Your 3 point plan to a successful product photography shoot

The Art of Product and Still life Photography

If you run a retail or product based business, you need to communicate effectively, efficiently and in a lot on online situations, quickly.

Using some simple steps to your businesses marketing and advertising can reap great rewards.

Professional photographers use the experience gained over many years and have a set of skills which are geared towards maximizing the "sale" of the image on your website page, or other printed marketing material.

This can be an area of your business marketing which may be overlooked, as it may seem out of reach for a small business due to budgetary constraints but in the fast moving world of online selling, it is the visual impact of the product which will help your products leap off the page, and more importantly, sell

The ability to photograph an inanimate object is not as straight forward as it first may seem.

The Three main areas to consider are:

1. The actual merchandise in front of the camera, this needs to be assessed by a trained eye, so that the most effective camera angle and lens choice is used.

2. The professional lighting equipment & techniques used by commercial photographers are a vital ingredient in setting the scene and create the right atmosphere to the shot.

3. Background choice is also vital to the successful packshot or product photograph being achieved. The product or merchandise itself will determine a complimentary background, such as a rustic wooden surface for some artistic food image, or maybe a natural surface of stone or such like to contrast a jewellery item. It maybe that a neutral background is used, professional photographers in Leeds and around the UK will use this particularly when shooting for product cutout shots or pack shots as they are often called.

Phillip Shannon is a Professional Photographer, based in Leeds West Yorkshire. Studio and location photography service if provided for all business types across Leeds and the Yorkshire region and the UK.

An award winning photographer with over 16 years experience in the commercial photography business, Phillip has been commissioned for a huge variety of advertising assignments over his career. As a Food Photographer Phillip has produced mouth watering images for food businesses across the Yorkshire region and for multiple uses such as websites and printed brochures.

Visit the main portfolio website to view more of the photographers work. http://www.phillipshannonphotography.com/

How popular cook books use food photographers as their main ingredient.

With the Christmas book market beginning to gather pace, one of the most popular areas will be the cook book.

The ongoing rise of the celebrity chef and the inevitable book make these publications a top choice for a Christmas gift.

Phillip Shannon - Professional Commercial Food Photography

Each chef often accompanied by their own particular TV show will attract a certain section of the viewing public.

If you have ever bought or been given one of these cook books, you are as much buying into the celebrity persona and life view as much as the actual food they cook.

When turning the pages of these books you will note that all have taken advantage of using a professional food photographer.

Turning a recipe into mouth watering image is the job of the pro photographer and almost certainly a food stylist and art director/client too.

Professional food photographers will have many years experience in studio and location photography to call upon when dealing with food products for advertising and publication.

Throughout Leeds, one of the largest cities in the UK, professional commercial photographers and studios offer food shoots as part of their services.

Phillip Shannon, a commercial photographer based in Leeds has over 16 years professional studio and location photography project experience. This experience means that your food shoot will be handled with care and delivered to you on time and to a budget that suits your needs.

After many years in the photographic industry, Phillip Shannon has experienced many, many different kinds of photo shoot, product photography, pack shots, food, jewellery are all aspects of the portfolios displayed on the website.

If you are looking for a food photographer, whether you are based in Leeds or from further afield across the Yorkshire region or UK, Phillip Shannon can offer you an award winning, experienced, straight forward and down to earth approach for your next professional food photography shoot.


Please visit the main food website portfolio here http://www.phillipshannonphotography.com/portfolio/food-and-drink.php
All the images here on the photographers blog, and on the main portfolio website are © Phillip Shannon and no material should be copied, downloaded, reproduced, pinned or saved without express permission from 
Phillip Shannon Photography.

A selection of images to buy in the Gallery

A carefully selected group of images are now available to buy on the Red bubble gallery page.

http://www.redbubble.com/people/phillipshannon/portfolio

As Christmas approaches you may be looking for a photo based gift. There are a range of print sizes available, greeting cards and many other options to choose from.

My work as a commercial photographer has been wide ranging and varied in type of subject and location. This has given me a great perspective to be able to produce a wide range of personal based photography projects, which I hope you'll enjoy looking at.

Some of the images on sale are from the award winning portfolio, so here's your chance to own your very own copy.

Thank you for stopping by.

Leading Jewellery & Watch Retailer commissions Commercial Photographer

The above Images are ©Phillip Shannon Photography and should not be downloaded, reproduced, copied or pinned without express permission from Phillip Shannon Photography

I was recently commissioned to produce a series of projects by a leading jeweller in the UK.

It was a great pleasure in being chosen to complete the work after working closely with the company to formulate a shooting schedule which not only produced the finished images in good time, but also produced a step forward in the image quality which represented the products for the new aspect for the business.

Working with clients to achieve a positive step forward in the quality of the images that represent their business is a key aspect of being a Commercial Photographer.

Many companies need a professional photographer to promote their products and services on their website and as an experienced commercial photographer working in Leeds and the Yorkshire region I have been involved with a great variety of projects covering Jewellery Photography, Product Photography and Food Photography.

Above you can see an example of one of the photographs produced for the business.

The first stage was to produce the product image as a cut out shot, this process of photography is called this, as the original background is removed, or cut out, in post production.

This is how the jeweller required the images for the e-commerce site. I then, in post production as an alternative to the original shot for my portfolio page, added a black background and a pattern to compliment the watch itself.

Cut out photographs and pack shot photography are often words used to describe the type of commercial photography that a business needs to advertise and promote certain products. This may be for a new venture,  or new offer that the business may be running, what's important here is that the final images work hard to promote the product itself but also the business as a whole, as high quality images always succeed in selling themselves and many business report of increased sales when commissioning a professional photographer.

Please take a look at the Jewellery Portfolio to see more examples.

When you visit my main portfolio website, please also take a look around the other portfolios too, Food Photography, Still life & Product Photography, Creative Photography, People Photography, Locations & Interiors Photography.

I am a commercial photographer in Leeds and work in studio and across the Yorkshire region and the north of England on location producing high quality photography for businesses of all types. Please call or email today to discuss your next commercial photography project.

Food Shots for Local Business

© Phillip Shannon Photography - Food Photographer UK

I was recently commissioned to spend the day at a fantastic local food business.

The business is actually a farm and sells much of the things they produce in their own farm shop, the business also has a wonderful restaurant onsite preparing freshly made meals often with their own meat and vegetables.

This kind of location photography offers various challenges to the commercial photographer, and one word springs to mind " flexibility ".

Being able to switch from one type of scenario to the next, with relative ease comes from spending many years carrying out commercial photography for a variety of businesses and clients.

Dealing with changeable location settings, and working with natural daylight and flash too are skills which you'd expect your photographer to harness with good effect.

Working very closely with my client before and during the shoot meant that they could see the images being taken as it happened, advise, and control each scenario as it unfolded so that each image was working very hard to answer each and every design and marketing question the client had set.

Planning the shoot was the key to the success of this project, we held meetings and spoke many times before the camera and flash lights were unpacked. The graphic designer gave valuable art direction, during the shoot to, this graphic input was vital as the website design and other marketing platforms were all considered.

Working as a Professional Food Photographer I have carried out a huge variety of food shoots on location and within the studio too. Please visit my main portfolio site to view the Food Portfolio.

Phillip Shannon is a Professional Commercial Photographer based in Leeds, Yorkshire, UK and can offer a studio and location photography service.

Visit the website to view all the other portfolios too. http://www.phillipshannonphotography.com/

The vital role of a food Stylist for food photography

To produce delicious food photographs for a food product or to display a new recipe for a cookery book, you must enlist the skills of a professional food photographer, that I imagine you already knew, but equally important, when undertaking professional photography is the role of the food stylist.

The food stylist is the key to success when photographing dishes for websites, brochures or publications of the food that you are promoting or seeking to show.

This tried and tested combination of photographic skill and food preparation knowledge is in many if not all the food shots you see in the media.

A food stylist will often have many years of hands on experience in the food industry, maybe as a chef, teacher or producer of food. This wealth of experience and knowledge goes into the mix when the food shoot is being planned and right through the shooting process.

Having carried out many food shoots over the years, one thing is certain, producing shots for cooked food dishes & producing commercial and professional photography of food items for publication is more successful with the added skills of a food stylist.

The final images will always look more polished, sleek and have more impact on the page of your website, or cookery book when this combination of skills is employed.

Take a look at an example of some recent food photography shown here, and in the food portfolio.
(All images are subject to Copyright and must not be copied or pinned or used in any way without permission)

If this is the first time you have visited my portfolio website, take a look at the other portfolios too Still life Jewellery Creative People Locations
(All images are subject to Copyright and must not be copied or pinned or used in any way without permission)

Phillip Shannon is an award winning photographer with over 16 years experience in commercial photography.

Phillip Shannon is a professional photographer based in Leeds Yorkshire UK and can offer full studio facilities or a location photography service at your business address.

Areas covered include Leeds, Bradford, Wetherby, York & Harrogate, and further afield. Location photography is handled across the UK to suit your needs.

Contact Phillip Shannon, Professional Photographer based in Leeds for your next commercial photography project.

Food Photographer shoots for website launch

We were delighted to spend three days shooting for a major retail brand of chutneys, condiments and salad dressings.

The food photography took on many different approaches, from creative food shots to a more structured and design led set of images.

The shoot was a great one to get your teeth into ( pardon the pun ) and was a real team event.

Photographer, Food Stylist, Client and Art direction all blended well together to create the delicious food photography.

Knowing that the images will be used for a great deal of purposes, website, brochure, exhibition and promotional material, we set about shooting the products with this in mind.

This organised, design led and creative source means the client ends up with a huge set of versatile images which can be used across all platforms to promote the new range of food products.

If you are thinking about planning your own food shoot then planning the running or schedule of the shoot is all important to getting the most out of the time available.

This food shoot was carried out in studio, which is an ideal place to carry out this kind of work, location photography of food can be achieved if the  environment is suitable, having enough space to work, and having the kitchen close to the shoot area is very important.

If this is the first time you have visited my blog, take a look at the portfolios on my main website here Food Still life Jewellery Creative People Locations
(All images are subject to Copyright and must not be copied or pinned or used in any way without permission)

Phillip Shannon is an award winning photographer with over 16 years experience in commercial photography, the food portfolio can been seen here in the portfolio section along side the other areas of the photography service.

Phillip Shannon is a professional photographer based in Leeds Yorkshire and can offer full studio facilities or a location photography service at your business address.

Areas covered include Leeds, Bradford, Wetherby, York & Harrogate, and further afield. Location photography is handled across the UK to suit your needs

Preparing for a Food Photography project

Over the last few days I have been busily preparing for a food shoot.

The project requires a lot of people's input and involves arranging a great deal of information to be collected to make sure the food shoot goes as well as possible.

It such an important part of the photographic process I thought I'd jot down a few pointers for you, if you are planning your next shoot.

1. Know what you want, be clear about which shots are required and how they will be utilized.
2. Once you know the images you need, where will they be used, crop requirements etc..
3. Props and other items needed for the food photograph.
4. Deciding who has final approval over the images produced is very important.
5. Schedule dates and times so that everyone that needs to be involved can be available.

Luckily this project is very well organised, and everybody involved is experienced in organising and taking part in the overall photographic process. So I can't wait to get started on this project. Will be posting images from the shoot in due course.

Until then here's a snap shot of what can be found in my current food portfolio.

I am a Food Photographer based in Leeds, Yorkshire, and can shoot food for you in studio or on location in and around the area, or further afield, just contact via the website http://www.phillipshannonphotography.com/contact.php

Food Photography with a difference

I was recently commissioned to produce some food photography, with a slight twist. The shoot was to create an image based on a very particular brief.

The image was to form the basis of a logo, and as such had to be very graphic in its structure, so I set about breaking down the problem into elements to ease into the photographic shoot ahead of me.

The food shoot was to photograph an orange with its peel rising up in a spiral above the main body of the fruit, as if it was floating.

I have shown the finished image below and the elements involved in the photographic approach to this particular studio shoot.

As a food photographer and working in the commercial world, this type of shoot is a great one to tackle, as it involves working to a particular brief as part of the overall marketing plan, something which I have a lot of experience with.

Based in Leeds, Yorkshire, UK, I have been fortunate to work with a great deal of food brands, businesses and marketing or advertising agencies across the region and around the UK.

My food portfolio shows a wider variety of work undertaken throughout recent years. Please visit the website here:

http://www.phillipshannonphotography.com/portfolio/food-and-drink.php

Helping food businesses connect with customers through professional photography

It is no doubt that any business needs a positive connection with its customers, whether you are a small local store or a city centre office your business success depends upon new and existing customers coming through the door or somehow purchasing your product or service.

In the food industry one of the great ways to connect with new customers is through trade shows, exhibitions, or even you're own open day.

As we look at the year before us, a great deal of food exhibitions, trade shows, food fairs and local events are taking place from Leeds to Los Angeles.

A great deal of variety exists in the world of trade shows, from the mega-complex's of a national exhibition space, to rural or local events where only a handful of stall holders are involved, whatever the event is, the ambition for your food business should be the same.

    1.    What are the fundamentals about my product that I need to convey
    2.    How do I communicate that to my customer
    3.    If I am selling at the show, is my price point competitive
    4.    How do I retain my customers long term
    5.    Do my competitors have a more successful product?, if so, why?

Needless to say the list could go on, but these 5 points are made for you to look at your food business and ask questions about how you communicate with the lifeblood of your business - your customer.

A food business in Leeds, Yorkshire can take advantage of the wealth of commercial expertise around them to evolve and promote their business through a series of channels. One is design and marketing and the other is Food Photography.

As a food photographer Phillip Shannon is well experienced in producing food images that sell your product online or in-store through point of sale, brochure or catalogue. Over many years and hundreds of studio and location shoots, the experience gained equals a very successful shoot for your food enterprise.

If this is the first time you've visited my blogger page please click the link to my portfolio site & take a while to view the other areas including all of the portfolios.

Phillip Shannon is a professional photographer based in Leeds Yorkshire and can offer full studio facilities or a location photography service at your business address.

Areas covered in the UK include Leeds, Bradford, Wetherby, York & Harrogate, and further afield. Location photography is handled across the UK to suit your needs.

Product Photography

A few days have passed since the last post, as the studio has been very busy with product photography. A range of items have been in front of the camera from handmade soaps to cakes and ginger bread men.

The task has been the same with all the clients, that is to get the most out of the products to fulfill the needs of their business. This is a really important aspect of the commercial photographers lot, to tune into what the client needs the images to do is what makes for a successful professional product photography shoot.

My other tasks over the last week has also to look at the creative and food photography section of my portfolio, I'm planning on entering the Pink lady Food photographer of the year competition so I'm really looking forward to putting my images together for that.

Studio Photography

This week has been all about preparing and shooting studio projects. The first project was for a range of boutique style handmade soaps made in UK for a online retail website, and the other a Food photography project for a supplier of food produce to commercial outlets. This is going to involve studio photography of cakes and the like, so I hope there maybe one or two left over, maybe with a nice coffee!.

Studio photography is part of the commercial photography service I carryout in Leeds, Yorkshire. Please stop by my website to take a look at the full portfolio

Creative Photography section added

I've posted a section all about creative photography, please take a look while you are here.

Creative photography can be approached as a skill set for any professional photography project.

There will always be different levels of creativity and that is dependent upon many factors. A simple cut out shot for example of a box of cornflakes may not need the same complexity of approach as a portfolio piece, or an exhibition photograph.

Whatever the project is, when it comes to using photography for your business, the image needs to work hard for you, to pay for itself, yes, but also to promote your brand and company and help you achieve your ambitions.

I have many years experience in producing photography for business, so please stop by my website and take a look if you require a studio or location photographer in Leeds, Yorkshire or around the UK.

Very Frosty in Leeds Yorkshire today

©Phillip Shannon - Professional Photographer Leeds, Yorkshire

Well we certainly felt winters icing grip this morning, one of the first real icy and frosty morning's so far this winter.

I love seeing how simple things, like in the garden change so much when the light is crisp, and clear and how everything is touched beautifully by the sub zero temperatures.

As a commercial photographer, we are often asked to create creative images from simple scenes or products, so I hope you like the image above.

3 Steps to a successful product photography shoot

Product Photographer Leeds Yorkshire UK

The Art of Product and Still life Photography.

If you run a business, you are selling a product or a service.

You need to communicate effectively, efficiently and in a lot on online situations, quickly.

Using some simple approaches to your business marketing can reap great rewards.

Professional photographers use their experience and a set of skills which are geared towards maximizing the "sale" of the image on your website page, or other printed marketing material.

This can be an area of your business marketing which may be overlooked, but in the fast moving world of online selling, it is the visual impact of the product which will help your product leap off the page.

The ability to photograph an inanimate object is not as straight forward as it first may seem.

The Three main areas to consider are:

• The actual merchandise in front of the camera needs to be assessed by a trained eye, so that the most effective camera angle is used.

• The professional lighting techniques and equipment used by commercial photographers are a vital ingredient to making a successful product shoot.

• Background choice is the third main ingredient to the successful packshot being achieved. The product or merchandise will determine a complimentary background, or it maybe that a neutral background is used, professional photographers in Leeds and around the UK will use this particularly when shooting for cutout shots.

Phillip Shannon is a Professional Photographer. Based in Leeds West Yorkshire.

As a commercial photographer in Leeds the variety of your photographers experience must be high and the ability to produce effective award winning calibre images need to be on your wish list.

Phillip Shannon is an award winning photographer with over 16 years experience in the commercial photography business, and has been commissioned for a huge variety of advertising assignments over the years.

The portfolio site shows a great variety of commissioned product work, from food photography, still life and cut out shots, to jewellery and products of all kinds shot on location.


Visit the portfolio site here http://www.phillipshannonphotography.com/

What to expect on your professional photography shoot

If you are booking a session with a photographer then there are certain things which you would expect, and also there are certain things which will be expected of you too.

The photography shoot is definitely a two way process between the client ( that's you ) and the photographer.

Planning and preparing well, is the key to success. Most people who are used to working within this environment will use a photographic brief to communicate the ideas and plan to the photographer for the shoot well in advance of the shoot date.

If you are new to planning professional photography, whether you are based in Leeds or London the process is easily adapted to your particular needs.

1. What is it you need to photograph.
2. How will it be shot, is there a style to follow, or technical criteria to fulfill.
3. Where?, in studio or on location?
4. If in studio do the items need to be assembled, or prepared prior to the shoot.
5. If on location, does the environment need to be prepped or adapted to suit.

Once the shoot is under way, normally an approval process would need to be agreed first. Ideally the person who can make the ultimate decision to whether or not the image is correct should be on the shoot, if this is not possible then another person should be appointed in their place, or again if this is not possible someone on the end of an email who can approve.This process cuts down the need for projects to be re-staged.

Using professional photographers in Leeds and Yorkshire is a great way to get your products and services noticed by the wider world. The best way to take advantage of this time is to prepare well.

The professional photography process is very powerful and is an investment to your business. Take the time to consider the whole process and the results you will achieve will give the marketing and promotion to your business the upper hand over your competitors.

Phillip Shannon is a professional photographer in Leeds, and will work with you to arrive at a budget which suits your project.

Please take a look at the online portfolios. They cover, Food  Still Life & Product  Jewellery  Creative  People  Locations & Interiors photography

The photography of your product can be taken in studio in Leeds or on location at your business address. Areas covered include Leeds, Bradford, Wetherby, York & Harrogate, and further afield.

Location photography is handled across the UK to suit your needs.

Contact Phillip Shannon, Professional Photographer based in Leeds for your next commercial photography project.

Having some fun with the various settings and layouts in blogger, so I apologise if it seems to be changing a lot at the moment. Looking forward to posting some new news soon.

I've added a Food Photography section which you can find about about the work I do as a food photographer in Leeds, Yorkshire.

Hello from Phillip Shannon

Hello and welcome to the first blog.
I am a commercial and advertising photographer based in Leeds, Yorkshire UK.
My portfolios show a variety of work from food photography, product photography, jewellery, creative, people and location work. My website can be found here http://www.phillipshannonphotography.com/

I hope that you enjoy reading the news and information about the professional photography I create.

Food Photography

Here is an example of some of the food photography from my current portfolio.

Studio Food Photography

This image was shot for the food folio in studio and styled by Ann Reynolds.

It was a great sunrise this morning.