END. | June 2017
One of the biggest challenges with shooting for social media full time is keeping the imagery fresh and interesting. Thankfully END. stocks over 300 brands, each with their own identity and unique products that inspire creativity.
Often it's not until I have the products in my hands that I decide how I'm going to shoot it. The colours, materials, and finishes influence the props, background and lighting I use to try and bring out the best of the product.
In June I experimented with coloured gels, gobos and creating illusions.
Studio lighting is very consistent in colour which is brilliant but can also be a bit dull. Adding a coloured gel can introduce a bit of drama, especially when there are multiple lights with gels of different colours attached to them.
In a similar vein, studio lights are unobstructed unless done so purposefully. This means, no dramatic shadows and no dappled light. I missed such things from my experience shooting with natural light, so I added gobo (goes before optics) stencils to make some interesting shadows.
Apparel is shapeless until you put it on a body, so making it look appealing without a model can be tricky. In June I began arranging apparel on a flat surface but in the shape of a person so that it would add a bit of life to it. The 'poses' can suggest movement too if the arrangement of the material is considered.
I also had fun making sneakers look like they're floating.
Here are some of my favourite shots I took in June at END.
Ant Tran is product and lifestyle photographer. Currently working at END.