Candle Product Photography: A Helpful Guide To Better Photos

It can be daunting to know exactly the best way to photograph your candle.

Do I light my candle in the image? Do I use models? Do I need to show every angle? So many questions that need answers. Well we got the answers for you with your helpful guide to better candle product photography for your brand.

Let’s jump right in with a list of the key pieces that this article is going to focus on:

1. How to light your candle for photography.
2. What angles to photograph a candle.
3. Different scenes for candles with lifestyle product photography.
   

There are so many different pieces to consider with product photography but these 3 subjects should help you get a good grasp of how to properly photograph your candle product.

How to light your candle for photography

One of the most talked about subjects with photographers within product photography is lighting. Do you use flash, continuous or natural lighting? First thing to know is there is no right or wrong way with lighting a product. It all comes down to the style you want to showcase your product. Depending on your brand, where the image is being used (social, listing or elsewhere) and most importantly what do you have access to.

Depending on the brand look and feel you are going for, natural light may be a better choice than let’s say lighting your product with flash. Flash lighting, continuous lighting and natural light all have a very distinct look and feel when it comes to how a product is lit. 

Flash lighting is going to help you grab every detail, color, feature, shadows and everything else in between. It captures details that normally you would not be able to see (or would want to see). It is arguably a better suit for professional photographers and is the most costly. Most professionals will utilize flash lighting in their studio. There are a lot of resources online to get started with flash lighting if that is the look you are going for with your candles.

Continuous lighting is a great option when you are attempting to add a touch of light to a scene or attempting to mimic natural lighting in an area where it is not possible. Continuous lighting comes in all different price ranges and abilities. Continuous lighting is a great way for the novice or beginner photographer to be able to have a source of artificial light and practice product photography as continuous lighting is typically a “what you see is what you get” scenario when you are photographing your candles. 

Natural light is a wonderful option for all levels of photographers. Whether it is your first time photographing your candle or a professional looking to photograph in a very specific mood and style of imagery. The greatest part of natural lighting is everyone has access to it; all you need is a camera or phone to capture the image. A great way to “up” your natural lighting is utilizing white paper boards or light diffusion to create even lighting across your scene you have created or the candle in general.

What angles to photograph a candle

Simply put, when photographing a product (like a candle) you want to make sure you are showcasing it to the best of your ability. What are the unique things about your candle? Is there a specific wick style, do you have unique designs in your wax, what are the designs of the stickers on your candle? These are all different things to consider because a shopper wants to know all the unique attributes of your candle and how it will look in their home, office, etc.

In general, you are going to want to get a straight on angle at eye-level of your candle. An image that showcases the branding/design on the candle and what it will look like when displayed. Let’s face it there are two main reasons why we buy candles. First is the scent that the candle has when being burned. Secondly, what the candle actually looks like in terms of the glass, stickers and printing of the candle. So you want to make sure to showcase that in that first image.

The other images can be a large mix of other angles. Maybe you had an angle of the candle burning to show the size of the flame. Another angle could be an image of the wick. People like knowing if it is a string, wood or other style of wick as they all burn differently and look different. Another angle could be of the candle with the cover to the side so you can add a unique image that showcases both the candle and the cover.

Different scenes for candles with lifestyle product photography

Lifestyle product photography for candles is the best way to add a human element to your brand and imagery. People love to see humans utilizing products in images. It truly allows so much discovery and exploration of a product. Below are some great reasons what lifestyle product photography can do for your candle brand.

1. Create a sense of familiarity and emotional connection to your product. People see an image with another individual using a product and they instantly begin to visualize themselves using it, where it could be used and when. 
2. Lifestyle product photography is a great way to allow a shopper to understand the size of your candle. Even with dimensions on your listing or website, it is still beneficial to see a candle being utilized in a scene that is familiar to them (such as a kitchen, bedroom or bathroom) to better understand the size.
3. It humanizes your brand. It shows a human element that is real and compelling to the shopper. Shoppers love to see that extra additional imagery in a listing. It shows that you understand your market and how they see it best fit their needs.

In conclusion

As you can see, there is a lot to consider when it comes to candle product photography. If all of the above is not for you, whether it is time commitment or simply creativity, Results Imagery can take care of all your candle product photography and video production needs. We have worked with many candle brands, both large and small, and understand exactly what a shopper online for candles is looking for in images. 

Reach out to us today to elevate your candle product photography.