The Art of Sunglass Photography.
December 22, 2011
This article was inspired by the fact that I see a lot of sunglass photography that typically falls short of becoming ascetically & technically correct. I’ve had a few projects that require this type of photography and getting it down to be a perfect shot was a fun road of understanding the detailed requirements in getting it right. Another reason for this article is to point out the meticulous details that go into a professional photo shoot. A lot of people may not be aware of the details and just assume you are taking photos with no real thought on the space but this should help shed some light on the subject.
NOTE: This article only dissects the “Hero Shot” which is the 45 degree angle. We are not reviewing other angles such as straight on or side shots. These notes are just ways I would do and are pretty common in practice. Of course there are many options but I feel these notes will give a good understanding of basic frame photography.
Shooting on White Background
The most common form of sunglass photography for retail marketing is to shoot them on white background with the illusion of limitless space. Pretty much like how a white cyc is used. There are a few results when it comes to shading from the frame. Some are done right while others are done wrong.
In my opinion a very soft and diffused shadow, probably at 15% opacity is desirable. The reason being is that this shading can help form atmosphere with the angles of the lens and frame instead of being in complete white space as if it was cropped out of an image.
—- Here is an example of it done right —-
If light is not properly diffused or just using direct light on the product, you have way to much activity in the shot. Direct light exposure may work if it fits a specific marketing style but generally this has a negative effect on the products presentation.
—- Example of having too much direct light —-
Positioning of the Frame
Another area that you may think would be simple enough actually takes a lot of setup to get just right. Every angle tells something about the frame design so you have to maximize its position to tell the best possible message.
Here are two examples of bad positioning. Whether its not having the frame level enough to give it too much of a slanted angle or having the x axes not having a great enough rotation to give the side of the frame more definition. You can see how the back of the frame obscures into a single line because of the cameras perspective.
Side Note: For lenses with a large curve to the glass, I typically suggest setting the angle of the frame so that the far lens has about 60% of visible lens until it reaches the horizon line for where it bends out of site.
Another bad position for the frame is having the camera at a perfect 90 degree angle towards the product. This will cause the temple arms to rest behind the lens which causes the photo to look too flat and disfigures the look of frame. This also eliminates the ability to see any details of the inside of the frame temple.
—- Example of using 90 degree angle —-
—- Here is an example with proper temple frame spacing —-
Minimizing Lens Reflection
One of the trickiest parts of optical photography, especially for tined sunglasses, is the reflection on the lens. There are only a few ways of getting around this without touching the photo in post production.
—- Here is an example of having a bad reflection —-
The way I solve this when I shoot is by the construction of the background panel. I create a lip in the seemless background that rises up infront of the frame. This will minimize, if not eliminiate, any details in the lenses reflection.
—- Here is a diagram of how to use front lip properly —-
You can also use the curved edge of your background to your advantage. If done properly, you can have a nice reflective shape that adds some more detail to the shot. Here is an example:
So in the end with all of these notes you should have a technically correct Hero shot for your glasses. Here are all the points covered:
Conclusion
I hope this article is a help to some people that may be getting into this type of photography. These are tricks that typically a photographer will learn through enough trial and error so this could ultimately save some time to get your hero shots technically proficient.
Thanks for reading the article. Feel free to comment below as long as its civil! 