Now, don’t get us wrong, even in today’s age of photo-realistic CGI, there is still no substitute for high quality photography when you need to show your products in their best light, either as individual details or in a realistic setting in studio or on location.
But photography is seldom as straightforward as it first appears. Organising studio and location photography for products can be time-consuming and expensive. It can also be a logistical nightmare and, in some circumstances, virtually impossible to achieve.
Studio challenges
If you need to place your product in a particular setting, let’s say a shower control in a bathroom setting, the traditional approach would be to construct a studio set, install the shower control, arrange lighting and take the photograph. It sounds simple, but the practicalities can be challenging, the costs astronomical and the options for camera angles extremely limited.
Just think about the construction of the studio set: Where will it be sited? The most economic solution will almost certainly be at the manufacturer’s own premises, as this will avoid the expense of hiring a photographic studio during build-up and strip-down. If you’re lucky, you will have a corner of your warehouse free, or maybe a showroom, where the set can be built, but this is just the start of the challenge; after this you need to buy the construction materials, wall finishes and props necessary to make the shot look as realistic and eye-catching as possible.
If you’re working on a major project, such as a product catalogue or website, chances are that you will need more than one set to cover different products in different settings. You’ll probably also want to ring the changes when it comes to the room settings and viewpoints to avoid repetition and maintain interest and variety throughout your presentations.
Changes in products, room settings and viewpoints take time – camera angles need to be changed, products and sets rearranged, lighting adjusted, etc, to say nothing of the post-shoot image corrections – and time is money.
Even when the photographic shoot has been finished, there is often a good deal of work to be done in retouching shots, but there is only so much that can be done post-shoot to rectify mistakes or change the appearance of the image. Certainly, some colours can be changed, and you might even be able to move things around or replace products, but if there is anything major to be done, the answer is, more often than not, to reshoot – more hassle, more time, more expense and delays in reaching deadlines!
On top of all this, nine times out of ten, you will need to be on set whilst the photography is being taken, if not all the time, certainly for a good part of it. This takes you away from your desk, adds to your workload and often leaves you with a pile of work to catch up on when you return.
Location logistics
Depending on what is required, location photography can be almost as challenging as that undertaken in the studio. If you are shooting a particular installation as part of a case study, you will have to gain permission to take the shot and make the usual arrangements with your photographer. Often, you will also have to take what comes in terms of the condition of your product, the quality of installation and, of course, the weather!
Furthermore, installation shots are not always possible: The ideal situation may not be available, access to the installation area may not be granted (especially difficult in government buildings) or the viewpoint might be obscured or make it difficult to show products at their most advantageous. If your product is concealed from view once installed, a satisfactory installation shot will be impossible.
CGI is the answer
CGI techniques offer a viable solution to many of the challenges faced in studio and location, delivering many benefits, including:
- Complete control over fixtures and fittings
- Ability to change finishes and interior sets quickly and easily
- Ability to move camera angles
- Versatility in placing different products in different situations
- Potential to create bespoke settings for products, whether a studio or location image
- Ability to show concealed products in their installed environment
- Ability to photomontage, using combination of CGI models with photographic images to create realistic installations/situations
- Cost-effective compared to building studio sets
- Less time-consuming as direction, management and creation can be undertaken remotely
Take a look at the images in the slideshow at the top of this page or take a look at our CGI portfolio. All have been created using solely CGI techniques or photomontaging using a combination of CGI and photographic library images.
CGI techniques can be used for everything from a stunning 3D product model to the construction of an interior or exterior to suit your precise requirements.
People can also be added.
It is limited only by your imagination!
Want your product to be seen in a new light?
Give us a call to find out what CGI can do for you.
