Photography is a creative and enjoyable activity. It’s simple to create an eye-catching, appealing, and dynamic image with a bit of know-how. However, it’s all too easy for product shots to fall flat—literally. Most items sit there, and you can’t get too crazy with your display because shoppers need to know what they’re buying.
Sure, some companies and marketplaces will let you use lovely models and elegant settings, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes you need to capture the product and nothing else.
That’s not a lot of material to work with.
Using boxes is one approach to create dimension and visual interest without detracting from the product. Your goods will be the center of attention, but your arrangement will add to the visual appeal. But how can you make the most of blocks and boxes in professional product photography?
Here are some suggestions to help you choose the right blocks and boxes and then set everything up for whatever product photoshoot you can think of.
The Benefits of Using Boxes As Product Photography Backdrops
An otherwise flat landscape is given interest by boxes and blocks (which we’ll use interchangeably from here on). Some things have enough visual interest to stand on their own. Still, many products—especially those in clean, geometric shapes like cylindrical candles, bottles, and the like—look uninspiring without the proper set up.
Stacking boxes around and below these objects gives new lines, planes, and angles for shadow and lighting to experiment with—but not so much that the viewer’s eye is drawn away from the image’s most crucial part: your product.
You can also lean your goods against something to keep it in place if it has a flat bottom. Blocks provide the perfect structure for an otherwise shaky situation.
Finally, boxes draw attention to a particular thing. You can place your product in a box to make it appear as a gift, or you can arrange it on top to make it appear as if it has won a medal. Plain blocks and boxes allow you to play and create focal points without stealing the show when you have many other possibilities.
How to Use Boxes and Blocks to Prop Objects up for Photography
The Stack
Consider stacking many boxes if you want to make your goods stand out. This creates a wedding cake effect that’s hard to miss. Also, if you’re working with something tall, the stack provides an eye-catching look against which you may lean your product.
The Single
The use of a single, plain box is no exception to the rule that simplicity exudes richness. Placing your goods in or atop a single box gives the impression that it is provided as a present. That’s exactly the emotion you want your viewer to have when they look at the product in the photo.
The Multitude
If you want to offer the idea that your product stands out in a sea of bland rivals, a slew of boxes can help you achieve that goal. Whether you stack them in different ways or lay them all out around your product, a slew of blocks or boxes will draw the viewer’s eye to the one thing that’s different in the image—your product.
The Monochromatic
Do you want to make an image that stands out? Use boxes with the same color scheme as the backdrop. An otherwise balanced composition will gain dimension, shade, and detail thanks to the monochromatic approach. Your product will stand out—in a good way—because it is the only thing that isn’t the same color.
The Off the Wall
A range of blocks and boxes in various sizes and colors are what you want to utilize if you’re going to convey the impression that your product is unorthodox or an appropriate item for someone who thinks themselves to be a little odd. Arrange your blocks in a beautiful grouping, then add your product to make it the image’s focal point.
Now, You’re Ready to Incorporate Blocks Into Your Product Photography!
There you have it: a plethora of ways to use blocks and boxes to give dimension and character to your product photos.
If you want to leave the job to the pros, outsource your product photography in Lilburn, GA, at Armitage Photography. You can check out our gallery to see our extensive portfolio of taking product photos. Get in touch and let us know how we can help you!
For more information about me and how to book my services, please reach out via email at aphoto.ja@gmail.com or via phone at 404.247.5458. And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn for exceptional photo inspiration as well as photography tips and tricks.
