Photo Catalog
Objective:
The objective of this project was to create a cover photo and a two page catalog on select products with a consistent theme using product photography, photo masking and design techniques.
Choosing the Products:
In starting this assignment, we were asked to choose a topic for our photography. They could range from everyday house hold items, or personal belongings of which we had an abundance. My topic of choice was initially amiibos, a series of figurines from the popular game “Super Smash Brothers.”
However, being limited to 10 objects and a consistent theme, I settled on Pokemon as a topic. It was popular enough to be easily recognized and had a big enough fan base to be marketable.
Photography & Photo Masking:
After selecting the products for the photography, they were taken into the photo studio. There, each product would be placed in a light box, with two light stands on each side. One light stand would back light the product while the other provided side lighting.
Each product would then be placed into the light tent. Then, multiple shots of the product would be taken and then the images would be taken into Adobe Bridge. In Bridge, the shots would be color corrected, cropped, and adjusted to be ready for photo masking.
The cover photo would then be shot separately. With white paper as a backdrop, one light stand was set up with a light box and a diffuser to create some nice soft lighting for the shadows. A camera was set then set on a tripod and my peer, Luke Hosking, would then take said picture while I was modeling for the picture with products in hand.
Layout:
After the products were all masked, the process of laying out them out onto each page was next. Each product had to be carefully placed while taking note of the spacing, textures, and font use. It was basically learning how to create and lay out images in a controlled/limited amount of space.
Conclusion:
While it was one of my earlier assignments, it laid down a solid foundation for me while creating the catalog itself. This case study taught me the importance of spacing, font choice and placement of images. Along with this, I was able to learn how to properly utilize camera equipment for product photography.