Comprehensive guide to christmas product photography for 2024

Ho! Ho! Ho! It’s the season for captivating images ready to capture the magic and allure of the holiday season. When it comes to showcasing products during the Christmas season, creating visually stunning and festive photographs is the key.

From incorporating cheerful decorations and twinkling lights to utilizing holiday-themed backgrounds and creative compositions, there are numerous ideas to add that extra sparkle to your product photography. 

In this article, we share a complete guide about Christmas product photography that are sure to inspire you and make your offerings shine during this joyous time of year.

For an image to resonate with the public, it has to tell a story and depict something that customers can relate to.

A good technique for telling stories in pictures is to design them so the elements present in them draw the eye around the picture to the subject. For example, use ribbons and globes to create a visual “path” to the product. Or you can even sprinkle artificial snow to achieve the same effect. Get creative with seasonal props and decorations and play around with the arrangement until you are happy.

You should also pay attention to the general “mood” that the image creates. Think of different scenarios in which your product can be used. For example, you can opt for a scene in which your product is a gift for someone. In such a case, a box with wrapping paper and ribbons, globes, or even scissors creatively placed conveys the feeling of gift-giving.

The overall product image should exude familiarity and coziness and tell a story. Think of the image as a frozen moment in time during the Christmas preparations, with your product taking center stage. By creating a familiar environment, you help your customers empathize with the product and imagine how they will use it or give it as a gift. This will increase the desire to purchase the product.

To summarize, regardless of the scenario in which you want to present your products, you should tell a visual story. It helps people identify with what you are offering them and subtly encourages them to purchase it. For inspiration, you can take a look at our portfolio, to better understand the storytelling technique we talked about.

Now that you know how important storytelling is for product photography, let us take it to the next level. In the following section, you will learn which colors, props, and hues are best for your festive composition.

Colors, props, and backgrounds play an important role in creating a festive atmosphere and enhancing the festive mood in your composition. They can enhance the Christmas magic and transform any decor, no matter how simple or complex it is.

Colors

During the festive season, you can add colors to your product images to make your products stand out. Red, green, white, blue, silver, and gold are the main colors of this joyous time of year. Each color has a special meaning and can help you bring a certain feeling to the image.

• Red – one of the two officially recognized colors for Christmas, red is a warm and vibrant color that can immediately attract attention. When using this color for your product photography, you can opt for a monochromatic red product image or add it subtly with a few accents here and there. Use a red ribbon for gifts, red globes for happiness and joy, and red candies for innocence and childhood. If your product allows it, you can use a Santa hat as a red, attention-grabbing element.

• Green – the second official color for Christmas, green stands for evergreen nature. This color is best used with natural-looking props such as pine cones, fir branches, wreaths, or even Christmas trees. It is a great decoration for images that suggest a “set-in-nature” theme for your products, or when combined with other golden ornaments for a more elegant feel. Regardless of what colors you associate green with, it adds a natural and evergreen feel to the overall image.

• White – the color of fresh snow and innocence. Thanks to its flexibility, white is one of the best choices for any kind of product photography, whether it is festive time or not. White can camouflage itself in the image, giving a warm feeling if you use warm, yellow light or a frosty feeling if you use cold light. If your products already have colorful packaging, white will help them stand out, while if the products are already white, you can play freely with the backgrounds.

• Blue – another color that is slowly but surely appearing in some festive compositions. This color helps to emphasize the “frostiness” of the season, the icy cold that winter is known for. Combine it with artificial snow, and white or silver jewelry, and you get a “frosty” mood for your product. If the product has colorful packaging, it will be better perceived. Or if the product has paler tones, it gives it a touch of elegance and a crystal-like appearance. It all depends on the overall mood you want to create with your product photography.

• Silver and gold – these two colors bring out the sparkle in your image. In themselves, these two colors are opposites, as one has a cold hue and the other a warm one. However, when combined with festive decorations, they work their magic and create a luxurious, warm yet familiar atmosphere. These two colors are perfect for displaying various products, including jewelry, and give your product image a festive feel. Use them subtly, with glitter and sparkle, or be bolder, with decorations such as stars, globes, ribbons, or snowflakes.

Colors have a high impact, but even more so on festive occasions and celebrations like Christmas. So, to create an attractive, attention-grabbing image, you should play with different color patterns and props to find out which setting suits your product.

Backgrounds

Another very important aspect is the background of your photo product, as it makes up the largest part of the image and can immediately attract the attention of your customers. For festive image composition, you have several options to choose from, depending on the theme of the image.

Whether simple or colorful, inspired by nature, or something that exudes warmth and coziness, all of these background types are perfect for a story told through pictures. So let’s take a closer look at them.

• Simple backgrounds. These types of environments are perfect for products that already have impressive packaging. White or a solid color is enough to highlight the unique features of your product. To turn such an image into a festive one, simply add two to three related elements. Pay attention to the color combinations and play with ribbons, snowflakes, globes, and fairy lights. This will create a cheerful mood without overdoing the visual appeal.

• Colored backgrounds. You have several options to choose from when it comes to these types of backgrounds. From neutral monochromatic backgrounds to colorful backgrounds with blurred lights or mixed colors. This category is tricky to use because it can make your product the star of the picture or entirely blend it in with the other decorations. For a festive mood, you can choose a tree with fairy lights or just a few blurred lights in the background.

• Nature-inspired photo environments. This type of background takes your products “outside” the room or studio and directly into the natural environment. Fake snow and pine branches are usually the best props for winter images, but berries and a few small logs can also work wonders. Any outdoor setting can be a perfect backdrop for your product. If you have a forest or park nearby, take a walk for inspiration. Or go for a digital option where you can set the location instantly without leaving your home.

• Familiar coziness. For this category, any prop that can convey a “homey” feeling is perfect. Whether it is candles, blankets, a fireplace, or an entire Christmas tree set up in a corner of the living room, these elements will help your audience feel the cheerful spirit and warmth of the holiday season. If your customers create an emotional link to your product, they are more likely to buy it.

Backgrounds play an important role in setting the mood for any type of Christmas product photography. So, consider the theme and color scheme of the product, and decide on a background that will highlight the product and evoke sympathy from your audience.

Composition

Once you’ve decided on a color scheme for your products, props, and backgrounds, it’s time to set it all up. This is where creativity plays an important role, as you need to build the entire image from scratch. To do this, your composition needs a central theme.

What is the main idea you want to convey with this product photography? Do you want to convince the audience that your product is a perfect gift? Or perhaps you want to highlight the natural ingredients it contains? Depending on the theme, you can start by placing the props around the subject to get a feel for how you want the picture to look.

To help you get started, here are three ideas that you can use straight away, regardless of the product.

“Closer to nature” theme

Get as many nature-related props as you can. They can be anything that has to do with natural elements – berries, pine cones, pine branches, logs, snow, or even spices like cinnamon. This will ground the product and create a connection between it and your customer. These elements work best with a flat-lay image.

For example, if your product is a perfume, try to find a prop that resembles at least one of the ingredients it contains. This way, you can let the viewer know what the perfume smells like while creating a visually appealing background. To add depth to your image, you can switch to natural backgrounds and place the product in the foreground to give a more realistic impression of the product.

Monochrome Christmas theme

This can be used with just one product or with multiple products if they are in the same color palette. If you decide on just one product, place it in the center of the “stage” and surround it with themed props that are the same color as the product. Sweets, miniature trees, mugs, or ribbons can go well with such shots, as they are small and easy to incorporate into the picture.

However, if you go for a group image, you can stylize it in several different ways. For example, you can flat-lay the products in a Christmas tree shape and photograph them from above. Or, you can create an ascending “tree” by placing each product higher than the other using different props.

To attract more attention to the product group image, you can put all of them under the Christmas tree and sprinkle some faux snow around them.

“The perfect gift” theme

This theme can complement any product, especially during the festive season. For this theme, gather the props related to gift-giving. These can range from wrapping paper to ribbons and bows, a present box and stuffing, to name tags, markers, and a pair of scissors. Also, remember to add seasonal sparkles with faux snow, globes, lights, or candies.

Then, place your product inside the box and decorate the scene with the other elements as if you were just in the process of wrapping it up. You can also use this theme in reversal. Instead of giving the gift, receiving it works perfectly with the Christmas vibes.

To sum up, to convey Christmas magic through your product photography, pay attention to colors, backgrounds, and overall composition. Thus, your final image will be inviting and cozy and evoke an emotional relationship between your product and the customers.

The overall mood of your image is important, but so are the technical elements that give your photo a professional look.

Lighting techniques can be used to enhance the festive mood in product photos by creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Backlighting, for example, can create a soft glow around the product, giving the image an ethereal and magical feel.

Fairy lights can be strategically placed around the product to create a sense of whimsy and enchantment. 

Color gels add Christmassy hues to the photo, such as red and green.

Another important technique that can enhance the cheerful mood is the angle you use. Different angles play a crucial role in capturing the mood in a product photo by highlighting certain elements and creating a sense of festivity. Shots from a low angle make the product look big and powerful, evoking a sense of excitement and anticipation. This can be particularly effective when photographing Christmas decorations. 

On the other hand, close-ups can emphasize the intricate details and textures of the product, making it appear more inviting and desirable. This technique is perfect for surprising the fine details of Christmas-themed products such as jewelry or festive makeup.

In addition, creative angles, such as overhead shots or oblique perspectives, can add a dynamic and playful element to the photo and create a cheerful and festive mood. Experiment with different angles and find out which one suits your product best.

The quota rule can also add happiness to the image. It evokes a playful and spontaneous feeling and reflects the lively and cheerful character of this holiday. 

Using an odd number of elements, such as decorations, objects, or props, makes it more visually appealing and balanced, creating a pleasant harmony in the image.

For example, if you photograph a set table, and arrange three or five festive objects on it, such as candles or ornaments, the scene will appear balanced, rich, and festive. The odd number creates a natural focal point that draws the viewer’s attention and conveys a sense of visual interest and energy.

By incorporating these three simple photography techniques into your workflow, you can better express the warmth, joy, and happiness that this time of year is all about. Try them out and decide on the combination that best suits your product.

CGI is a perfect alternative to traditional photography, especially for festive images and product photos, giving you faster results, a clearer space, and versatile design options.

Choosing a digital product photo for Christmas will save you time, money, and space for decorations and props. With CGI, you can add as many decorations as you like without having to physically purchase them.

Plus, you can experiment with different composition settings in minutes. Mix up the decorations, shuffle them, turn them to different sides, zoom in and out, and distribute them as you see fit. There are millions of possible combinations, so you can choose the one that best suits your product.

In addition, the CGI version of your product is very versatile. Use it as a single product image or incorporate the product model into all aspects of your business. From advertising campaigns and catalog images to social media and brochures, all of these aspects will benefit from a 3D model. This will prove particularly useful for your brand image and help you reduce overall costs while attracting more customers.

Sounds like something your business needs? Just show us the product, and we’ll take care of the rest. Give us a call, and let’s discuss in detail how we can help you and your business maintain the joy and happiness of this festive season all year round.

To sum it up, Christmas is one of the most popular celebrations in the world. By incorporating storytelling elements into your product photography, and using the right color combinations, backgrounds, and compositions, you can surprise the festive mood.

Add the right angles and unique lighting to create the perfect holiday image. Or opt for a digital version and leave the planning and creation to the professionals. Whatever you choose, your company and products will become even more popular with old and new customers.