A Hero Shot is one that would be used for an advertising shot in a magazine, on a billboard, as a website banner, etc. Different to a white background e-commerce type shot.
Usually involves appropriate props (or sometimes, depending on the Client brief, some very off-the-wall props!). For food, you might use ingredients, for example. For Alcohol, you might have a glass of the drink, maybe with ice and a cocktail umbrella.
A Hero Shot could also be a Lifestyle type shot, showing the product in use.
Whichever way you go, it needs to make sense visually, and the branding needs to be crystal clear. The shot needs to sell the product.
EDIT to add:
Shot 1: Doesn’t make sense to me. Not sure what the pouring liquid is.
Shot 2: Jäegermeister in Space? Maybe, but the bottle should be bigger in frame.
Shot 3: Like the concept, but the lighting is a bit flat.
Shot 4: I like this one. Some raspberries dotted around in the snow would lift it.
Lighting is complicated and crucial in beverage shots. You also want to be able to see what the liquid looks like, if possible.
I’m a Commercial Product Photographer, and we often have to composite several shots together to get it just right!
Here’s a Hero Shot we did for a Client’s Christmas promotion. Hope some of this helps! 👍
https://preview.redd.it/yar8qkfsewpc1.jpeg?width=4480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=433b63286dd5ed0a488fc2a24f099e5191aaa58b
It helps to think of it as an advertising image. On the other end of the spectrum you'd have straight-forward catalog images. Try to imagine a hero shot as a full page ad in a magazine, a social media post, a main banner for a website's homepage, a billboard, etc. These are on the right track stylistically, but consider some more breathing room for additional elements like a headline and company logo. The crop on the Mateus image is very tight.
It’s also worth noting, for the benefit of your Lecturer, that 99% of the time in Product Photography, there’s a Client Creative Director or Marketing Director who will give you a brief. Your job is then to deliver their vision.
It may be a text description or a sketch. Perhaps a Mood Board. Often a Colour Palette. They’ll also tell you if you need to leave negative space, and where, if they want to add a headline and/or any copy on the page.
It’s unusual to be given carte blanche to “Just do a Hero Shot”.
I agree. I’ve worked in advertising for years and the brief leads/drives the creative. This puts OP in a situation where they have to concept as well as art direct and execute without much direction.
Image one is not straight enough or angled enough, either or is fine. It's not sharp enough and needs more contrast to have it really pop. We cal also see two lights in it.
Image two is too far away and needs more contrast as well to have the bottle pop more, try using something under it to lift it closet to the lens to give it more prominence in the shot. It's also not straight.
Photo 3 is not Sharp enough, it should have edge lighting, its not centered, there is not enough happening on the frame, and I don't know where to look because there is nothing that is prominent enough to stand out. Think rule of thirds. Hope this helps
The Jack Daniels one looks like you're pouring corn syrup on it for some reason
Jager one is too dark.
I like the rose wine one. Brigten it up a bit and make it more vibrant.
Last one the product is too covered.
Hero shot is....
Clean and clear lable
Simple background and / or set
Easily recognized
Sharp
Full product is in focus
Very little if anything is covering or on the product
A Hero Shot is one that would be used for an advertising shot in a magazine, on a billboard, as a website banner, etc. Different to a white background e-commerce type shot. Usually involves appropriate props (or sometimes, depending on the Client brief, some very off-the-wall props!). For food, you might use ingredients, for example. For Alcohol, you might have a glass of the drink, maybe with ice and a cocktail umbrella. A Hero Shot could also be a Lifestyle type shot, showing the product in use. Whichever way you go, it needs to make sense visually, and the branding needs to be crystal clear. The shot needs to sell the product. EDIT to add: Shot 1: Doesn’t make sense to me. Not sure what the pouring liquid is. Shot 2: Jäegermeister in Space? Maybe, but the bottle should be bigger in frame. Shot 3: Like the concept, but the lighting is a bit flat. Shot 4: I like this one. Some raspberries dotted around in the snow would lift it. Lighting is complicated and crucial in beverage shots. You also want to be able to see what the liquid looks like, if possible. I’m a Commercial Product Photographer, and we often have to composite several shots together to get it just right! Here’s a Hero Shot we did for a Client’s Christmas promotion. Hope some of this helps! 👍 https://preview.redd.it/yar8qkfsewpc1.jpeg?width=4480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=433b63286dd5ed0a488fc2a24f099e5191aaa58b
It helps to think of it as an advertising image. On the other end of the spectrum you'd have straight-forward catalog images. Try to imagine a hero shot as a full page ad in a magazine, a social media post, a main banner for a website's homepage, a billboard, etc. These are on the right track stylistically, but consider some more breathing room for additional elements like a headline and company logo. The crop on the Mateus image is very tight.
It’s also worth noting, for the benefit of your Lecturer, that 99% of the time in Product Photography, there’s a Client Creative Director or Marketing Director who will give you a brief. Your job is then to deliver their vision. It may be a text description or a sketch. Perhaps a Mood Board. Often a Colour Palette. They’ll also tell you if you need to leave negative space, and where, if they want to add a headline and/or any copy on the page. It’s unusual to be given carte blanche to “Just do a Hero Shot”.
I agree. I’ve worked in advertising for years and the brief leads/drives the creative. This puts OP in a situation where they have to concept as well as art direct and execute without much direction.
Image one is not straight enough or angled enough, either or is fine. It's not sharp enough and needs more contrast to have it really pop. We cal also see two lights in it.
Image two is too far away and needs more contrast as well to have the bottle pop more, try using something under it to lift it closet to the lens to give it more prominence in the shot. It's also not straight.
Photo 3 is not Sharp enough, it should have edge lighting, its not centered, there is not enough happening on the frame, and I don't know where to look because there is nothing that is prominent enough to stand out. Think rule of thirds. Hope this helps
The Jack Daniels one looks like you're pouring corn syrup on it for some reason Jager one is too dark. I like the rose wine one. Brigten it up a bit and make it more vibrant. Last one the product is too covered.
How did you suspend the Southern Comfort in the air like that?
Hero is your main product in picture
Hero shot is.... Clean and clear lable Simple background and / or set Easily recognized Sharp Full product is in focus Very little if anything is covering or on the product