Creative Ad-Style Perfume Photoshoot
In advertising, perfume is often portrayed in ways that evoke a sense of elegance, class and style. After creating a simple yet elegant advertising shot of a bottle of the classic Chanel No. 5 perfume, Karl creates a second luxurious image.
Building from the ground up to create the desired lighting effect, Karl then demonstrates how, with creative thinking, it’s possible to achieve a number of different images with just minor adjustments.
This product photography class covers a number of precise lighting techniques that are needed to capture this stylish image as well as some stunning modifications to provide a few inspirational ideas for your own photography.
In this product photography class we cover the following:
- Product photography: How to photograph a perfume bottle
- Product photography tips
- How to use multiple studio lights
- Lighting setups for product photography
- How to photograph liquids
- How to creatively use the same background for different images
Comments
Hi Karl and team,
I have a question about compositing perfume shots in Photoshop.
I photographed a Chanel perfume bottle on a glossy surface and took several frames. The bottle moves a little left and right between the shots, so the images do not line up perfectly. I like the bottle and reflection in one frame, and I like the background/gradient in another frame. There is a bottle in both frames – I do not have a clean background without the product.
I tried Photoshop Auto-Align Layers, but it only matches about 50%, so the bottle edges do not line up well. This method does not work for me.
How would you handle this situation in a professional way?
How can I cut the bottle from the frame I like and place it on the background frame, when the bottle underneath is slightly tilted or shifted? What is the best workflow for this?
Best regards,
Hi, OK let me answer your questions:
Q: I photographed a Chanel perfume bottle on a glossy surface and took several frames. The bottle moves a little left and right between the shots, so the images do not line up perfectly.
A: OK that’s never good if you’re trying to do a composite, you need to ensure that your subject and your camera doesn’t move between shots. A good tripod, solid floor and solid table top setup helps.
Q: I tried Photoshop Auto-Align Layers, but it only matches about 50%, so the bottle edges do not line up well. This method does not work for me.
A: If the images aren’t too far out and auto align isn’t working then you can manually align. On your top layer reduce the opacity by about 50% so you can see the layer below. Then use Edit, Transform, Distort and you can manually bend the image about to get it to line up, this make take several attempts in small stages. Also use the move/nudge tools and you may need to use the scale tools. If the two images are very different and it’s not possible then you will have to start your shoot again using better techniques to make sure nothing moves.
hello karl, great session. I really want to understand the concept of masking (practical application in photoshop), I do have basic understanding of how it works from the specific classes on the platform but as u know in the initial level of learning product photography having multiples strobes, precise modifiers is really out of a budget thing so the last option always comes down to shooting separate parts of an image and then comp it in post and thats where i struggle the most(precise compositing). also to do a shoot like with having 1 or 2 lights would u recommend the compositing technique? another thing I struggle is deciding which problems to solve first. I dont know whether I should ask the question here or not but really hoping you would help me come out of this problems… thanks much love from India
Hi, we have a class on shooting a lipstick with just one light but to look like 3 lights, that shows you a different technique. We also have a class on photographing a whole motorbike with one light that looks like 16 lights! For compositing you can light each area as a separate shot and then put all of the images into one image as a stack of layers and then apply layer masks on each on and just rub through the bits you need from each shot. Sometimes setting the layer blend mode to lighten blend mode and it will only add the lighter areas to the layer below. The best way to understand layer masks is to follow the process shown in this series of classes: https://visualeducation.com/section/photoshop-for-photographers/ and also this class: https://visualeducation.com/class/making-and-using-layer-masks-in-photoshop/