Product Photography Archives

Captivate Customers with Authenticity: Elevate Your Seller Listings with 360-Degree Product Photography

Living The Dream, Product Photography, User Generated Content, Vision Quest Media

When Greg graduated from photography school in 1999, his first job was doing product photography for catalogs. Back in the olden days, brands relied heavily on paper catalogs to showcase their products. But as the world moved online, product photography evolved to meet the demands of e-commerce.

Fast forward to today, and product photography has come a long way, with innovative systems like Iconasys leading the charge with a cutting-edge 360-degree product photography system. That’s why when Greg saw the Iconasys system, he recognized that this innovative product photography solution was a perfect complement to the type of business we wanted to build.

Traditional vs. 360-Degree Product Photography

Product photography has become an essential component of e-commerce, and with the growing demand for online shopping, it has become more important than ever before. As a result, businesses are looking for innovative ways to showcase their products to their online customers. One such way is through 360-degree product photography, which provides a more immersive and interactive experience for customers. In this blog post, we will explore the process of creating 360-degree product photography and how it differs from traditional product photography.

Traditional Product Photography

Traditional product photography involves taking a single image of the product from a specific angle. The photographer needs to capture the product’s most important features and convey its look and feel to the customer via a static still image. The lighting, camera angle, and composition are essential in traditional product photography to showcase the product in the best possible way. However, it does not provide a complete view of the product, and customers can only see it from one angle.

360-Degree Product Photography

360-degree product photography, on the other hand, provides a complete view of the product from every angle. This type of photography is accomplished by taking a series of photographs of the product from different angles and then stitching them together to create a 360-degree view. This allows customers to see the product from all angles, including top, bottom, and sides, providing a more immersive and interactive experience.

The Process of Creating 360-Degree Product Photography

The process of creating 360-degree product photography involves several steps.

Step 1: Set Up

First, the product is placed on a turntable, which is rotated by a motor. The camera is then positioned at a fixed distance from the product and takes a series of photographs as the turntable rotates. The photographs are taken at equal intervals to ensure that every angle of the product is captured.

Step 2: Editing

Once the photographs are taken, they are then edited and stitched together using specialized software to create a 360-degree view of the product. The final result is a high-quality image that can be embedded on the website or used for marketing purposes.

Benefits of 360-Degree Product Photography

360-degree product photography provides several benefits over traditional product photography. Firstly, it provides customers with a more immersive and interactive experience, allowing them to see the product from every angle. This can help increase customer engagement and reduce the likelihood of returns or dissatisfaction due to incorrect expectations.

Additionally, 360-degree product photography can also help businesses stand out from their competitors. It provides a unique and innovative way to showcase products, which can help increase brand recognition and loyalty. It can also provide a competitive advantage in the crowded e-commerce space, where businesses are constantly looking for ways to differentiate themselves.

Conclusion

In conclusion, 360-degree product photography is a powerful tool for businesses looking to showcase their products online. By providing customers with a complete view of the product, it can increase engagement, reduce returns, and help businesses stand out from their competitors. By adding more information about the process of creating 360-degree product photography and how it differs from traditional product photography, businesses can help potential clients understand the value of the service even more.

We are excited to offer this type of photography to the already robust catalog of approaches!

Why Choose Vision Quest for Authentic User Generated Content

Hotel UGC, Product Photography, User Generated Content, Vision Quest Media

In today’s digital age, it’s more important than ever for businesses to have an authentic and trustworthy online presence. One way to achieve this is through user generated content (UGC), which allows consumers to share their experiences with a product or service in their own words and images. However, as a business owner, it can be challenging to navigate the world of UGC and find a partner who can provide quality and authentic content.

That’s where Vision Quest comes in.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Succinct Summary: Bypass the Babble

Why Choose Vision Quest for User Generated Content?

Why Choose Vision Quest for User Generated Content?

At Vision Quest Media, we specialize in creating authentic and compelling UGC for businesses of all sizes. Here are just a few reasons why you should choose us to help you tell your brand’s story:

Our Home Studio Is The Perfect Backdrop

Our home overlooking the Mississippi River is the perfect backdrop for creating authentic UGC. With a neutral but elegant decor and aesthetic and an amazing view, we can provide the perfect setting for showcasing your product. Our home is ideal for home decor, patio and outdoors, water sports and biking, and organization type products. We can also use our extensive travel experience to create UGC that showcases your product in a variety of settings.

Organic and Authentic but Still Professional

With a degree in commercial photography and years of experience as a six-figure earning professional photographer, Greg brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. Our work will be authentic but not sloppy. We understand the importance of capturing the right angle, lighting, and product placement to create UGC that truly represents your brand. We pride ourselves on delivering high-quality content that exceeds our clients’ expectations.

Straightforward and Ethical Approach to UGC

At Vision Quest, we believe in providing our clients with an honest and straightforward approach to UGC. As a coach who shoots straight, it’s antithetical to our values to provide fake reviews or manipulated photography. We understand the importance of transparency and authenticity, and we work with our clients to create UGC that is truly representative of their brand.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a partner to help you create authentic and compelling UGC, look no further than Vision Quest Media. With our perfect backdrop, professional experience, and ethical approach, we can help you tell your brand’s story in a way that resonates with your audience.

Why I Quit User Generated Content (UGC)

Hotel Photography, Hotel UGC, Living The Dream, Product Photography, User Generated Content, Vision Quest Hospitality Photography, Vision Quest Media

Why I quit User Generated Content (UGC)

As a neurodivergent person, my brutal honesty and sensitivity to my tone and words made me realize that I wasn’t a fit for scripted UGC videos. As I spoke to the camera, my tics and stims accelerated as I listened to the inauthenticity in my voice, paralyzing me to the point where I couldn’t produce a single video. So I quit.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Why I quit User Generated Content (UGC)
The Backstory…Welcome to Day One of Get to No University
- Beyond E-commerce listing photos
Struggling with UGC: When Passion and Practicality Clash
- Just because I can doesn’t mean I should

My “Brutal” Honesty Couldn’t Handle the Scripted Videos

As a neurodivergent person, one of my defining traits is brutal honesty. However, this trait can sometimes border on insensitivity and callousness, which means I’m always hyper-aware of my tone and words to avoid being misunderstood or misconstrued. And when it comes to scripted UGC videos, my honesty just couldn’t handle the inauthenticity.

Paralysis by Analysis

When I would try to record scripted UGC videos, I could hear the fake tone in my voice and see my neurodivergent tics and stims accelerate. It was as if the inner narrator in my head, which sounds like the character Joe Goldberg from the Netflix series You (minus the axe murdering tendencies), was screaming at me to stop the charade. I knew that anyone watching would see through my fake review and my anxiety would paralyze me to the point where I could not produce a single video.

The harder I tried, the more upset I would get and the worse my stammering and circular thinking and skin tugging and finger twitching would become. And watching myself stim and struggle on camera was excruciating.

Don’t tell me what my opinion is.

For someone like me, who craves authenticity and honesty, the scripted UGC videos just didn’t cut it. I wanted to share my genuine experiences and opinions, but the scripts and shot lists felt like a barrier to me being able to do so. It was as if the brands were trying to control my voice and mold me into their ideal spokesperson, rather than letting me be myself.

After many attempts at creating scripted UGC videos, I finally realized that I just wasn’t a fit for this type of content creation. My brutal honesty just couldn’t handle the fake, scripted nature of these videos. So, I decided to take a step back and focus on what I truly enjoy – creating honest and authentic reviews of products I already use and love.

It’s not brutal to tell the truth

In the world of UGC, authenticity and honesty are highly valued, but it seems that scripted videos are becoming more and more common. For someone like me, who struggles with masking and hiding my true self, these types of videos just don’t work. And that’s okay. It’s important to know our limits and what we’re truly passionate about.

Creating solely for love of the Content

As I move forward from my experience with scripted UGC videos, I have decided to shift my focus towards creating content with the sole purpose of education and entertainment. Whether it’s sharing my knowledge on a particular subject or simply entertaining my audience, I want to create content that is authentic, honest, and relatable.

Of course, if the opportunity to monetize my content arises, that’s certainly a bonus. However, that won’t be my main focus. Instead, I want to create content that I am passionate about and that I believe will provide value to my audience.

By removing the pressure of monetization from my content, I can focus on creating something that is truly meaningful and engaging. So, instead of trying to fit into a mold that doesn’t suit me, I am embracing my neurodivergent traits and using them to create content that is uniquely me.

In the end, I realized that my authenticity and honesty are not only my greatest strengths but also the key to creating content that truly resonates with people and makes me sought after by brands. My goal is and has always been to create meaningful relationships with clients instead of multiple transactions with customers.

And with that, I can confidently say that I have quit UGC for good.

The Backstory…Welcome to Day One of Get to No University

As a professional photographer and marketing consultant, we are always on the lookout for new tools and technologies that can help businesses improve their online presence. That’s how Greg discovered the Iconasys product photography system, which provides high-quality 360-degree product photos that are perfect for Amazon and e-commerce listings.

Beyond E-commerce listing photos

The system was so impressive that we knew we had to get my hands on it, and once we did, I was blown away by the level of detail and clarity it provided. But I also realized that this tool could be used for much more than just product photography for e commerce listings.

It could also be a powerful asset for creating honest and engaging authentic reviews of our favorite products that we use in real life.

Struggling with UGC: When Passion and Practicality Clash

As an almost exclusive Amazon shopper I depend on realistic representation of the product through actual images and honest reviews. I skip first to the reviews with pictures and videos and only then go back and read the copy the brand wrote about the product. I trust my peers because as a professional photographer, I know how unrealistic many marketing photos are.

As an “old lady” who became TikTok user during the pandemic, I was familiar with the concept of UGC ads but wasn’t totally clear on the rules or how to get started. However, with 35 years of sales and marketing experience under my belt, I was confident in my ability to pitch the idea to businesses and get enthusiastic responses.

Struggling with UGC: When Passion and Practicality Clash

I got a response for almost every pitch I sent because I passionately believe that we can bring value to brands with our photography and I can sell anything I believe in passionately. I have 35 years of sales and marketing experience and have a husband who has a degree in commercial photography and more than 25 years experience earning 6 figures as a professional photographer. Of course everybody said yes!

But things didn’t go as planned. When I tried to record the UGC videos that matched the vision I had in my head, I sounded like a glitchy robot about to be beheaded on a hostage video. As a neurodivergent individual, I found it difficult to deliver the kind of scripted content that UGC often requires, and my attempts to do so left me feeling fake and insincere.

I knew that I could learn the logistics of producing content but there was no reason to pursue something that didn’t work with my values and strengths.

Just because I can doesn’t mean I should

It was a frustrating experience, and it took a toll on my mental health. But in the end, it taught me an important lesson. I realized that I didn’t need to keep pursuing UGC just because I thought it was something I should be doing or could learn to do moderately well. Instead, I could create content I am passionate about – just for fun and not worry about monetization.

So I shifted my focus and started creating content that was purely for a passion project and suddenly my engagement AND my enjoyment have skyrocketed. I share my life experiences on social media and began writing blog posts about how I created the life of my dreams by pursuing the life I deserve instead of the life I had come to settle for.

And while I am not currently making any extra money from these endeavors, I found that they brought me a sense of fulfillment and purpose that UGC never could. I already make a consistent six figure income doing hotel photography without doing any outreach or marketing! From that I have learned that when you are doing what you love, your market will find you.

Like always, I learned that it’s okay to say no to things that aren’t a fit for me, even if they seem like a good idea on paper. And I’m grateful for that lesson because it’s allowed me to focus on what truly matters to me and an opportunity to create content that I’m genuinely proud of.