Have you ever watched an ad for a product, whether for shoes, a watch, or even a deliciously saucy burger and thought, "How do they make such average, everyday stuff look so sexy? There are definitely many professional cinematic techniques used to pull off a good product shot, like good lighting and smooth camera movement, but a lot of the aesthetic can be achieved on a small budget. In the video below, Zach Ramelan of PremiumBeat gives you some tips that will help you nail your next product video without breaking the bank.
Ramelan talks about 4 important aspects of a good product shot, all of which you can pull off on a budget.
Lighting
You don't need a huge lighting kit to make your product shot look amazing. If you can get your hands on a cheap softbox, you're golden. If not, you can use an old shop light or whatever you've got on hand and use some diffusion material, like a shower curtain, T-shirt, or something like that to soften your light. Setting it overhead will create an elegant yet dynamic look, so mount your light to an overhead rig, C-stand, or some DIY rig you built out of household items. (You can always try your hand at a DIY light box, too!)
Camera movement
Adding a little movement goes a long way when upping the production value of your product video. You can use a slider if you have one, but if you don't, you can try setting your camera on something soft and heavy, like a blanket, so it'll absorb any shock caused when sliding it over your surface. Also, shooting at higher frame rates, like 60 fps or 120 fps will make it look even more epic when you slow it down in post.
Background
Don't forget to be intentional with the background of your shot. If you want to go with an infinity black backdrop like the one in Ramelan's video, you'll want to move your camera closer to the light source and keep both far enough away from the background so light doesn't spill onto it. Of course, you can go with an infinity white backdrop or any kind that piques your interest, but the main point is to be intentional.
Detail reveal
One interesting technique Ramelan utilizes in the video is this light swiveling effect to produce a stylized reveal of the product's detail. Simply grab your light source (make sure it's not hot!) and slowly and smoothly move it around to reveal the product. It's that simple!
What are some other helpful tips for shooting product videos? Let us know in the comments!
Source: PremiumBeat
