Manila Workshops' Product Photography: Creating Instagramable Photos by Keith Dador
November 03, 2018
I became an active blogger in 2013. My sole purpose then was to write as a diversionary activity to survive the ups and downs of motherhood and anything in between. Aside from coherence and grammar, I was also very particular with photos that I would use for every blog post.
The whole point of taking pictures is so that you don't have to explain things with words." - Elliott Erwitt
As a visual learner, I always believe that photographs speak more than words can express. They justify what the writer wants to imply without the use of explicit words that's why picture books not only cater to very young kids and the young at heart but to adults as well.
As always, I want my readers to read my blog post like they are reading their old picture books when they were still young. I want every word that I write to go hand-in-hand with the photographs that I provide. With the limited time and no patience in reading thick manuals and tinkering the features of my mobile phone and digital camera, I always opt to use them as point and shoot cameras. I always use their default features. Obviously, I love photography, but honestly, I want to do the endeavor as easy as possible. I am so lazy, am I not?
Well, before I learned the basic food photography workshop from Miss Joy Gurtiza of Joy Bites Blog, I wasn't satisfied with how I took photographs and how the output turned out. My friends would say that I could be very good in executing flat-lays and right angles. However, I felt the need to learn from an expert that's why I joined the workshop. After attending Joy's workshop, I was able to improve my photography skills even just a little because I learned that "Good lighting is needed to have the best results when you do photography." In that workshop, we were also taught about making our own diffuser and reflector, and of course, food styling. After that workshop, I learned how to appreciate photography more.
Aside from blogging, I started opening my social media sites to expand my audience hoping that somehow, what I was sharing in my blog would reach out to more people. At that point, my purpose as a blogger was clearer. I wanted to share tips and great finds to fellow moms. Then I admit, it became a challenge for me to curate more pleasant photos for all my social media accounts especially for Instagram. For a low tech blogger with only the basic gadgets on hand, I did my very best to still post "nice" pictures that myself would enjoy above anyone else.
Through the years, my basic photography knowledge has helped me create good if not the best photographs both for my blog and religious accessories business as well.
I was longing to learn more to take my photography skills to the next level due to the demands of my work as a freelance writer and home-based entrepreneur and my hobby as a blogger.
As I do my job, it is very obvious that having great pictures can really make a huge difference. Pictures that the brands and clients see can attract them to work with me or to purchase my products. This has prompted me to join Manila Workshops' Product Photography: Creating Instagramable Photos Workshop by Mr. Keith Dador.
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| Photo Credit: Manila Workshops |
It was held in Villa Virtual Coworking in 2nd Floor Villa Development Corporation, 788 Jupiter Street corner Polaris Street, Poblacion, Makati City. I was privileged to attend this amazing learning session with my friends from BKS Moms, Berlin Domingo of Momi Berlin blog and Jhoanna Tacorda of Playful Life with Kids blog.
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| Manila Workshops' Product Photography: Creating Instagramable Photos by Keith Dador (Photo Credit: Momi Berlin) |
To sum it all up, I really loved the workshop because the tips were very practical and easy to follow. It was more of a visual-kinesthetic experience. The speaker demonstrated his tips with the use of his basic tools as a photographer supported with a huge screen and we were asked to do hands-on activities.
These are my take in this workshop:
The eye should learn to listen before it looks.” - Robert Frank
Determining the look of the product, its style, texture, form, and features and being patient enough to find its best angle and features plus knowing its purpose and mood that it wants to imply should be considered to make your photograph worth seeing a couple of times.
Therefore...
Therefore...
The best images are the ones that retain their strength and impact over the years,regardless of the number of times they are viewed.” - Anne Geddes
Here's a sample of the workshop's "Black in Black" product photography styling and shooting:
Wherever there is light, one can photograph." - Alfred Stieglitz
The source of good light is very important to shoot beautiful photographs. Even if your gadgets are the sophisticated and high tech ones but the light is poor, it is not possible to get the best output.
There are different kinds of lighting: soft/diffused and hard/directional. The great source of soft lighting is natural light (nothing beats it actually). It is advisable to shoot near the window to get as much natural light as possible while hard or directional lighting (spotlight, bike light) may add drama to your subject. You may also use one or more than one source of light depending on the mood that you want your photo to have.
In photography, there are no shadows that cannot be illuminated." - August Sander
Knowing the usage of a reflector and diffuser is as important as knowing the qualities of light and their usage.
What is a reflector? In photography, it is an improvised or ready-made reflective surface used to redirect light towards the subject. A simple white index card or a white paper can serve as a reflector. In my case, I find using a white background very helpful when I do product photography because it already serves as a reflector, making my photos clean and bright.
What is a reflector? In photography, it is an improvised or ready-made reflective surface used to redirect light towards the subject. A simple white index card or a white paper can serve as a reflector. In my case, I find using a white background very helpful when I do product photography because it already serves as a reflector, making my photos clean and bright.
What is a diffuser? In photography, a diffuser spreads the light from the camera's flash. The light will be scattered and spread out rather than being able to be concentrated on what spot only thus getting rid of the harsh light or hard shadows.
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| On the upper right photo, you'll see a huge diffuser which spreads the hard light equally on the subject. |
No matter how sophisticated the camera, the photographer is still the one that makes the picture." - Doug Bartlow
Mr. Dador said that he wasn't brand conscious and would not want to recommend a brand of camera or camera phones in particular. He said that you could maximize the use of what you have right now by just applying the basics and he stressed that having a good light source could be very, very important.
If you want to purchase the high-end ones, it's up to you as long as you are comfortable using them and if you think those can deliver the best results, it's still up to you to decide.
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| Courtesy: Manila Workshops |
Indeed, photographs can be appreciated and understood by anyone. They have the capacity to inspire, entice, and delight! As a business owner, blogger, social media manager, or being a hobbyist, it pays to know photography and learning the basics goes a long way! If Manila Workshops happens to have a re-run of this workshop, I encourage you to attend! Even though I already learned from my very first basic photography workshop, I still learned so much from Sir Keith!
