Meet Ling: Commercial Product Photographer
Founder of Trailing Twine Photography in 2013, Ling Messer, is also a commercial product photographer. You may ask what is a “commercial product photographer”?
While photographing people through portraiture and events is rather dynamic, exciting, and full of vibrancy, working with still objects, such as normal everyday products, is a “different animal” in photography. Throughout the years, Ling has received complex training in artificial lighting of objects of different sizes, shapes, and styles. Over time, photographing products in a dynamic way becomes second nature. So naturally, Ling is also known as one of Connecticut’s commercial product photographers. You can visit her website and portfolio at lingmesser.com.
Most People Don't Understand Commercial Product Photography
Believe it or not, product photography is something you see most likely everyday…or at least, every time you look at an item to buy online, or inside a grocery store, mall, pharmacy, or even while driving (the billboards)! Commercial product photography is right under your very nose. Next time when you see that photo of the item on the box, or when you’re browsing on Amazon or Target, remember that there is a human behind that photo! For all the photos you see displayed at a store—whether it’s on the package, a shelf talker on display, or signage— there are real photographers who spent time and skill on creating that image. And, there was a client that invested in creating that photo with the photographer.
A lot of photographers, especially those that shoot weddings, think that product photography is boring. They also don’t understand why this specific photography niche is a demand or possible career. They also, quite frankly, are afraid to focus on product photography because they’re afraid of artificial lighting. Portrait and wedding photographers love natural light, and shooting at wide-open f-stops to get that buttery, gorgeous blurry background or bokeh. While some product photography may involve shooting at f/2.8, real high quality product photographers learn to shoot at apertures and other camera settings suited to highlight detail, texture, and clarity to an object. The skill level required for quality product photography is one reason why most photographers in the world just stay in the portrait or wedding or “personal branding” photography niches.
What is the purpose of hiring a commercial product photographer?
The life we live is enriched by all the things that help our lives succeed and thrive. How do we know if a thing to buy is ideal and beneficial? This is why companies hire a commercial product photographer. The primary purpose of that photographer is to create images that showcase the item properly. We want to show all kinds of things:
- what the product looks like
- how it’s used, prepared, or experienced
- user experience
- how it looks, feels, tastes, sounds
- target demographics and psychographics for the product
- educating new concepts
- highlighting designs, details, quality, build, etc.
Why should wedding photographers learn about product photography?
On a wedding day, photographers are most likely photographing products. Things such as perfume bottles, neck ties, socks, wedding dress, jewelry, etc are common items that photographers may shoot. While a wedding day is very fast-paced, a wedding photographer with at least some basic product photography skills will be able to shoot those details quickly and in the best manner given the circumstances, available light, and time pressures of a wedding day. Being able to capture meaningful engravings, handmade details, and textures of bridal details, is beneficial for helping to create a beautiful, well-rounded collection of images of the day. Professional product photographers should understand how to highlight details! To learn more and see examples of commercial product photography, visit Ling’s website, https://lingmesser.com. Ling works with companies in any location—because luckily with products, those can be shipped to the studio and photographed in any location ideal for the shoot.
