One word "Plastics"

We had the privilege of shooting this ad for Sig Sauer recently.  Sig Sauer is one of the finest gun companies in the world because of the quality of their product.

Now, the rest of the story.  When photographing firearms the client can't just send you the product to photograph.   First, the gun has to be shipped to someone that has a Federal Firearms License.  Then you have to fill out all kinds of paperwork, they run a background check and then you can take it to the studio.

As long as you don't have any ammunition you can transport it in the same compartment as you are in.  If you have ammo, it has to be put in the trunk.  Once you're done then it has to be shipped back to someone with an FFL.  

It's always the little details that make the difference between good photography and great communication.

Between the 2 gun photos in this Ad we shot 40 shots.  Every little detail was carefully lit and shot then put together to subtly emphasize every edge and texture detail of the gun. 

The client wanted it to look manly, yet sexy.  I think it looks very 007. 

How to build a great relationship with your clients And how to photograph black on black

How to build a great relationship with your clients

And how to photograph black on black

We were recently hired by a firm to shoot their new product packaging.   They saw my product photography on our website and felt our black on black style of product photography would be a good fit for their new packaging.  We didn't want to stop there, so we did a beautiful test shot for them.  It would have two effects.  1. It would show them we were very interested in their work.  2. It would be a great addition to our portfolio.  To accommodate the volume of work and the budget they had we needed to modify the look a little.

We were able to keep the core look and feel of our vision yet accommodate their needs. 

  "Our goal is not to tell potential clients how great we are, but to show them why working with us will make their lives easier."

The look and feel is similar but we don't light every little texture and element as we do with most of the black on black work we show in our online portfolio.

In advertising and marketing photography, what you see isn't always what you get.  We like to start with the basic form and shape of an object and then in post production do our visual enhancements.  It's still the same product but we highlight some areas and minimize the focus on others.  With many of the products we photograph enhancing the shape, form and texture is paramount.

Before

After

Before

After

Our client wanted their product to have a beautiful, sexy, high tech, look and feel. It enhances all of it's beautiful curves and design.  I think we have achieved this, more importantly the client does too.

"We find the key to client satisfaction and loyalty, is to be an invaluable flexible resource.  Make every effort to become knowledgeable about things that are important to their market, share your insights, and demonstrate that you understand the challenges they face."