Photography students build creative and career skills with product shoots

Students in Warwick Valley High School’s photography class recently focused on an activity that connected creativity and commerce — learning how to shoot products for commercial photography!

Product photography is a specialized branch of commercial photography that students encounter every day, whether scrolling through Instagram, streaming TikTok videos, or -- of course -- shopping online. Product images are everywhere, and good ones can play a huge role in affecting both our personal tastes and our buying decisions.

The goal of the assignment was for the students’ work to represent a product of their choosing both accurately and attractively, a balance that professional photographers must strike in every shoot. The photo students were excited to learn vocational skills that could shape future careers, and followed the assignment criteria to create eye-catching images that would look right at home online and in print. 

"The students picked a product they wanted to ‘sell’ and developed a complete proposal before they even took their first photograph," explained WVHS photography teacher Anna Penny. "I asked them to really think like professionals — consider their target audience, where their advertisement might appear, and how lighting, colors, and backgrounds would make their images stand out."

Ms. Penny asked the students to prepare for their own shoots by researching real-world examples of advertising photography and documenting their inspiration. They each presented detailed proposals that answered critical questions about their project: the product itself, the aforementioned audience, their plans for lighting and environment, and any necessary props. This planning phase was designed to mirror the real-world workflow of commercial photographers who must understand client needs before the first shutter click.

During their shoots, students had to think creatively and technically. Each photographer captured more than 20 product images, experimenting with different compositions, lighting setups, and backgrounds. They shot from multiple angles and applied different framing techniques. One such technique is the “Rule of Thirds,” a fundamental compositional guideline in which the frame is divided into nine equal parts by two horizontal and two vertical lines, and key subjects are placed along those lines, or at their intersections. to create a balanced, visually engaging composition.

The assignment required attention to fundamental photography principles, such as proper exposure and lighting, and the effective use of depth of field. Students were provided with guidelines on topics like the “exposure triangle,” which uses shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. They also got some “pro tips,” like shooting from multiple angles and trying to capture the product in use.

Other suggestions included using compositional techniques such as showing repeating patterns, using selective focus, and establishing leading lines in their images. The whole time, students were reminded of the commercial nature of the images they were capturing and to keep their target audience in mind. 

After the shoot, students edited their work to refine and enhance images before selecting their top five for submission. Just like a professional photographer would present options to a client, students offered variety in their final selections, with each image showcasing a unique angle and perspective. The project concluded with critiques in which students discussed their creative choices and received feedback on their work — an essential skill for lifelong learning in the both the commercial and creative worlds.

The product photography assignment exemplified a few of the district’s Portrait of a Graduate qualities, including being a creator (taking the pics) and communicator (selling the item's appeal), not to mention a problem-solver (both staging their shoots AND learning to serve a client's requests/needs). The workshopping process that followed is also a fantastic way to become a capable collaborator. And beyond learning even more about capturing compelling images, this hands-on project introduced students to valuable commercial photography skills applicable to careers in advertising, marketing, e-commerce, and media production. 

In an increasingly visual digital marketplace, understanding how to make products look their best isn’t just an artistic skill; it’s a marketable one!