Product Photography | Cosmetic Texture | Part 2

After exploring the benefits of using a diptych in this post to craft a food story, let's see how we can apply the same technique for product photography and create a compelling narrative for a beauty product. 

First, we will see why it's important to engage the viewer with a creative visual story that goes beyond standard product photography.

Then we will talk about how a simple aesthetic helps the viewer quickly get the message.

Finally, how pairing complementing images helps build a brand and product narrative. 

After having covered the basics of product photography it is essential to infuse a story to your product images. Having a narrative within your product photography helps the viewer connect or immerse themselves into a story. When done well, it produces interesting images and it is an effective way to help the viewer easily remember your product and brand. Because remembering a product without context is much harder than a product waived into a story that gives many little anchors to be recalled. As you can see in the following examples, the product swatch (moisturizer) could just be part of a series of images featuring the product. Now paired with the hands shot, another dimension emerges. It emphasizes the texture and suggests the tactile sensation on the hands.

The second element to consider here is the minimalism of each shot. There are no distractive props or fancy setups, just the product swatch and the pair of hands edited in a similar monochromatic way for a cohesive visual. And consequently, the focus stays on the message.

The ultimate way to build on the product narrative is the association of these two images. Looking at each one separately does not have the same impact as the diptych and story they create together. Jointly they not only have more weight but also trigger the senses, which produce a feeling. An important aspect for the emotional buyers amongst your audience.

So next time you need new product photography, consider how you can also waive your narrative as a brand and the story of the product in your new set of images. 

View part 1 of this series

Product Photography | Skincare Texture | Part 1

Recent work done to capture and portray different textures, with a focus on cosmetic texture.

From the clinical look of the gel to the nourishing texture of the moisturiser, there’s more texture to explore. And I will keep updating this new set.

The colours have been corrected to help reinforce the perception of the texture and its nature. The cool colour background accentuates the idea of the cooling effect of the gel, whereas the warm tones convey the richness of the moisturiser.

And to illustrate this point, I include some incidental shots of the gel in black and white. Proof of how colour changes our perception.

View Part 2 of this series

Beauty Photography | Pastel | Part 2

I recently got a comment on one of my photos on Instagram from a fellow photographer saying that he wished all of his models were able to do this.

This was the very strong expression on the model’s face. And I couldn’t agree more with him. What makes a good model to me is her ability to give, better than follow direction, to fit in a role. Do we expect her to be bold and defiant or sassy and fresh ?

Here for this pastel theme shoot, I wanted Kristina, the model, to embody grace, delicateness, fragility and innocence. Her features are perfect for this notion. The makeup and hand poses were all supporting the story. Yet ultimately it’s her expression that brought it all together.

And to be honest there’s a lot of satisfaction seeing the story emerge from a collective effort, where everyone brings their talent to make the narrative come to life.

This is the second part of the Pastel theme shoot. View part 1 here.

Creative team

Model Kristina at FiveTwenty Model Management

Hair & Makeup @NicholeLee

Photography @VivianePerenyi

Beauty Photography | Pastel | Part 1

Before I share with you the outcomes from the pastel theme shoot we did recently, here’s the first part with a clean skincare look. Aligned with the main theme of the shoot, beauty here is depicted in a soft and ethereal way.

The skincare look is very different from the one shared a few posts back. This time, it’s all about the porcelain complexion and that ‘classic’ skincare visual.

Here are the combination of elements that helped achieve that specific look.

• The model: Kristina was selected for her facial features that were naturally suited for this look. She embodies delicateness, which makes her the perfect match.

• The look: Hair and makeup are kept simple, subtle yet refined to enhance her features.

• The lighting. I was not looking at creating any highlights here, rather an even, soft and flattering light. So here I used the softbox with a double diffusion and I filled shadows by placing white flags under her chin and on her left side.

• The edit: The colour balance was corrected to give the images a slightly cooler feel and reinforce the diaphanous skin.

Stay tuned for the second part of this shoot, coming soon.

Creative team

Model Kristina at FiveTwenty Model Management

Hair & Makeup @NicholeLee

Photography @VivianePerenyi

Beauty Photography | Natural Glam

After the skincare look, we shot two other different looks. Here’s the final one, the natural glam makeup look.

You’ll notice the change of lighting. No more hard light. The lighting setup is my usual one: one light bounced into a deep octabox and a white flag under Lili’s face to fill the shadows. This setup helps get the nice highlights on the cheeks, chin and forehead. It works so well for this look that’s all about dewy skin.

Beauty Photography | Natural Skin

I recently wanted to shoot a skincare look and here are some of the results from the beauty shoot. I knew that I wanted to steer away from the traditional or conventional imagery that tends to be very polished and meticulously posed. After a quick chat with Nichole -makeup artist- I decided to showcase the bare beauty with a fresh, spontaneous almost candid perspective.

Here are the elements that helped me translate this concept.

• The look

The skincare shot usually features a model with hair neatly pulled back, in a slicked back style or a variation of it. I wanted to keep the look more relaxed and casual and we opted for this updo that looks natural. In the same way, the bare beauty of the skin is highlighted with a no-makeup makeup look.

• The expression

A strong facial expression -as seen here- can add interest to an image. Here, I wanted to experiment with expressive poses that add energy.

After we warmed up, shooting usual poses, I directed Lili to give me playful expressions. I allowed her to be as expressive as she wanted. I was looking for genuine and youthful expressions that would communicate spontaneity and being comfortable in your own skin.

• The lighting

Skincare imagery is often shot with soft, flattering and even light. Here I intentionally shot with a direct light, simulating an outdoor situation and as if under the sun. Because there’s nothing to hide under the sun. All to convey this notion of carefree and real.

Coming next, the second look from the same shoot: Natural glam. Stay tuned.

Creative team

Model @LiliFord at Chadwick Models

Hair & Makeup @NicholeLee

Photography @VivianePerenyi

Beauty | Alisa

A beauty story with an edge.

After playing with sunlight and a warm natural look in the first part of this shoot, we continued with a very different look.

Here the sun light has been diffused through the translucent white diffusion panel of a collapsible reflector and a white panel placed under Alisa’s face to bounce back the light and fill in the shadow. The light is soft and even. While it’s a flattering light, it does not add much to the story. What make the visual result interesting are:

• The look

Slick back hair, bold makeup and strong expressions result in a totally novel narrative. This time it’s all about the bold and fierce woman.

• The expression

As a photographer, I do appreciate the versatility of a model. And Alisa seamlessly moved from the beach girl’s natural beauty to a sophisticated and edgy woman. I gave her few directions and she brought these strong facial expressions so aligned with the look.

• The edit

The black and white edit removes all colour distraction and creates contrast within the image. As a result the focus remains on the bold expressions and look.

Creative team:

Model @AlisaPensola

Hair and makeup @nicholeleemakeup

Photography @vivianeperenyi

Beauty | Summer Glow

Today’s story is an exploration of that free spirit and summer feel by the seaside when the warm light kisses the bare skin. If you start to see a recurrent theme in those beauty stories of mine, I do too. I guess this Sydney-way-of-life is slowly but surely sinking in.

Here’s a simple deconstruction of how I built this visual narrative.

• The light. As a photographer the light is the first way I think to craft a visual story. Because the light is what brings an atmosphere and what draws the viewer’s attention. Here it’s a play with the natural morning light: direct (third photo) and diffused and the use of a reflector (gold side) to bounce back warm light and fill in the shadows.

  It would have made sense to shoot this at the beach, but personal constraints came into play and we ended up shooting this in an urban park. Would you guess ?

• The look. Alisa, the model here, is the perfect beach babe who naturally matches the theme. Her look is just lightly enhanced to let her raw beauty shine through. In the third and last frames, her pose and the way her bang is pulled back give the illusion of the sea breeze blowing on her face.

• The props. Sometimes it’s the small detail that makes the difference. And the shell here helps to reinforce the concept. It acts as a visual clue, gives a sense of place and brings playfulness in the frame.

Of course there’s more that come into play, but those three elements woven together build the core of this visual story.

Stay tuned for a radically different look, yet from the same shoot in a coming post.

Creative team

Model Alisa Pensola | Hair and makeup Nichole Lee | Photographer Viviane Perenyi

Beauty | By the Pool | Part 3

For the third and last interpretation of the concept ‘by the pool ’, we leave behind the indoor pool.

This time the scene takes place outside, on the private pool deck of a luxurious villa. The subject is leisurely sunbathing on a long chair. Effortless and chic, her natural beauty is highlighted by the warm sunlight, the water reflection and her silky hair flowing.

In reality the set-up was far less glamour. Useless to say that there was no pool in sight as it was all shot in my small living room. And to achieve this kind of lighting I asked Mia to lie down under a large transparent container filled with water. The light was directly pointing to her face filtered through the water swayed by Nichole.

Things are not always as they seem, but I love creating stories.

For the whole editorial story that interprets the theme by the pool you can view Part 1 and part 2

Creative team Model: Mia Brooks | HMUA: Nichole Lee | Photography @VivianePerenyi

Beauty | By the Pool | Part 2

Click through to see part 1 of this series.

For the second interpretation of the ‘by the pool’ concept, the subject is the girl next door who just came out of the swimmingpool after a lap or two. She’s heading to the changing room with her hair and skin wet and her natural beauty barely enhanced.

This series was part of the editorial publication Dreamingless | Issue 49

Creative team Model: Mia Brooks | HMUA: Nichole Lee | Photographer Viviane Perenyi

Beverage | Light Study

Light play and creative product photography combined in these shots inspired by the morning light streaming through the brown glass bottles in my kitchen.

I love how light can convey a message and set a mood. I’m always attracted to cinematic visuals for that specific reason. The way the light and the colours draw the viewer’s attention and help tell the story is so special.

Here I wanted to make it feel luxurious, almost precious. The way you would want to enjoy the time sipping that fine brandy.

Beauty | Sun Kissed | Part 2

This is a beauty and lifestyle story split in two parts. Part 1 which is lifestyle can be view here.

As I mentioned in part 1 the weather that day was wet, chilly and dull. Fortunately we got a brief moment when the sun came out. I knew that was my window of opportunity and I had to move quickly to get these close frames. Anastasiya’s beautiful skin was glowing under the strong light.

And in the end to match the initial idea, I slightly colour corrected the images to give them a warmer tone.

Creative team Model: Anastasiya | HMUA: Nichole Lee | Photographer: Viviane Perenyi

Beauty | By the Pool | Part 1

These beauty shots were part of an editorial feature and a series on the theme swimming pool.

Inspiration

Initially inspired by an image while creating a mood board, the theme sparked different stories in my mind. Each narrative with a corresponding look:

• Athletic

• Casual (part 2)

• Chic (part 3)

Synopsis

For this athletic look, we are at the edge of the pool, the competitive swimmer is getting ready, warming up, focused and determine to win. And in the last shot, the competition is over, the athlete has triumphed.

Messsage

It’s a combination of different elements that helped convey the message of strength and fierceness:

• The use of relevant props -swim cap and goggles- essential for the competitive context.

• The choice of make up with bold lipstick -because it’s a beauty story after all.

• The lighting -clamshell setup- to draw attention to details like the water drops on the skin and sculpt the cheekbones.

• The black and white edit that remove distraction and bring focus.

Coming soon: Part 2 of the series with a different interpretation of the theme and a casual look.

Editorial work published in Dreamingless magazine | Issue 49.

Thanks to the team: Model Mia Brooks and HMUA Nichole Lee

Food | Close and Personal | Part 1

Macro photography is a genre of its own. While photography is categorized by subject matter, macro photography is different because it is more about perspective than the subject in front of the lens. The close-up technique gives a new dimension to any subject matter. And the focus right here is on food.

The question then is why use macro food photography? Different reasons can justify the use of a macro lens. It is a bold way to present the subject matter. The close-up frame gives a different perspective and visual interest. And it can make for an engaging visual story when combined with standard food photography shots.

A powerful way to showcase a subject

Macro food photos can have a unique visual impact because they highlight the finer details and intricacies of the subject matter. The tight frame makes it feel intimate, with a new scale of reference where the smallest details are amplified. It can almost seem tactile with the textures magnified and the patterns enhanced. The colours fill the entire frame at once creating eye-catching visuals. The most common food is given a different outlook and visual appeal. The ordinary cabbage leaf is rendered as a beautiful natural wonder.  

The points of difference 

We tend to overlook what we are used to seeing often and pay more attention to what seems unusual. Macro food goes beyond the conventional way food is portrayed. The close-up perspective is the reason why it creates visual interest and a sense of novelty. It is important to note that macro photography works best with a single subject matter: ingredient or preparation -such as condiment or sauce- rather than a dish that would add visual complexity to the tight frame. And while you do need a macro lens to produce macro photographs, using a macro lens does not systematically equates to macro photos. When elements and details are magnified at or beyond their real proportions is what makes a macro shot.

Visual storytelling

The tight crop and focus on a single subject matter almost disqualify macro food photos from the storytelling perspective. Yet they evolve into strong visual elements when paired or combined with traditional food photos. 

For example, this food story was built by including a macro food image as part of a diptych. The macro photo helps emphasize a particular aspect and strengthen the overall narrative.

Macro food photography is a specific technique of food photography that may be underused and underrated, yet a valid approach to showcase products for particular segments of the food industry. 

Check part 2 of this macro food photography series

Lifestyle | Sun Kissed | Part 1

Back in March just before the lockdown, I challenged myself to do a shoot outside of my comfort zone, a.k.a my home studio. I wanted to shoot the spirit of summer by the sea under the full sun with strong shadows and contrast.

Unfortunately the weather had decided otherwise that day. It was cold and as I drove to the location the rain started to pour down. All my hope and vision vanished instantly and if it was not for the push from the team that day I would not get those shots I’m sharing here. I’m thankful because we managed to get a brief sunny spell in the middle of the session and got some shots I aimed for.

While it was a lifestyle focused shoot, I also captured some beauty frames, which I will be sharing in another post soon.

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Model: Anastasiya

HMUA: Nichole Lee

Beauty | Rocci

Here’s one more look that was part of this editorial feature.  The light this time creates a dramatic look and emphasises facial expression and beauty of the bare skin.

While these were outtakes, I like how strong yet simple they are.

Thanks to Rocci for lending her beautiful face and Nichole for the mise-en-beauté skill.

Food Photography | How Would You Like Your Eggs ?

This is a little story inspired by the fresh, beautiful and colourful eggs pictured below. And as you will read, the story goes well beyond the food photography realms. Initially, it was just the portrait of a kitchen staple, prettily tucked in its carton. Yet after going through my photo archives, I stumbled on the second image and the draft of a story emerged. I call it a patchwork story, made of separate shots gathered to make up a narrative.

In the end, a food story that carries analogies and reflections.

1/ Differences

Together these eggs showcase their uniqueness and differences: small, speckled, and green... yet they create a beautiful harmony full of contrasts. It is their differences that make them all the more attractive and appealing, for they remind us of the power of diversity. Each egg, with its distinct attributes, contributes to the collective beauty. Like a reminder that diversity is not to be feared, but rather cherished and embraced.

2/ Transformation

Eggs, humble and unassuming, hold the promise of transformation within their fragile shells. Boiled and peeled, whisked into a creamy mayonnaise or cooked into a luscious curd, eggs are incredibly versatile. They are essential not only for their nutritional value but also for the countless ways they can be used and prepared. Their transformative quality makes them an indispensable ingredient.

Beyond seeing beauty in the difference and the evolution, I can not help but find similarities between these eggs and us as individuals. We are all beautiful because we are different. And who we are now does not define how we will evolve. Each of us can grow, learn, and transform. Our potential to evolve, both individually and collectively, is limitless.

As a seasoned photographer, I capture through my lens the diverse beauty of life. And besides these analogical thoughts, this may be the start of a photo project and visual exploration.

Lemon curd recipe here.

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Hi, I’m Viviane, food photographer based in Sydney Australia.

I help businesses with on-brand and authentic visual content. I would like to hear from you and your project. 

Beauty | Editorial | Unshakeable

For this editorial feature in issue 48 of Dreamingless magazine, I let Nichole, hair and makeup artist, tell you her approach, inspiration and how she built different compelling looks.

When I get the comp card of the model, that is when the initial inspiration start to form. I have a library of clippings and images that I keep on my phone that I like and might want to try out. What really stood out about Rocci when I saw her comp card and then in real life is her bone structure (especially her cheek bones and jawline). Which fit in really well with Viviane’s androgynous, moody vibe that she wanted to try out. I then draft out the look sequence. Normally going from minimal no-makeup look, building up to a dramatic look for practicality.

For Rocci, it was an obvious move to do a wing eyeliner to keep the angle sharp and strong. Sometimes what I had planned goes out the window as the day progresses and I like working with things that I am drawn to on the day. Rocci really looked amazing when she had an intense facial expression. Which meant I wanted to play with the shadows of her brows so the final look ended up being a electric blue smokey eye that emulated the 80’s power makeup. This then led to her with a match in her mouth, clenching her jawline and frowning as though she is James Dean out of Rebel without a cause (the coat collar up and all!). Her hair was slicked back to really emphasise her cheekbones and jawline. 

I like throwing visual and conceptual ideas at the model so that they can really embrace the overall feel that we are going for. Usually iconic Hollywood star or movie references tend to work.

The inspiration comes from the visual world that we live in, but ultimately, the subject that sits in front of me in the makeup chair determines my ultimate look.

Thank you Nichole for sharing your thought process.

Model: Rocci Smit

HMUA: Nichole Lee

Photographer: Viviane Perényi

Handcrafted Knives

Here’s a series of shots taken a couple of years back in Hungary. These handcrafted knives were part of an exhibition.

I was asked to capture some of them and the images were displayed along the handmade pieces.

The style of the knives guided my choice of rustic backgrounds and natural, earthy props. The colour of the latter was chosen to compliment the knife handle and let the pattern of the Damascus steel blade shine. And for a compelling atmosphere, it was all shot with the moody natural light of an overcast autumn day.

Can you tell I enjoyed creating these micro-stories about these one-of-a-kind knives ?

Beauty | In a Blur

Or when one thing leads to another. I was drafting a different post about another beauty shoot when I was reminded about these photos of Mahalia with a sparkling makeup done by Nichole.

This collaborative shoot was done towards the end of last year and the outcome was the crisp images that are included in the animation at the end of the post.

The idea to add a motion blur effect in Photoshop on these close up shots now, was directly inspired by the glittery look. A little twist to my usual approach to image editing, yet the motion blur effect works well here, don’t you think ?

Model: Mahalia

MUA: Nichole Lee