ASSIGNMENT SEVENTEEN: THREE SHOT ADVERTORIAL FRAGRANCE SHOOT

A Three Shot Advertorial

Advertorial Explanation

Word Origin

noun

1. an extended newspaper or magazine text advertisement that promotes the advertiser’s product or services or special point of view but resembles an editorial in style and layout.

Origin of advertorial blend of advertisement and editorial
More info here .
Advertorials are similar to ‘Native Ads’.
A great selection of advertorials.
A bit more info on advertorials.

Nothing is trickier than photographing a ‘fragrance’ ad or editorial.

And we just received an assignment to shoot a three-shot advertorial for a regional consumer magazine.

(Layout is included so we can all make the same layout burst with our own styles while keeping it all so easily managed…)

If you are a people shooter, the client has cleared the use of a human in the main shot. If you are a still life shooter, the client has cleared that for all three shots. If you are a location shooter, the client has cleared that for the large shot.

So you get to do what you do best. Three shots.

Shooting fragrance bottles can always be a challenge. The bottles are, usually, a bit exotic and fanciful. And indeed, the client has spent a fortune on the design of the bottle, the label, the top of the bottle (cap) and the packaging. The attention to detail is incredible.

(You do not have to shoot the packaging, but if your eye is toward product you may think about that as well.)

What does this attention to detail mean for us? It means we have to pay double attention to detail. We MUST see the perfume. We MUST see the label. We must see the shape of the bottle in its most beautiful angle(s).

It is not possible to show the fragrance, so we must show the bottle.

Let’s take a look at some perfume still life images and discuss:

Here are some additional videos to help you learn how to work with perfume bottles.

Start to finish with a perfume bottle. Watch how careful he works the highlights in the cap.

A perfume bottle product. You must have more to the shot than just the bottle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V52Q9gRLH4c

Yes, it’s beer, but the idea is the same – you must show the color of the liquid if shooting against a black background.

One more on lighting.

Here is a google page of imagery to inspire you.

This is the layout we will be shooting:

Here is the PSD in layers.
NOTE: Turn off the faux images folder. This is only for you to see how to construct the page.
NOTE: You can choose a light color for the main page text in that folder – just remember to turn off the dark folder text.
Perfume shoot with layout (ZIPPED PSD)

Notice we have a portrait, landscape and square.

Happy Shooting!

IMAGES FROM 2020: