Product Photography is a form of art. The creativity that a Product Photographer puts in a product shoot is sort of personal at some level.
You can’t force creativity out of yourself or someone else.
It is understandable that each client you will work with will have ideas about what results they are looking for from the shoot. And some of those clients might have very rigid ideas that have no room for your creative expression.
It’s important to acknowledge the fact that even though you might think you can give them better results with your own unique creative ideas, you can’t force them into it.
A brand’s trust in your creativity depends on their flexibility with their brand image, how promising your portfolio is, and how clearly you’re able to explain your ideas to them.
But what if you’re suddenly out of ideas altogether?
It happens, it’s normal.
You are not a machine that is made to churn out brilliant ideas every single day. Burnout in any kind of profession is common. Especially in ones like Photography that requires awakening your creative self.
I’ve been in this place a few times in my journey as a Product Photographer. (also food, portraits and fashion :P) And here’s me hoping that if I share with you how I coped with it, it will help you too.
Don’t doubt yourself, relax
Being out of ideas doesn’t mean that you aren’t a good or the best Product Photographer out there.
Believe in yourself and your skills. You are in this place for totally different reasons.
Maybe you’ve over-worked yourself, maybe you have not shot something just for yourself in some time, or maybe your mind just needs a break from the repeated cycles of mood boarding-sourcing-shooting-editing.
Take 1-2 days off. Do anything other than shooting. Most of the time when I did this, I naturally felt the urge to shoot something uniquely mine after the much-needed break.
I’m guessing you became a Product Photographer because you enjoyed doing it, right?
Then why not take a few photos just because you want to shoot them and not for any paid project or specific purpose?
Whenever I shoot a flatlay after a break, out of my natural wish to compose the flatlay, I love that photograph a bit extra. This is one of them:
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Also Read: How to take texture shots in Product Photography
Find new inspiration for your Product Photography Shoot
Have you been following the same Photographers on Instagram for quite some time and didn’t go looking for new ones? Have you been brainstorming ideas using the same keywords in your searches?
It is time to change things up.
When you feel like it, get on Instagram, Behance, or wherever you’re active as Photographer and go through the posts in your niche-specific hashtags such as #productphotographer, #productphoto, #productstylist, etc.
You will discover all kinds of talented Photographers whose work might inspire you to come up with something of your own. There are numerous types of product photography that you can try out.
Never stop learning, take an online course
“A foolish man thinks he knows everything. A wise man knows he doesn’t”
–Amanda Hocking
Enroll yourself in an online course to learn more about Product Photography, composition, lights, or anything that is of interest to you.
I wrote a blog post mentioning the course I took up with a bunch of others that I recommend – Online courses.
Make things fly!
Have a few props but are unsure about their placement? Make them fly. It is one of the best product photography techniques to make your images interesting.
There are two ways of doing this. You can either stick your prop to a stick (Link to skewer sticks) or hang them using a thread.
Take multiple shots with different flying elements and stack them up together in Photoshop.
Here is a cool Instagram reel you should check out to learn how to use skewer sticks to shoot a levitating photograph:
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Simply take out the product and spread it around
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Choose a background color on which your product’s texture would pop. Texture shots work the best with things like masks, conditioners, shaving foams, etc.
Get experimental and use different objects like a comb (Link) or palette knives (Link to the knives I use and are amazing!) to create interesting swatches.
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Place the product over a mirror
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One of the key things that you have to take care of in this is that the mirror should be squeaky clean. Even though you can fine-tune things in Photoshop, it is always best to fix everything while shooting the image.
The reflection that shows up in the mirror has to be free of distractions.
Go up to your terrace or an open space in a park nearby.
If you are shooting inside in a closed room, in your product photography studio, you can buy a backdrop that has sky printed on it to fake a sky reflection in the mirror. (Link to pink cloud backdrop, use my code- GARIMABHASKAR to get 20% off on your purchase)
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