Specialization in Product Photography for E-Commerce

My influences could be divided into two broad groups: those from the artistic field and those specific to set design. In this lesson, I'll talk about both.

Influences / Mireia Ruiz

Influences / Josefina Mogrovejo

Now I'll show you some of the artists who influenced and inspired me the most, and who also helped me find my personal aesthetic.

Influences / I'm Blue I'm Pink

Art has had and continues to have a great influence on our work. Here, we'll show you who our greatest inspirations are and how we seek inspiration for our projects.

Influences / Paola Sanabria

An essential part of my work is influences—understanding how other people's art can help guide your own and give it a perspective on what you want. Here, I'll tell you who has inspired my career in different aspects of photography.

Module 2

Martí Sans will introduce you to the fundamentals of still life photography, teaching you how to showcase products in all their splendor. From camera and lighting settings to set construction and post-production in Adobe Photoshop, you'll learn key techniques for creating effective and engaging product photography. Get ready to dive into the world of product photography and improve your skills.

18 lessons (2h 2m)

The camera

In this first lesson, we'll quickly review the different types of cameras we'll use in the course, and review some basic control parameters (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO). This lesson may be useful to refresh some concepts.

The color of light

We'll give a basic explanation of how color temperature works in photography and how it can affect our images. We'll look at how to adjust the white balance on our camera, and the advantages of shooting in RAW format.

Light form

In this lesson, we'll look at how light can take many different forms, and how we can control/master it to achieve the type of lighting we want. We will also see how to use reflectors to create “extra” points of light without another lamp.

Paper diffusers

We'll make some homemade diffusers to diffuse the light and create softer shadows. We'll use foam board, tracing paper, and a bit of tape.

Natural light

We'll look at the basic principles of working with natural light, and how to modify it to achieve the desired lighting.

Still life with natural light

We will create the still life using natural light on a table, with the mobile phone connected to the computer.

Postproduction

In this lesson we will do the post-production of the photograph taken in the unit.

Work with lamps

In this lesson, I'll give an introduction to working with conventional photography lights, including the types of bulbs used, and other things to keep in mind.

Still life with desk lamp

In this unit, we'll see how to create a unique still life of business cards using only a desk lamp with a screw-in bulb.

Still life in motion with desk lamp

In this second example, we will use the same type of lamp to create a still life with moving elements.

In this lesson we will post-produce a photo taken with a desk lamp.

Postproduction I

In this lesson we will post-produce a photograph taken with a desk lamp with moving elements.

Postproduction II

In this lesson I will give a basic introduction to how a handheld flash works, and the accessories needed to use it.

Work with hand flash

Still life with hand flash

In this lesson, we'll use a handheld flash that sits on top of the camera. We'll see how to use this small flash to illuminate a still life.

In this lesson we will do the post-production of the photograph taken with handheld flash.

Postproduction

The studio flash

In this lesson I will give an introduction to the basic operation of a studio flash.

Still life with studio flash

Now we will see how to photograph an object using a studio flash in a simple way.

In this lesson we will post-produce the photograph taken in the unit with a studio flash.

Postproduction

Introduction and previous approaches

Module 3

Join Paloma Rincón in this module to learn how to master the art of working with sunlight and create vibrant, eye-catching compositions for social media. From light and composition to color and balance, Paloma will guide you through the key techniques for creating stunning product photography. Get ready to take your images to the next level and shine online!

11 lessons (2h 11m)

In this lesson, I'll talk about how, in my professional development, personal work series have opened the most doors for me to gain commercial work and visibility. I encourage you to imagine your ideal client and create work in that direction.

In this lesson, I want to give you some tips that can help you plan your image composition. Beyond the rule of thirds, I want to talk about formats and other options that work very well for simple images for social media.

Composition

How to use shadows as a creative resource

Sunlight casts hard, defined shadows, so they become another element to play with in our composition. In this lesson, I'll show you different ways shadows can work to your advantage in your image.

Take advantage of the scene

In this lesson, I'll talk about the specifics of hard light, specifically sunlight. We'll also look at how different materials respond to this type of light so that, with this information and that from previous lessons, you can make better decisions when planning your final project.

Creative development: moodboard and treatment

In this lesson, we'll connect the ideas of our imagination with the real world. We'll make decisions about how to execute our photos taking into account everything we've previously learned about sunlight, the materials that best respond to it, and the proposed points of view and composition. We'll start with a mood and develop it into a treatment. This way, we'll be able to prepare and plan everything we need to shoot our photographs.

14m

materials

In addition to thinking about what we're going to photograph, we need to have everything ready to do it. To do this, I'll tell you the basic materials you'll need to consider.

Shooting the image with a high point of view (zenith)

In this lesson, we get down to business. I'm going to take the first image. In my case, I decided to take the highest vantage point, focusing on the food during the central hours of the day to ensure short shadows. We will look at the composition process, shooting images in Raw format, and adjusting light with reflectors.

21m

Shooting the image with a low point of view (isometric and frontal)

In this lesson, we'll take the second image. In my case, I decided to separate the different cocktails into individual shots, creating a sort of catalog. I'll play with the angle and the incidence of shadows using side lighting and a lower vantage point.

Shooting the image with a low point of view (isometric and frontal) II

We continue this lesson by shooting different cocktails until we get our final images.

Retouching and adjustments

In this lesson, we'll make some basic adjustments to our images, fine-tuning the framing and primarily adjusting lighting and color values. These adjustments can be made using the desktop version of the app or with your favorite processing tool, if it's another one.

21m

Publication

To find out the best times to post on Instagram, the app offers a series of statistics that give us information about our followers and how to interact with them. In this lesson, we'll explore one of my posts and my statistics to understand the conclusions I've drawn based on this data.

Module 4

Learn how to design and create professional, colorful sets for striking product photography with Mireia Ruiz. Working with colors, textures, and compositions, you'll learn to communicate ideas and emotions visually. With her extensive experience working with brands like TOUS, Swatch, and Adidas, Mireia will show you how to create unique sets and define your own photographic style.

14 lessons (2h 59m)

Materials, brief and product and brand analysis

In this lesson, I'll explain what we'll be doing during the course. Then, I'll talk about how to analyze the product and brand we'll be working with.

Conceptualization and inspiration

The next step is to find a global concept and extract keywords to transform the idea into objects that communicate it. In this lesson, I'll explain how.

Now comes the time to make sketches. They'll help us communicate with the client, the shooting team, and even facilitate our project development.

First ideas and sketches

Second sketches with color tests

We color the sketches we like the most, establishing one of the most important tools: the color scheme. Then, we choose the one we like the most to present our idea to the client.

19m

Final sketch and presentation

Next comes the time to choose the final sketch and explain our proposal and the possibilities for the photo series to the client.

Creation of background and floor 1

The background and the floor are very important. The more creative we are in creating them, the more distinctive our proposal will be. In this lesson, I'll give you tips on how to achieve this.

Creation of background and floor 2

After applying the filler to the plywood and letting it dry, I'm now going to apply color to the background with the spray.

When looking for objects, it's best to have a variety and extra resources, and adapt them if needed. Once we're done with this process, we'll do a test assembly and move on to painting them.

Customization of objects

13m

Placement of elements and shooting

In this lesson, we prepare the table for the shoot with all the necessary elements, the set itself with the product, the lights, the reflectors, the tripod, and the camera.

16m

Playing with experimentation

This is the most open-ended part of the project. Once we've photographed the initial sketch, we can play around and create new compositions. This phase can be a pleasant surprise!

In this lesson, I'll explain how to select the best images, import them into Photoshop, and perform basic retouching to achieve the desired result.

Review and selection

Corrections and export 1

In this lesson, I'm going to show you how to make some specific adjustments to your PSD before exporting the files.

I'll continue with this process. Now I'll look for a different plate for the photo I'm working on. When I'm done editing the photo, it'll be time to export it.

Corrections and export 2

Presentation of your work

In this lesson, I'll teach you how to prepare folders in different formats to send to the client and show them everything we've created.

Module 5

Discover how to create visual universes that enhance a brand's identity with Josefina Mogrovejo. By combining composition, color, and lighting, you'll learn to create original product photography that stands out. Josefina will guide you through the process of building impactful visual stories with everyday elements, helping to strengthen your brand's presence on social media through thoughtful creative direction.

10 lessons (2h 18m)

Visual Universe and Idea

In this lesson, I'll talk about the course project, brainstorm, and teach you how to create a visual universe based on an object of your choice.

13m

Sensations through Color

You'll learn how to put together a color palette for your project. I'll teach you color harmonies and the importance of choosing the right colors for your project.

20m

Mood board

I'll teach you how to create a mood board. You'll learn about my process for selecting images and the steps I follow until I create the final mood board.

The Search for the Perfect Prop

You'll learn what a prop is. I'll also teach you how to select the right props for your photo. I'll explain how to create a visual universe through textures and elements. You'll see the importance of object shapes when choosing them to complement your product. Join me as I analyze the props in some photographs.

20m

Shooting Planning and Materials

A good production is impossible without a good pre-production. One of the fundamental conditions for success is not forgetting anything and paying attention to every detail. Here, you'll see everything you need and learn how to transfer all these variables of your project into a pre-production spreadsheet.

Image Composition and Organization 1

In this lesson, you'll learn how to create visual balance in your images. I'll show you different ways to arrange elements to create a visual setting. You'll see different composition schemes for objects, and we'll analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Image Composition and Organization 2

You will continue learning everything necessary to achieve a harmonic composition.

I'll teach you how to analyze the different types of lighting that an image can have. You'll think about how to incorporate lighting as a resource that gives meaning to your photo. You'll deploy all the props you've collected and position them to put together the final shot. You'll take the photo from a top-down perspective, and I'll explain how to capture it from a computer and a cell phone.

Lighting and Shooting

18m

Selection, Editing and Retouching

You'll learn how to analyze all the images to define the strengths and weaknesses of each one. I'll explain the criteria you need to consider when selecting the final image. Once you've made your selection, you'll learn how to edit the images with Camera Raw and Photoshop. You'll learn how to adjust exposure and correct minor errors to get the image ready to publish. You'll also learn how to edit the images you took with your phone using VSCO.

You will close your work by publishing the material you created on Instagram.

Publication

Module 6

Ready to make your product photos shine? In this module, join Teo and Pedro González, the creative minds behind I'm Blue I'm Pink, as they show you how to capture stunning product images that instantly grab attention. You'll learn how to blend shapes, colors, and light to highlight the personality of your brand or project. With their signature surrealism and storytelling skills, they'll teach you how to create sets as unique as your product. Get ready to create images that can't be ignored!

11 lessons (1h 43m)

Art direction and set design

Art direction is concerned with visually representing a story that is intended to be communicated through an image. From art direction, set design is developed—the space in which the idea, story, or product will be represented. In this lesson, we'll explain both concepts and what to consider to ensure they work together.

Brief and schedule

It's important to clearly define what you want to communicate: that's why you create a brief. In this lesson, we'll explain what this document should contain and how to create a delivery schedule to organize your work and ensure a deadline.

The concept

Once the brief is defined, we can begin searching for a concept for the images. Here, we'll show you how a clear concept helps us flesh out the story we want to convey.

Mood boards

In this lesson, we'll show you how to search for reference images and create inspiration boards for our project. To do this, we'll use Pinterest.

Colors, textures and props

Here we explain how to choose a color palette that suits your concept. You'll also see why we sometimes choose certain textures and props for our sets.

The lighting

In this lesson, we'll show you some lighting references and explain how we're going to illuminate our set to enhance the product while giving it volume and sophistication.

The sketches

Finally, we'll show you how we create sketches for the set design: first with pen and paper, and then in Photoshop to create a more detailed sketch that allows us to better present the idea to our client.

18m

The photo shoot

First, we'll set up the set with the shoes and props, keeping in mind how we want to light the objects to create a certain atmosphere in the image.

15m

Image editing and retouching 1

In this lesson, we'll show you how to select images in Lightroom and open them by layer in Photoshop. We'll retouch the photos by cleaning up the various textures and adjusting the lighting in each area. Finally, we'll adjust the image's hue and saturation.

15m

Image editing and retouching 2

Once the entire image is assembled and clean, we can play with exposure. We'll show you how to retouch lighting and colors to enhance the product and add the finishing touches to our image.

Examples of other projects

Finally, we want to show you the process you saw in the course applied to other types of projects, explaining what the client asked for in the brief and how we translated it into a concept.

Module 7

Get ready to up your e-commerce game with Pao Sanabria in this fun and practical module! You'll learn how to make your products shine by mastering lighting, photography techniques, and professional retouching. From textiles to reflective objects, Pao will teach you how to capture each item in the best way. By the end, you'll be creating images that not only highlight your products but also tell a story that will make customers want to click "buy" instantly.

12 lessons (1h 37m)

The language of the product

In this lesson, we'll explore the art of eCommerce product photography, highlighting how to capture the essence of an object and communicate its value to potential customers. You'll learn techniques to enhance details, colors, and textures, transforming each image into a powerful and professional visual narrative.

Approach to the teams

I'll share with you some of the equipment that has been useful to me when creating professional photographs. We'll also review the modifiers, software I use, and on-set tips that can be helpful in production.

In this lesson, I want you to begin to truly understand light, to see its effects on space and on an object. There are different types of light that will be your allies when it comes to bringing your photos to life.

Lighting Basics

Light schemes

Ready to start creating lighting setups that will help you start seeing product results? I'll show you everything from a simple one-light setup to a more comprehensive three-light setup.