Products prepared? Light set up? Then we can get down to photography! One of the secrets to successful product photography is proper composition. What are its types? We’ll tell you a few of them and give you tips on how to use them.
Center composition in product photography
The most basic type of composition is considered to be central, where the subject being photographed is in the center of the frame. This way of placing it emphasizes its importance and directs the customer’s eyes to it.
A product photographed in a central composition looks great against a uniform background, so it is an excellent choice for packshots. A brilliantly illuminated object with saturated colors will emerge from the white, which will fantastically highlight its advantages.
The central composition will also work well in organicshots, or simple frames wrapped in natural light, and stylized arrangements .
Tri-partition principle
Another popular principle of composition is tripartition. Perhaps it sounds abstract, well, because where are the photographed elements supposed to go in an photo divided into three parts? We hasten to explain! Imagine superimposing a grid resembling a “tic-tac-toe” game board over a photograph. The places where the lines intersect are strong points where the photographed objects should be. According to experts, such an arrangement is extremely attractive to look at, so using it in stylized frames is sure to draw customers’ eyes to your products.
Dynamic composition of product photos
Another type of composition, often used in product photography, is dynamic composition. It is not a matter of photographing moving objects, but of placing them in such a way that they form a slant, because such elements in fine art are considered moving. By using such an oblique arrangement, product photography will appear to be overflowing with energy. Combining it with vibrant background colors is sure to keep viewers for longer.
Closed composition in product photography
Simple packshots are usually taken in a closed composition, i.e. one in which all the photographed elements are entirely in the frame, with the main motif in the center. Of course, it is clear that this is required by the rules for preparing these minimalist shots. However, it is worth noting that this rule did not come out of nowhere – the use of closed composition makes the photo even clearer and leaves no room for interpretation.
Product photos in an open composition
The room for interpretation, however, is left to the open composition, which is perfect for product arrangements. Using it, we create shots in which the objects in the frame go beyond its frame. This further works on the viewer’s imagination and makes the frames more interesting. Especially in arrangements reminiscent of domestic spaces, we can activate the audience’s imagination. Many may wonder what the entire interior of the room would look like, or what the model being photographed looks like. It’s a good way to highlight your products, right?
Product photography perspective
When writing about the composition of product photos, we also can’t ignore the perspective involved. The most commonly used one is when our lens is kept level with the subject being photographed. This solution is ideal for packshots. Frog and bird perspective are also popular in product photography.
A frog and bird perspective
To prevent these animal terms from seeming like black magic, we rush to explain. A frog perspective is one from which we photograph from below. Then the products give the impression of being larger, more majestic, and thus eye-catching.
In bird’s-eye view, on the other hand, we move to the other side of the object being captured and photograph it from above. You may associate this way of capturing products in the frame from Instagram, because there at one time it enjoyed incredible popularity. Flatlay, as it is referred to, is a composition of flatlaid products and accompanying props, photographed just from a bird’s perspective. Among other things, it works great for product photography of cosmetics, as we wrote about in previous articles ➡️ How to photograph cosmetics.
Professional product photography
Types of composition and perspective are not limited to those approximated in the article. For our photographers, every assignment is unique. You can be sure that the composition, perspective and arrangement will be selected in an individual way and your products in the photographs will become works of art!
