If you’re been searching around for tips on how to improve the styling of your photos as a product photographer or packshot studio then look no further. We’ve put together some of the best styling tips out there, based on years of experience delivering outstanding results.

Get to know your client

The very first tip we want to talk about is one of the first tasks you should do when taking on a new project. Before doing any kind of planning or styling, you need to understand what exactly your client wants to achieve on the project. This can be difficult for them to explain verbally and so a fantastic way to approach this is to design a creative brief for them to complete, built on a range of questions like who the target audience is and what the brand stands for.

By understanding the client, the product and building up an image of what you need to achieve as a product photographer, you can then plan a much more effective style that will deliver results.

Do market research

There is absolutely no point jumping straight into planning and taking photographs of a product if you don’t know who you should be targeting. By doing market research on the target audience then you will naturally pick out key characteristics that will help you make styling decisions.

There are some obvious bits of information around demographics, such as the age of the audience, gender, location etc but there is so much more to it. For example, if the product is classed as a luxury item then you need to do market research of the type of person willing to buy such an item and what attracts them to these products.

Select the right props

As a product photographer, props and backgrounds require a fine balance between adding value to your image and taking focus away from the product you’re trying to promote. It is highly likely you will want to include props and backgrounds, particularly to help promote both the brand and product as well as tell a story in an engaging way.

The props, backgrounds and models you use should help tell the story of the product, match the composition and colour and elevate it. Spend time researching ideas, looking back at previous projects and building up plans on what props will deliver the style you seek.

Stay on brand

The concept of staying on brand covers a wide range of styling factors, meaning it should always be at the front of your mind as a packshot studio or product photographer. Firstly, you will want to make sure that the colours, props and background tell a continuous story that customers can both relate to and relate back to the brand itself.

Secondly, you want to ensure that the style of your images targets the philosophy and emotional connection of the brand. For example, if the brand is all about vibrant colours or eco-friendly products then your styling should reflect this, otherwise, you will fail to target the correct audience.