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How to make perfect product pictures?

T

twiggy0

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 8, 2009
352
0
Ok lets use this picture as an example:


b7011c.png


Did they use 10 different pictures, each under the same exact lighting to create the same exact gradient, with the same exact dimensions, and then place them together in photoshop or something? (I believe this is unlikely)

Or did they first take the picture in green (or any other color really) and then edit that specific color to make it in red, and then orange, and then yellow, etc. etc. (the same exact picture, copied 10 times, each copy with an altered color using a software) and then stitched those together?

I'm thinking it's the latter. If so, what software would they use to do this? What first color would they choose to take the first picture with? (I'm thinking green, since green is used for green screens, and it's sort of the same principle)

Thanks in advance!
 
twiggy0 said:
Ok lets use this picture as an example:


Image

Did they use 10 different pictures, each under the same exact lighting to create the same exact gradient, with the same exact dimensions, and then place them together in photoshop or something? (I believe this is unlikely)

Or did they first take the picture in green (or any other color really) and then edit that specific color to make it in red, and then orange, and then yellow, etc. etc. (the same exact picture, copied 10 times, each copy with an altered color using a software) and then stitched those together?

I'm thinking it's the latter. If so, what software would they use to do this? What first color would they choose to take the first picture with? (I'm thinking green, since green is used for green screens, and it's sort of the same principle)

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
I think it's not a photo in the first place. The whole picture is made in some software (photoshop or some 3D sw) and then copied 10 times and changed colour.
 
Hexiii said:
I think it's not a photo in the first place. The whole picture is made in some software (photoshop or some 3D sw) and then copied 10 times and changed colour.
Click to expand...

So it's really advanced stuff? Would someone with no previous knowledge on how to do this be able to start by studying it for a month or so? I'm guessing no?
 
twiggy0 said:
Or did they first take the picture in green (or any other color really) and then edit that specific color to make it in red, and then orange, and then yellow, etc. etc. (the same exact picture, copied 10 times, each copy with an altered color using a software) and then stitched those together?
Click to expand...

Given this task, I would get one product and duplicate/edit it and "stitch" them together, just as you suspect.
 
citizenzen said:
Given this task, I would get one product and duplicate/edit it and "stitch" them together, just as you suspect.
Click to expand...

By "get one product", do you mean taking a picture, or like an autocad 3D creation?
 
twiggy0 said:
By "get one product", do you mean taking a picture, or like an autocad 3D creation?
Click to expand...

I'm not a 3D creator.

I would work from one photo of the product. The reflection is a creation easily accomplished in Photoshop. You just need that one good product shot and a good working knowledge of Masking, Layers and color.
 
citizenzen said:
I'm not a 3D creator.

I would work from one photo of the product. The reflection is a creation easily accomplished in Photoshop. You just need that one good product shot and a good working knowledge of Masking, Layers and color.
Click to expand...

Would you do the entire process in Photoshop? I'm not an 'expert' at colors persay...
 
twiggy0 said:
Would you do the entire process in Photoshop? I'm not an 'expert' at colors persay...
Click to expand...

I would do it that way.

The reason it's necessary to be an "expert at color" is because you need to understand how color is measured, determined and how it varies depending on the output device.

Someone could give you specs such as, "I have product 'X' and I want you to show it in the following colors: Pantone 100, Pantone 200, and Pantone 300." That's a very specific request and helpful in that it is specific and quantifiable. Color can get pretty dicey, so it's helpful to base it on a system, like Pantone, that is based on some kind of standard.
 
Without seeing a good close up, hard to tell if this is a photo or a mockup. But, like the other's are saying. Start with one good one, and then just colourize it. They may be starting with a white one, and then laying colour on top. I'm 90% sure it is all done in Photoshop (not necessarily the mocking up if that is where they started.)

In the days of film, I had a nice little gig shooting the boxes that a local company's software was shipped in, for magazine ads. I'd get an Iris print mockup of the box (I'd have to fold and assemble it) and shoot it to transparency film, and then give them the developed slides. I got put out of a job when their graphics department discovered they could use Photoshop to "fold" the sides by playing with the perspective transform tool and create an (almost) realistic box. Just like that I was obsoleted.
 
twiggy0 said:
Ok lets use this picture as an example:


Image

Did they use 10 different pictures, each under the same exact lighting to create the same exact gradient, with the same exact dimensions, and then place them together in photoshop or something? (I believe this is unlikely)

Or did they first take the picture in green (or any other color really) and then edit that specific color to make it in red, and then orange, and then yellow, etc. etc. (the same exact picture, copied 10 times, each copy with an altered color using a software) and then stitched those together?

I'm thinking it's the latter. If so, what software would they use to do this? What first color would they choose to take the first picture with? (I'm thinking green, since green is used for green screens, and it's sort of the same principle)

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Cinema 4D + GreyscaleGorilla Light kit pro = realistic, great looking product renders. Download an iPhone model and slap it in for some practice.

This, of course, would take a lot of money, but I'd do this rather than finicking with a camera and lighting any day. In all fairness, I'm fairly experienced with C4D, but if you wanted to go the completely digital route, this is what I'd do.
 
Yes, go for some "cheap" 3D software, and assuming you work hard and follow tutorials, you could get some good results in a month, if you take help from presets and available lighting setups.

If I were you, I'd try Modo.
 
12dylan34 said:
This, of course, would take a lot of money, but I'd do this rather than finicking with a camera and lighting any day.
Click to expand...

You could hire a professional photographer who could probably do the job in a couple of hours for a few hundred dollars.

Or you could purchase 3D software (Cinema 4D ~$300) and spend hours learning how to use it properly.

If you're not into "finicking with a camera and lighting any day," why would you trade that for finicky with software that you're not familiar with?

----------
juanm said:
Yes, go for some "cheap" 3D software, and assuming you work hard and follow tutorials, you could get some good results in a month, if you take help from presets and available lighting setups.
Click to expand...

Exactly.
 
juanm said:
Yes, go for some "cheap" 3D software, and assuming you work hard and follow tutorials, you could get some good results in a month, if you take help from presets and available lighting setups.

If I were you, I'd try Modo.
Click to expand...

+1 for Modo. I've been learning it (coming from Maya) and i have to say I am really impressed with it. It doesn't take a lot of effort to make something nice.

citizenzen said:
Or you could purchase 3D software (Cinema 4D ~$300) and spend hours learning how to use it properly.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming thats a typo but if not where are you finding C4D for $300???
 
twiggy0 said:
I have a college email so I can get it for $300, but I think it'd be really hard for me to make something that would be usable for a marketing ad.
Click to expand...

It depends on how much you're willing to learn.

If you used something like Modo (you can get it really cheap as a student, about $150 for a year or $250 for lifetime) with a little time and effort you could make some pretty decent stuff.

Modo takes away a lot of the complicated pain in the butt stuff and lets you focus on creating.

Learning a 3D software packages can be pretty important these days so I'd definitely suggest it down the road. It takes time and effort but in my opinion its time well spent.
 
chrono1081 said:
It depends on how much you're willing to learn.

If you used something like Modo (you can get it really cheap as a student, about $150 for a year or $250 for lifetime) with a little time and effort you could make some pretty decent stuff.

Modo takes away a lot of the complicated pain in the butt stuff and lets you focus on creating.

Learning a 3D software packages can be pretty important these days so I'd definitely suggest it down the road. It takes time and effort but in my opinion its time well spent.
Click to expand...

I'm very willing to learn but it's hard to find the time for it. As an entrepreneur I work around the clock, so I'm not sure. But I guess I have to sit down and ask myself that question, not try and find it online.

In any case if I do choose one I think I'm going to head for the Cinema 4D route because it's more future-proof then Modo, and I don't want all my knowledge of Modo to just be useless after a certain amount of years because I need more advanced things later on.

I would love to find someone to be able to do it for me in the short term at least, but I'm always having trouble with these graphic design portfolio sites, never really found one that's simple and effective.
 
twiggy0 said:
I'm very willing to learn but it's hard to find the time for it. As an entrepreneur I work around the clock, so I'm not sure. But I guess I have to sit down and ask myself that question, not try and find it online.
Click to expand...
Unless your business is design/graphics/etc you shouldn't be doing it yourself. Pay a professional and move on. Your time is better spent growing your business rather than learning a new profession. A professional spends a great deal of time keeping up on current trends and technologies. That time is then amortized over dozens or more clients. If you try to do this yourself then the time spent staying current is amortized over one client... you.

A professional should be able to bang something like that out in a few hours to a day. And then they can do the next one and the next one.... while you are still trying to learn the software.

Trust me. I'm a professional photographer and I've even helped clients (potential and existing) do the photography themselves by giving them tips. They learn how hard it can be, and come back.
twiggy0 said:
....
I would love to find someone to be able to do it for me in the short term at least, but I'm always having trouble with these graphic design portfolio sites, never really found one that's simple and effective.
Click to expand...

Find a professional who will come and visit you. Invest the time to start a good working relationship, and then they will be able to read your mind. It's a good investment in the long run.
 
snberk103 said:
Find a professional who will come and visit you. Invest the time to start a good working relationship, and then they will be able to read your mind. It's a good investment in the long run.
Click to expand...

Where do I start looking?
 
twiggy0 said:
Where do I start looking?
Click to expand...

They are in business and are advertizing. In my small community you start by asking around. In a larger communities you go to places that professional photographers have to go to, like pro camera stores. Especially ones that rent equipment. An established pro photographer will have a relationship with a camera store.

Check their portfolios... and get quotes.
 
citizenzen said:
Or you could purchase 3D software (Cinema 4D ~$300) and spend hours learning how to use it properly.

If you're not into "finicking with a camera and lighting any day," why would you trade that for finicky with software that you're not familiar with?
Click to expand...


Hence why I included this in the next sentence of my post, "...but if you wanted to go the completely digital route, this is what I'd do." If he wants to go the digital route, I'd get a 3D program and some pre-made light kits. I just said Cinema 4D because it's what I know how to use. Modo would work, it's just not much of a standard, but that's probably not important to the OP.

No comment on photo vs. CG, just saying that if he chooses to go CG, I would do the above.
 
Last edited:
I think I'd go for Cinema 4D. I just got a Lynda.com account and they have a bunch of stuff on it. I also have inventions that i wanted to create/patent so I think this is going to be a rewarding journey for me. Wish me luck. Thanks for the help everyone.

Cheers. :)
 
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