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 promoted thanks to it. So, what media are you going to use 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.

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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.

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For some three-dimensional products, such as works of art or sculptures, on the contrary, it is preferable to offer 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

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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 won't 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.

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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.

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The process for creating a 360 degree animation is more complex than for a simple photo. You can use a manual rotating platform 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.

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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.

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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.

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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 functionalities. 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.

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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 toattract 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 strengthen 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.

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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.

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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.

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The power of automated photo studios

One automated studio allows you to easily and automatically create photos, 360-degree animations and videos, no additional hardware required. These studios revolutionized the world of packshot photography by offering:

• One considerable time savings
• Of big savings over the long term
• One usability, even for beginners

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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 !