The Art of Fragrance Photography
Topic: Fragrance and Luxury Photography, Retouching, Lighting and Prop Styling
In the world of advertising, few products have the ability to evoke the same sensory appeal as a fragrance. An image can communicate the perfumes essence in just one frame. Much like food photography, fragrance photography takes a special touch to translate scents into visuals.
Perfume and fragrance advertisements need to entice customers by suggesting a level of luxury, mystery and a promise of an amazing scent that will ‘transform you’.
Major contributors to a compelling fragrance image are:
- Lighting
- Atmosphere
The lighting is a crucial part of the fragrance’s success. Not only does it illuminate the product but helps convey its character. For instance, soft, diffused lighting can add a delicate touch that helps light floral perfumes while dramatic backlights can make the product glow adding an element of luxury and mystique. OMS Photographer, Brent Taylor, specializes in luxury photography and always adds an element of mystery to all of his photos.
The atmosphere is another essential piece as it helps showcases the fragrances personality. With thoughtful details and touches you can convey notes like floral, spice and even luxury. It’s important to take into consideration backgrounds and props to help set the tone and mood. Marci Rhodes, an OMS Photographer, is the queen of props and backgrounds and has effortlessly imagined hundreds of different scenes and scenarios for her clients. A few examples for fragrance brands below:
In these two examples for Lancome and Peach & Lily, Marci helps her client communicate their product by subtle cues and hints like the sandalwood base for the Lancome bottle and reflective waves of the water, which showcase a light, beachy scent. In contrast, the bright colors combined with the modern and funky props of the Peach & Lily showcase a vibrant, fruity smell.
Overall, fragrance photography is a delicate balance between technical skill and artist. It’s more than capturing the product, it’s about creating an experience that sparks curiosity and invites viewers to explore a story.
Check out more of our fragrance photography here: OMS Fragrance Portfolio