Irresistible Lifestyle Images for Modern Brands
Wiki Article
Every photographer has that one defining moment the first time they saw something they had been capturing through their camera lens for so long suddenly become alive and breathe with life. This kind of experience is made via lifestyle photography because it creates a story using everyday items, which allows people to connect with them before they even see the caption for each image. Today, brands who want to communicate competing with everything going digital understand that these types of images are the way the world sees products before making their decision. As someone who works as a product photographer, I've learned that the key to creating a lifestyle photograph does not lie within the latest technology or the best studio equipment; however, it lies within understanding how to create a natural look and feel to the product you're photographing within a realistic environment.
As you start out in your career as an aspiring photographer, approach your work from the standpoint of being a moment creator instead of picture maker. At that point, think about some of the moments happening all around you in everyday life, such as: "Where do you put a pair of sunglasses after you take your beach towel out of the car and lay it down? Are they on top of your beach towel now that it has been laid out? Where does the light come from?" Think about all the different perspectives available to create lifestyle images before you ever press the shutter. When you're trying to think up a new idea for an image, remember that as long as the atmosphere feels lived in, it will convey the intended mood.
The main purpose behind taking a lifestyle picture is to evoke a desire in the viewer to want to be there or include the product/lifestyle in their life. This emotional connection is what makes lifestyle images so persuasive.
To create great lifestyle imagery, it is important first to identify the product's "personality" and create a mood surrounding that product. If you spend time observing an item closely and get a feel for how that item makes you feel or how it will make someone else feel, you can easily find out what type of setting, props, and mood (warm vs cool) you would want to create around the item. One of the next steps would be using light as your "silent partner." Generally, natural lighting will create the best results, especially if the light source comes from a soft direction (for example, early morning light or late afternoon light). In these times, natural light will create a soft luminous effect that will wrap around the object in the image, accentuating the details you would otherwise miss.
Once you have determined the overall feel of the image (mood), and the items are chosen, be sure to build your scene slowly and intentionally. You can create a successful lifestyle image by taking your time arranging your scene so that it looks effortless while maintaining a purposeful placement of all of the items.
The look and feel of the space are strongly influenced by how you style it. Using a throw blanket that looks slightly off (right side up), a notebook that’s somewhat left open, and a bouquet of flowers that appear to be leaning a little rather than standing up straight will all help give authenticity to the look of the space. You want the product to remain a "hero", but in a way that feels natural and not forced. When placing a product in an environment, you want it to make sense to the viewer.
The way you shoot your images can also create different emotional responses. By shooting slightly above the product, you may create the feeling that the viewer has just stepped into the room. Shooting from eye level will provide the viewer with an intimate feeling, almost as if they are inside the moment. Close up shots of the materials, textures and the small details that viewers use to evaluate the quality of an object will also help with the emotional response from the viewer. The storytelling aspect of the image will change depending on the angle you are able to use, and it’s part of the fun of this process is trying different perspectives until the space feels comfortable.
After you’ve taken the images, editing should be a process of refinement, not a complete redesign. In order to create a cohesive look and feel for the images, you will want to apply minor adjustments to the overall colour scheme, to the temperature, to contrast, and to the shadows to help create a more consistent emotional connection with the brand and/or product.
When brands are maintained consistently through each photo taken, it allows consumers to easily identify that brand without ever seeing that company name. That visual cohesion acts as an implied endorsement by the brand.
As a product photographer, I’ve seen how lifestyle images become irresistible when they feel effortlessly real, capturing moments that could easily exist in a customer’s everyday life. The right combination of natural interaction, thoughtful styling, and believable settings can elevate even simple products into visual experiences that feel personal and aspirational. Tools like Visboom , with features such as pose swapping and background changing, help me explore different moods and scenes before stepping into the actual shoot. I sometimes use model or clothing try on to refine how a product will blend into a modern brand’s identity, making the final visuals feel more intentional. By pairing authentic storytelling with supportive tools like Visboom, I can craft lifestyle images that resonate instantly and strengthen the emotional pull of any brand.
One of the best things about creating lifestyle images is the fact that there’s a narrative occurring behind the composition of each image. While products are being showcased through lifely, consumers can envision what potential lifestyle this product may fit into. Consumers can imagine having a beautiful morning or a gentle evening surrounded by beautiful and well crafted items.
When trying to create lifestyle images of products, it is not about creating perfect representations of the item; it’s about creating emotional connections with consumers so that they can stop and think for a second when they get to that photo.
When photographing handmade candles, jewelry or journals, allow the story to shape your decisions. Allow the lighting to dictate the mood of your image and allow the product to fit comfortably into the scene as if it has always belonged there. Now is the time to begin experimenting with lifestyle imagery in whatever way feels right for you. Create a small area where you can play with natural lighting, rearrange props until the scene feels authentic to you, and press the shutter with an open mind. Each time you take a picture, you will be closer to understanding how a product is perceived, desired, and appreciated through lifestyle imagery. So get started on producing images that not only illustrate the product but evoke genuine feelings in the viewer.