Composition is particularly effective in showing multiples of the same item, as when depicting depth of color selection. It is possible to compose six colors of sweaters to show the color choices in a visually interesting way. This is generally more pleasing to the consumer’s eyes than the traditional method of using individual color swatch boxes at the bottom of the depiction. Catalogs often show more than one item of merchandise in a single shot. Composition of different multiple products will help to show each item to its best advantage, and to create a pleasing arrangement.
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If this technique is used, it is advisable to select products of the same relative size to appear in one shot, so that one item doesn’t overpower another because of scale. It usually works best if the chosen items to appear in a single shot work well together logically, by design or by intended use. And an odd number of products is easier to compose into a pleasing arrangement than an even number. One or three pieces of merchandise will often arrange better than two or four pieces. As much time and effort should be spent on creative composition in catalog photography as on
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cleaning and preparing the products, styling the shots with props, and in testing the lighting technique. The physical relationship of merchandise to background is as important to the look and identity of the catalog as the selection of colors, backdrops and textures.
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