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Often times, a white background may just be too boring for the product you want to showcase.  Adding a colorful background may significantly improve perceived value of your goods.

Below is the product without any editing.

A few simple steps in editing, we can achieve the final results below.

Things I have modified from original shots:

1. Reposition products to maximize space.

2. Use Pen Tool to make a cutout path of products for generating shadow layer later, and make a duplicate layer of the product cut out shot (Box Blur Shadow Layer).

3. Make a new orange background layer(BG Color Layer).

4. Add vignetting effect around the edges by boosting the contrast and then lowering lightness on a new duplicated orange background layer(BG Vignetting Layer).

5. Add box blur effect and free transform the Box Blur Shadow Layer to make it look appealing.

6. Merge layers, resize and sharpen to save for web dispaly.

– Then you are done!

Below is a screenshot of layers I’ve created for this project.

Update:

I have just completed a more complex project using the same technique, in this project, I have added reflection effect to each product, as well as a black fill which made subject look like they are sitting on colored glass with special lighting, all done in Photoshop.  You can compare the before and after results below.  I would say that the single most time consuming part of this project is path cutting of products with intricate details.  The background and reflection effects are really easy to apply.

Instead of spending hundreds of dollars for a bounce light box for product photography, you can simply make your own using Bristol papers.  In this case, I’ve made a very nice one using just 4 pieces of recycled Bristol papers.  Just roll them into a slight curve, and place on your existing product shooting table.  In my case, I have one strobe setup from the top with a big diffuser panel.  I used 3 papers for the shooting area, and then a 4th piece of paper in front of the camera to catch more bounced light.  The result is obvious — It works!

For less than $1, it’s well worth the effort.  Try it for yourself!

Image below, the top one is photographed without a bounce box, the bottom one is photographed with this homemade bounce light box.

Made a image for our website banner, and thought it would be fun to also zoom it to an extreme and show some amazing details of the vinyl record.  Wow!  I’ve never seen it this up close!

Below is the outcome of the shoot.  A very fun way of using vinyl records, since it’s texture is very unique, and is perfect for our record cufflinks!

Step 1:  Find some images to print out on a letter sized paper

Step 2: Prepare the setup, stick the new printout on a black board, put your products on a piece of reflective black plexi glass.

Step 3: Shoot with controlled lighting and edit in photoshop to clear out imperfections

You are done!

Designed/engraved/photographed a logo concept for one of our customer.