Taking pictures of watches has always been tricky for me. I’ve recently stumbled upon a technique that I wanted to share with you all and you can watch the tutorial in my YouTube video, likey and subscribey if you likey it. Or don’t.
For product shots indoors I use the Canon E05 and touch them up in Lightroom, often putting the image through a Vivid filter, and sharpening the image to around 15-20%. Any higher and it becomes to grainy when blown up. If it looks a little washed I lower the black filter rather than the exposure.
Aviator Cobra Watch
So here is how I have done these images using the Filippo Loreti Venice Moon Phase watch which I’ll be reviewing at a later date.
- Find the best place in the house where the sun comes in.
- Place the product on some white background that you can make with A3 presentation boards.
- If you have blinds then set them appropriately to refract the light
On location
Getting lifestyle imagery for watches is a challenge. I’d like to say I embrace the challenge but I don’t, often it’s a ball ache and a compromise of how much I want me in the shot, the background, or the watch.
I have one go-to pose which is ye-old, watch behind the back pose. See below.
Adexe London Watch
I also like to utilise places where it would feel natural to look at your watch. I’m not into looking at the watch in a cheesy fashion, but say just being on a train station where you’d be conscious of the time feels like a natural shot. See below.
The Oris Divers watch
That’s probably all I have for now. I’d say the favourite person on instagram that I like to follow regarding watches is Sophie Furley, editor-in-chief over at Revolution Magazine. She has a nice blend of travel photography and information on new timepiece launches. Click on her image below to follow her on Instagram.
If you have any tips or hints that you’d like to share please drop me a comment in the box below.