The 4 Styles of Product Photography
After receiving many questions and client emails filled with confusion, I am diving into today’s blog post with a breakdown of the different styles of product photography. You may be familiar with some (or all) - there are four styles of product photography: lifestyle, e-commerce, still life, and modern. Although each photo style shares the same end-goal, to capture a product’s purpose & essence; the concept, styling, and setting differ.
LIFESTYLE
Lately, the term lifestyle is heavily bounced around in social media and product descriptions so much so that it is now confusing everyone. Lifestyle product photography is commonly used for brands/products in fashion, food & beverage, technology, and health & wellness. The goal is to style and enhance the product(s) with props or elements to represent the product’s way of life, mood, and showcase the product in use (usually with the help of models).
Lifestyle product photography quickly inspires shoppers by envisioning themselves owning & using the product! What began as a lifestyle concept, ideally converts into a loyal customer.
E-COMMERCE
E-commerce product photography is the second-most requested style for businesses with an online store and a digital presence. This style of product photography is clean & crisp, and often consists of featuring a solo product and a solid backdrop color - it doesn’t always have to be a white background, there are creative ways to use color.
E-commerce product photography implies brand confidence and an incredible first impression of your product & online store. The idea behind e-commerce product photography is to capture an item in its purest form and help it stand out without distractions (i.e. props).
MODERN
Moving onto the third style, modern product photography, describes more of a personality expression in terms of product styling, lighting, and set design. In modern product photography, the product is the star of the show and everything else enhances its mood.
Many brands in beauty, fashion, and home decor choose this style of photography - using props, shadows, texture swatching, fabrics, and harsh lighting to elevate their product’s messaging.
STILL LIFE
Very much like still life painting, where the subjects consist of everyday items like fruits, twigs, and rocks - still life product photography (or simply still life) is the truest form of artistic expression in the product photography realm. There are no rules or boundaries, the message it could be direct or abstract. Still life product photography is popular mostly amongst brands in home decor like dinnerware or pottery, food & beverage, and accessories. It is ideal for commercial and print campaigns.
The composition is strong and the lighting is not overbearing or too soft. Personally, it is my absolute favorite style of product photography to explore!
After discovering the four styles of product photography that are commonly produced here at Drea Flow, I hope it provided better insight for your next photoshoot. Tell me about your brand and if lifestyle, ecommerce, modern, or still life product photography align with your campaign ideas here.
