Lifestyle composites: what are they and how do we make them?
A composite is when we shoot a product in the studio and use expert techniques to “Photoshop” the item into a scene of your choice. When done right, this process is indistinguishable from actually shooting at a location, and it’s a fraction of the cost.
With composites, the only limitation is your creative vision. Continue reading to see what we mean.
Everyone has seen a bad composite somewhere on social media or Amazon because it takes expertise and care to do it right. At Elysian, we have a team of experienced creatives who know exactly how to execute photorealistic composites that are indistinguishable from an on-location photoshoot.
In this blog we will go over:
How a composite is made
The benefits of composites over the more traditional methods
The limitless compositing options at your fingertips.
How it works
Properly executing a photorealistic composite isn’t difficult, but the right steps need to be followed. This is how we do it:
Pre-planning
The first step is to discover the perfect background for the image you want. Your creative vision truly is the only limitation here. We use the world’s largest library of stock imagery and work with you to find a background perfect for your item.
Why is this so important? Well, we will get into that in more detail later, but essentially if we know the perspective, angle, and lighting of the environment that the product will be placed in, it will make the entire process run significantly smoother. This is also the only way to achieve a photorealistic result.
Shooting
Now that we have the background picked out, shooting becomes much easier. As I said earlier, it will be impossible for the editor to properly place the item in the scene if it is not photographed with a perspective and lighting treatment that matches the scene.
Our photographers are masters at this. Take, for example, the first image below: after viewing the background, the photographer knows that they have to photograph the ceiling fan from below, at about a 45% angle, because that is the angle the ceiling is oriented. Also, the light source is coming from the large window in the right of the image, which means when they photograph the fan, they have to light it from the right.
(Even if customers don’t consciously notice incorrect lighting, something will feel off, and the image will not be photorealistic.)
Pre-composite product image
Editing
Finally, we need to edit, or composite, the product into the scene. The goal is to do as much of the work before the editor even touches the files to make their job as easy as possible.
In this case, the perspective and lighting perfectly match the background, so all our editor has to do is cut out the product from the white background, place it on the ceiling, and use some of their editing magic to make it blend into the scene even more.
The final result is a photorealistic lifestyle composite.
The benefit of compositing
Say you wanted to execute the image we just discussed, but the traditional way, no compositing. How would it work, and what would you need?
Location rental for multiple days, which typically costs thousands of dollars.
Space and equipment to build a room in a studio, which would also cost thousands of dollars.
An extensive inventory of furniture and home decor to style the room the way you want it.
A full team of stylists, photographers, assistants, and creative directors to run the shoot and ensure everything runs smoothly.
Multiple days of shooting time.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a fantastic way to execute the exact shot your brand envisioned, and I will be the first person to say that there is nothing wrong with the traditional, “real” way of photographing products.
But, clearly, shoots of this caliber are exclusive to the “big guys” only. Think Macy’s, Wayfair, and Crate and Barrel. Should the biggest brands have exclusive access to lifestyle imagery like this?
We think not.
Photo compositing is the one and only way to achieve the same results from an extensive on-location shoot from the comfort and control of the studio. When in the hands of an expert photographer and editor, your products can teleport anywhere in the world, allowing you to morph your brand identity into anything you want.
Stock imagery is so incredibly extensive these days that you can find almost any environment, surface, or prop that you can imagine, all for a few dollars per image. By doing so, you instantly cut out the need for a location, propping inventory, and a team of stylists.
Then, the control you gain and the time you save by executing the entire shoot in the studio with a small team is invaluable.
The limitless composite possibilities
You may think I’m exaggerating when I say that the possibilities are endless, but I’m not. Your only limitation is your creative vision. From a lifestyle home scene to the most abstract of composites, here at Elysian, we know we can find the perfect fit for you.
Below are just a few examples of what we can make together:
Home & Furniture Composites - Any lifestyle composites with a home scene will have the largest return on investment. Executing images like this any other way requires a team of people, location rentals, an extensive furniture and decor inventory, and days of shooting. With us, one photographer and one editor, we can do the same thing in an hour and save you thousands of dollars.
Tabletop Composites - There’s not much to a tabletop composite: if your products can sit on a surface, we will place them on an environmental surface with incorporated propping to set a scene.
Stylized Composites (example above) - Who said all composites have to be in a lifestyle scene only? There are millions of abstract backgrounds to choose from online, perfect for a more stylized approach to selling your products in a unique way.
Model Composites - Rain or shine, we can put one of our talented models in any environment you want. We may be shooting in Cleveland, OH, but we can put your products in Miami Beach, downtown Manhattan, or next to the Eiffel Tower.
Now, I’m not sure about you, but I’m suddenly in the mood to shoot a composite. Feel free to explore our portfolio to see more examples of our work, or, if you’re ready to start your journey with us, click the link below to be put in touch with me today.
