I moved to North Carolina sixteen years ago.  The move to a warmer climate was exciting to me because I just knew I would have a longer planting and growing season in my new home in the south.  I was looking forward to having very little snow and having four true seasons to the year.  Unlike the north, where one frequently gets cheated out of a portion of their spring and fall seasons.  So, here I was, ready to plant new things and enjoy them in my yard.  Little did I know that with a new climate and region to live in, came other obsticals that I was not aware of and that would end up giving me fits. 

My previous house was an English Tudor style house and the privious owner and his wife designed and planted an English rose garden with every color rose imaginable in it.  The roses bloomed all summer long.  They were hardy and fragrent and neighbors complimented me on them all the time.  I never had to do anything to them either.  I prunned them in the fall and added a little Miracle Grow to them in the early spring and that was it.  They just thrived with very little care from me.

When I moved to western North Carolina I applied the same techniques to a new rose garden I planted the very first spring after we moved in.  By all accounts, my roses were pitiful.  I got one small bloom on each bush and that was it.  I had no idea what was happening to  my roses.  Then by mid July these funny little beetles appeared and started eating the leaves of the rose bushes.  By August a white powdery dust appeared on what was left of the green leaves and the roses just looked sad. 

Needless to say, my problems with my roses went on for years.  I went to one garden store after another looking for a miracle ure for my roses but I didnt find one.  Therefore, I gave up.  However, one day my family and I went to the movies and saw "Seven Pounds".  In the movie Will Smith saw a lady working in her garden of pitiful roses and he offered her a bit of unsolicited advice.  He told her that bananna peels would help her roses.  She looked at him very skeptical but she did it and when he came back the next year he roses were beautiful!  So I went home with that tip in mind. 

That very next spring, I decided to give it a shot.  Everytime I ate a bananna I took the peel out to the rose garden and buried it next to the plant.  Before I knew it, my roses were blooming and looking harty with many blooms on each bush.  The bugs stayed away and the white powder never appeared either.  So from now on I am going to listen to Will Smith and bury bananna peels in the soil around my roses.  I am looking forward to another year of having a beautiful rose garden again.

There are few things a prospective designer should be aware of before stepping into the photographer's studio for a product shoot. While it is commonly believed that it is the photographer’s job to know the correct lighting, setup, positioning, equipment, and perspectives to use while photographing your product, that is a myth. You, as the designer, should be able to visualize and articulate what you expect before the photo shoot. In order to fully visualize what you are looking for, you'll have to consider lighting, positioning, and perspectives ahead of the photographer to ensure the best possible outcome in your photo shoot.  The following aspects you should take into consideration for a product shoot:

• The designer, whether crafting food, handcrafted work, or merchandise, should prepare their product in at least 3 different ways (or bring three different pieces). That way your photographer will have options and won’t be stuck if the lighting or positioning just doesn’t work with one of your products.
• All products should be cleaned and prepared to give a fresh vibrant look. Your product needs the 'curb appeal' to make people want to buy your product.
• When dealing with food, make sure all of the dishes are freshly prepared to bring out its color, texture, and depth.
• Be prepared in telling the photographer what you expect and any ideas you have to accomplish it. Don’t be afraid to speak up. Good communication is key and will enable you and your photographer to spend more time creating and less time critiquing.
• Be aware of placement for your products, what they are photographed in and around, and what looks best accompanying them. For example, you don’t want to shoot your glossy product on a polyurethane-coated table. Likewise, a bold color shouldn’t be placed with a bright background. They will cancel each other out.
• Do not group your items together. Viewers reject visual clutter because their eyes subconsciously can’t figure out what to focus on. Even though your products complement each other in use, one must visually dominate the others via placement, orientation, and/or lighting.
• Always get at least one good single shot, even if you decide to group your items together. That way, when you notice the group image isn’t benefiting your sales, you can rearrange and/or construct a different combination in post-processing.
• Even though you may sell small products, always request to shoot in a spacious environment. The photographer will be able to bring the right equipment and take the room necessary for outstanding images.
• Lighting is key. You’ve seen it on Pantene commercials. Your images will sell if you have properly engaged lighting to enhance your image. You can go from dull to dazzling in five seconds!
• Request your photographer to bring ladders. It is amazing what a downward angle can render with certain products.
• You want your background and mounting table to be the same color in most instances. It will make it easier to isolate your product from the image and minimize distractions.
• Find a photographer that uses digital photography equipment and is competent in its use. It's one thing to have the latest equipment, but if that equipment isn't an extension of the photographer's body, they will not work efficiently and they won't be concentrating on the creative aspects during the shoot.
• Request your images at an appropriate resolution for their purpose (300 dpi for printing, 72 dpi for websites) and consider whether you might repurpose your images later (ex. display on a web site now, but print them later).

It never hurts to be prepared, but you greatly increase your risks when you are not. No one likes being caught off guard, so plan upfront, talk to your photographer about your ideas and concerns a day before the shoot, and come prepared to have your product shot in the best light. Time is money and compelling photographs will make you money!