Best practices for creating styled images for your social and website.

Single product shots on a white background work well as thumbnails on your E-Comm site, but what type of images do you need to convey the brand or the “spirit” of the brand? Many of our clients at StyleExpo Photography book us to photograph styled content images to use on their social sites or on the website.

What is the difference between a styled content shot and a product shot?

Whereas most product shots have a white background, styled content shots let you incorporate colors and texture to capture the mood/spirit of your product. Burlap, sand and marble all make great surfaces when doing styled content images. These varied backgrounds create an interest and depth to the images that aren’t accomplished by straightforward white product shots.

Props are also used in styled content shots, whereas, for single product shots we discourage clients from using props that can be distracting. Flowers, foliage, candles are always good props but often when you are trying to convey the spirit of the brand, we’ll incorporate accessories. For example, sunglasses, a sun hat, and sandals are examples of popular accessories to convey the spirit of vacation.

You want to also be sure that the quality of the accessories is in keeping with the product being shot. For example, if the product is a $700 leather handbag you will want to pair it with other high end accessories. This is where booking our prop stylist comes in handy as most likely she will have an inventory of accessories to match the brand identity.

What should the client do to prepare for a styled content shoot?

Whether you are going to style your product yourself or hire a prop stylists, I strongly encourage my clients to do as much prep as possible at home/office to cut down on the billable in-studio time. Spend time gathering all the product and props that you think you’ll want to use at shoot day. Then as you do each set up, take a photo with your phone of the set ups you like. When you get to the studio, we can use the photo as a guide to copy the set up in the studio.

How many styled shots can be done in an hour?

The volume of shots depends upon how many props are in the shot, the background you want and the material of your product. If the client has done their homework and knows the set ups they want, then I generally quote 5-6 styled shots in an hour assuming the set doesn’t have to be completely rebuilt for each shot.

How does one work with a prop stylist ahead of a styled content shot?

Our head stylist, Kelsey, works on some tabletop styling for Accessory Junkie.

When the client is not going to style but has a vision of what they want, the best way to start is for the client to share images with the prop stylist ahead of the shoot. This is often called a mood board. The stylist then will start adding images to the mood board to bring in their ideas and see if the client likes them. This can also be done sharing albums on your cell phone.

Once the spirit/mood of the styled shots is decided, the prop stylist will source all the props for the shoot. This time is billable but it saves a ton of time for the client as the prop stylist knows exactly where to go to get the best banana leafs or textured paper that will add depth to the shots.

On shoot day, the prop stylist will bring the looks together while the client supervises. StyleExpo Photography’s “hourly rate” allows the prop stylist to create as many varied looks as in the agreed/budgeted time. After the shoot, our client will receive a digital contact sheet with all the images from the shoot.

Contact us Megan at 213-394-6307 or email megan@styleexpo.com to discuss a styled content shoot at our NYC or LA studio.

StyleExpo Photography has 20 years of experience servicing the fashion, jewelry, beauty and homegoods industry. Studios in NYC and LA offer services ranging from one-hour table-top jewelry shoots to a full-day lifestyle model shoot on location. Rates are per-shot for send-in work, though we do offer hourly rates for clients wanting to participate at the shoot. Turnaround is 3-4 business days and all images can be resized and cropped ready to populate your website or linesheet. Call us today to discuss your shoot. 213.394.6307 or contact megan@styleexpo.com

StyleExpo Photography: Your Vision Made Simple

Styling Accessories and Product Content for Your Social and Website