Except you’re working within the high-end product images area, you most likely aren’t fascinated with shopping for props for units. However for people who do, there are some accessible that price considerably greater than lots of the merchandise they’re designed to visually improve.
Moodelier, which is among the hottest manufacturers on this area of interest area, makes props and equipment for product images which might be designed to assist creatives “unleash their creativity at an accessible worth.” That sounds good, however simply what worth does the corporate assume is “accessible”?
Because it seems, it’s rather a lot.
Moodelier has made a reputation for itself within the area by creating brilliant, colourful, uniquely formed props for adorning bigger units in addition to making others splendid for accentuating small product images. The photographs the corporate shares are undoubtedly eye-catching, as I personally was inclined to order a few of their props for my very own product work based mostly on the photographs I used to be seeing by means of social media — that’s, till I noticed how a lot it was going to price me.
After seeing the price of among the merchandise just like the Homebody Bestie and Curvy Step which collectively come to a staggaring $1,100 (and particularly this single inventory photograph of a prop that prices practically $800), I felt like I used to be taking loopy tablets. No approach, I assumed, have been props truly this invaluable.
However after I reached out to some colleagues who’ve purchased or used the corporate’s props, in addition to emailed Moodelier to see why anybody would spend that sort of cash, it seems there’s a sizeable marketplace for props of this worth, and for good purpose.
Photographer Yev Z of Keystyle Media says that these props, not like many different manufacturers, are made with MDF wooden with a lacquered end and among the bigger gadgets are even product of metallic, which makes them longer lasting and simpler to color and repaint to alter the colours than different props available on the market.
I did some digging and there does appear to be some fact to that assertion, as whereas there are numerous cheaper alternate options for these similar formed props, the worth simply isn’t the identical. These cheaper variations are sometimes made with “laborious” foams that are usually not symmetrical and might simply be damaged or broken. Mainly, they only don’t look good.
“Sure, the larger props really feel overpriced, however for my part the smaller ones, whereas nonetheless costly, at the least for me they made sense,” Photographer Miguel Cortes, who makes use of the high-end props, tells Petapixel.
“Plus, with having a number of purchasers for product images, the props all payed themselves off slightly shortly. Having a wide range of shapes made creating a number of units of pictures for a number of merchandise rather a lot simpler and quicker,” he continues. “You can merely repaint the props with spray paint if you should, or when you’ve got the time in submit, you possibly can change the colours of the props in Photoshop to match what the purchasers want.”
Comparable widespread manufacturers within the high-end prop area like PropFace, Prop Store, and Mad Props appear to fall in keeping with Moodelier’s pricing, with some even being costlier per merchandise — some are even product of concrete.
Whereas many photographers will merely change the colours and hues in Photoshop, the MDF and steel-based props make it straightforward to spray paint and accommodate any product coloration fashion shortly and simply, which may typically lead to a extra pure wanting completed photograph. And whereas the items are costly, the power to alter their coloration means they most likely don’t want to purchase multiples.
Claire Xue, Moodelier CEO’s, says that the items are costly as a result of they’re top quality.
“They’re furniture-grade items made in small batches. There are over 20 steps as a way to full every bit. Every prop has many layers of MDF boards glued collectively which might be then sanded, and layered with primer and/or layers of paint,” she explains. “The entire course of takes just a few weeks from begin to end identical to how high-quality furnishings is made.”
Once I requested her about what I assumed have been extraordinarily excessive costs, she defined that the corporate has to cost that a lot, however didn’t at all times intend to.
“After we first began the curvy steps have been $87, however because of materials prices and delivery price will increase, we needed to increase our costs just a few occasions to remain in enterprise.”
Xue additionally mentioned that the items made by Moodelier are supposed to final for a few years of steady use, versus lots of the cheaper foam-based props that may typically final only some shoots earlier than needing repairs or alternative.
“I believe the pricing is subjective for everybody. I don’t wish to compromise the standard of my merchandise. They’re priced the way in which they’re for that purpose, and whereas they’re undoubtedly not low cost, I additionally don’t consider in providing low cost merchandise both,” she says.
Clearly, it’s vital for many who are taking product images severely to take a position correctly within the gear and equipment that may make them profitable, however I don’t count on many informal product photographers to leap on the considered dropping hundreds of {dollars} on props when digicam tools is already so costly. However for high-end studios and photographers which might be turning a big quantity of pictures, the worth proposition is sensible the identical approach some other high-end product does: you get what you pay for.
Picture credit: Pictures by MCP Studio and Keystyle Media
