Shooting products has been a staple of many photographers, but with the advantages brought by CGI, more and more companies are starting to make changes to how they create images of their products. Why are they moving, and do photographers need to adapt?
Dustin Valkema of PRO EDU Photography explains why companies are increasingly turning to CGI, and the list is compelling: if you were in charge of the marketing for a large corporation, you would almost certainly want to take advantage of the improved speed and efficiency of producing images, not to mention the massively increased versatility of the resulting assets. In terms of being able to recycle and reuse images, CGI renders simply have more longevity, and with an abundance of programmers and fast processors at their disposal, photographers will start to see themselves left behind.
Product photographers should definitely keep in mind that this is a changing market and consider how they can adapt. This doesn’t necessarily mean becoming a 3D designer; instead, it can mean creating a portfolio that brings a sense of authenticity to a product that can act as a complement to the CGI within a company’s marketing.
Are you a product photographer that has seen clients move away from conventional photography and towards CGI? What are you doing to adapt? Let us know in the comments below.