Cosmetics Photography
Cosmetics product photography is the one of the fun challenges of the still life photographer.
Let’s face it these are beautiful things. Designed and developed for some of the most iconic brands in the world I alway find pleasure in photographing them.
I have spent my whole career as a London based product photographer, and it’s a job that excites me still. For me creating bold, simple, elegant compositions to show the striking designs of the cosmetic’s and perfumes is some thing that gives me great satisfaction.
My happy place The Studio
I never tire of looking forward to the next challenge that I am presented with.
The studio is for me a place in which I can create. It’s where I have complete control of my environment. I set the lighting, the sets, and the mood. And I love making these desirable item shine is what drive me forward.
It’s all up to me to make those decision to bring out the best in everything I am asked to work on.
Listening
Working collaboratively with clients to realise their vision of how they want to portray their product is an important part of the process.
Planning a shoot is always an insightful time for me understanding what is needed and expected helps me to deliver exactly what my clients want.
Details
Having started my career shooting on film. I had to learn the craft of the studio photographer, working on the image and composition in camera.
This is a method of working that has stood me in good stead over the years making it “work” in camera as much as possible. It adds a subtle level of realism that makes the images real and believable.
I have worked on many very complex shoot where the need for multi part comps has been called for but I still maintain the eye for detail to give even that style of image making a sense of reality.
Crafting it
Like any other form of studio based photography lighting is at the heart of it all.
Over the years I have built up a large collection of lighting kit needed for pretty much any project.
Some of the light modifiers I have made myself to my own designs to give me extra flexibility.
Teamwork
Being a product photographer in London has many advantages. Access to great people is for me one of the most important.
My stylist Sophie Surridge is fantastic at finding those elusive just right props you need.
https://www.sophiesurridge.com/
Nick Swaffield is a man I have worked with for the last 20 years and heartily recommend as one of the best in his field in London (if not anywhere). When it comes to retouching he really is a marvel.
https://nickswaffield.carbonmade.com/
I hope my work speaks for it’s self making my clients products look fab in the heart of London.