It’s something that you probably don’t even think about, as you walk down aisle after aisle at the grocery store. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking at marshmallow cereal for the kids or gourmet organic almond flour, it’s everywhere you look. And while you don’t really mean to notice it, you do. And it has a huge impact on your purchasing habits. What is this elusive and yet powerful thing you ask? It’s product photography for packaging, and it’s a very big deal.

So how is photography for packaging different?

For starters, it requires a knowledge of how packaging is designed and implemented. Packages and boxes are designed specifically for the product line it is in. The next time you look at frozen food section, you’ll notice that Green Giant’s packages all look the same – except for image of the food inside. This is intentional! By having all of the packaging look the same, they are creating A WALL of product. This means that when photographing product for packaging, I have to be very cognizant of how the package is laid out – where the copy (text) is going, where “windows” or cut outs are going to be, and consistent with lighting and styling of the product from one to the next. It takes a team of people to do this well, sometimes upwards to 5-6 people including myself, a digital tech, prop and food stylists, and the designer.

But, when everything is put together they look great!