Posing
Arrangement rather than posing: where the object sits, what it sits on, and what the light does to its surface.
In short: Arrangement rather than posing: where the object sits, what it sits on, and what the light does to its surface.
For anything flat or symmetrical, and for size comparisons.
The default hero angle for most objects.
A visible shadow anchors the object; a floating product looks cut out because it usually is.
Odd numbers, varied heights, overlapping slightly.
Hand in frame, product forward and sharp.
For flat lays and anything with a top face worth seeing.
Start with straight-on, centred — the first two minutes are warm-up and the first pose should be the one that asks least of anyone. Move to three-quarter, slightly above and standing, with a soft shadow once the shoulders have dropped, and keep from directly above for the end, when self-consciousness has gone. Shoot each one in bursts through the movement rather than holding it: the usable frames sit between the instructions, not on them.
Two metres back with the lens zoomed rather than close and wide — distance is what keeps facial proportions natural. Camera at or slightly above eye level for portraits, at chest height for full length. Below eye level enlarges whatever is nearest the lens, which is rarely what you want in frame.
Cutting out every product onto pure white with no shadow, which is the standard marketplace look and also the reason so many listings look identical and cheap.
Mixing lighting setups across a catalogue, so no two products match. Removing the shadow entirely. Shooting glossy items without controlling reflections. And skipping the scale reference, which is the single most common reason for returns.