concept of homogeneity!