Lifestyle Photography: Tips and why it’s important
Whether it’s clothing, accessories, beverages, toys, electronics (you name it!), lifestyle photography plays an important role in successfully marketing a product. Through highlighting the product “in action” by curating different scenarios and scenes where it is in use, you give the consumer the ability to visualize themselves having an experience with the product firsthand. Consumers can identify with an experience more than a well-lit product against a beautiful backdrop. Using lifestyle photography to compliment e-commerce and studio content can elevate your marketing efforts immensely.
Here are some helpful tips to make a lifestyle photo shoot successful:
Keep it authentic.
Try to avoid your model interactions looking too staged. The whole concept should feel natural and a part of everyday life. If the poses and scenes seem fake or forced, it will lose the ability to feel approachable from a more practical, day in and day out perspective. A good approach is to curate the set and then allow the model move through the scene while you focus on candid captures.
Focus on Experience.
You want to sell your audience on the use of the product you are photographing. How would the consumer use the product and in what situations would they be in while doing so? For example, if you are photographing a reusable water bottle, some common experiences surrounding that product could be: at the gym, on a bike ride, while traveling, or working in a home office. Place your product in the moment.
Location is everything.
It’s important to scout for locations ahead of time. An ideal location would have the ability to gather a variety of content within the same place. Booking something like an Airbnb can be a great help because most of them typically have appealing interior design that make for photogenic backdrops. If you plan to have a big crew for your shoot, you’ll want to let your booking host know. Choosing a place near a park, trail, or downtown area also gives you the potential to knock out many types of scenery within one or two days.
