Birthday Cake Product Photography
(6)
(6)
Birthday Cake are a creative product photography service based in Hackney, London. We specialise in creating vibrant product shots for retailers, makers, creators and designers. Whether you're a familiar high street name or a bedroom start-up we have a service for businesses of all sizes and budgets.
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6 customer reviews
Lyuba/For Dog Lovers
We are now working with Paul for a year and I couldn't be happier. Always so easy to coordinate quickly shoots and having Paul coming with his studio to our location is so convenient.
He is very flexible and patient so we are always able to achieve the results we seek. I have been absolutely amazed by his editing skills and his services are very affordable for a relatively expensive ones and the quality you receive is 100%!
Thank you Paul
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Website shoot
Commercial & Corporate Photographers
Not only is Paul an amazing photographer who is able to capture exactly what I asked for, he is extremely efficient and sticks to all his deadlines, is extremely accommodating and SO easy to work with. I have used him twice now and will be using him for as long as my company does well! thank you :) More...
Sophie Scanlan
Commercial & Corporate Photographers
We had such a lovely and smooth transaction with Paul at “Ilikebirthdaycake”; he made sure we were pleased with everything and we had no reason not to be- he understood our requirements perfectly & delivered top-notch work. We got a great offer, mood boards, text and email support and friendly yet professional service. Will def use again! Thanks Paul! More...
Chez Unadike
Excellent service. Delivered exactly what we needed after listening attentively to our requirements for the project. Paul had to get quite creative to get some of the angles we needed, took the time to explain what he was doing. Real professional. Would highly recommend. More...
Ariel Trouoa
Natalie Podd
Excellent service, would highly recommend. Paul made sure to understand our product photography requirements, made some brilliant suggestions and added to what we had planned, and then promptly turned around the final edited photos which were excellent quality and exactly (or better than) what we were after
What’s the secret to taking a great photograph?
For me, as a product photographer, the secret to taking a great photograph is to picture yourself as the a customer who is looking at your product thinking about making a purchase. For clothing, would they want to see the items being worn on a model? For jewellery would they prefer good quality close-up images. If the styling and context is not really important to your customer then just getting the basics right is key. Products which are lit well and nice and sharp, makes your business look professional - especially when it comes to Amazon & Shopify accounts.
What questions might you ask a client when starting a new project?
Where are the images appearing?
If they are for Amazon & Shopify then white background/PNG cut-outs are very important. If they are for social media then you want them to stand out, maybe using more colour and more styled shots.
Where do you want the shoot to take place?
Studio shoots will always result in better quality images. If you have the budget and the time it's definitely worth considering. As I work out of my home studio I can offer studio service quality but without the hire.
How quickly do you require the images?
If you need a fast turnaround of images then more time should be spent preparing for the shoot. If I can go into a shoot knowing exactly what I want the results to be then that will save so much time when it comes to processing and editing. Rushing the editing does not result in good images.
What do you love most about your job?
I love having creative conversations with clients and coming up with colourful vibrant shoots. I have a degree in Fine Art so being creative is what gets me up in the morning.
What inspired you to start your own business?
I have worked as a freelance photographer for 17 years but spent most of this time contracting for businesses where there was little room for creativity. Now, as I'm older and have a young family, I want to spend more time at home. I'm lucky that my home is large enough to allow me to shoot so decided to launch a product photography business at the start of 2020.
Why should our clients choose you?
Clients should choose me because I offer a service bespoke to your needs. My images can be wild and creative if you want them to or just simple and professional. Above all I will listen to your requirements and offer a service your brand deserves.
Can you provide your services online or remotely? If so, please add details.
Yes I do. Once we've discussed your needs and agreed a fee items can be sent or dropped off to me, or in some cases I will even pick up myself. As soon as I have your items I will create a shot list with you and set a day to shoot. During the shoot I can keep you up-to-date by sending you some images as I progress or even work with you via FaceTime. Once the images are edited I'll send them to you via WeTransfer along with my invoice. If you're happy with your images you can then pay the invoice and I will post the items back to. If further editing or re-shooting is required I will work with you until we achieve the images you desire.
What changes have you made to keep your customers safe from Covid-19?
I'm currently not accepting face-to-face visits to my studio but I am still visiting client premises and offering services remotely. When I visit client premises I will wear a mask and wash my hands at the earliest possible opportunity. I carry with me wipes and anti-bac. My equipment is regularly cleaned where possible and I travel in my own car or a private hire vehicle. I use the NHS test and trace app and will contact all clients I have been in contact with for 14 days if I show symptoms of Covid-19.
More details can be found on my website which I update regularly as government guidelines change.
White Background/PNG Cut Outs
This is the simplest and most affordable service I do. I shoot on a white paper/vinyl curve so the product images are on a seamless background with simple shadows. I'll then cut-out the items to appear on a flat-white or off-white backgrounds, with or without shadows. These images would be sent as JPEG or TIFF. or, if transparent backgrounds are required, PNG
Background Change
A lot of the images you see on my profile are colour change images. This involves shooting on a white or green screen and isolating the product. I can then plant this image on a new background seamlessly. I'd normally charge a fee on top of a shoot fee for this service.
Enhanced Editing
This service would be used if the product needs some enhanced detailing or if a composition need to be built from various images - flat-lays for example. This is a good add-on to have if the products are reflective, like bottles for example.
Bringing The Studio To You
If you cannot travel to me or don't have the budget for a studio then this might be the service you need. Depending on the space you have, I'll pack up my equipment and come to you. This usually incurs the same fee a regular shoot does but time must be allowed for equipment set-up - usually 1 hour. Working in awkward spaces may not result in the best images so I'd always explain the risks beforehand if I think the photo quality might be impacted.
