There’s more than one way to capture your brand story.
“Should we schedule a shoot, or go with a 3D render?” The answer depends on your product, your audience, your goals, and your timeline.
We asked Photographer Ben Wick (master of the lens and lighting wizard) and Lead Motion Designer Jon Striegel (our head honcho for the three-dimensional arts) to touch on how you can decide between photo/video production and 3D rendering—and how both can support a smart, scalable creative strategy.
Photography: Keeping it real
To capture human beings being human with real authenticity, traditional photo and video are a natural fit.
Ideal for:
- Lifestyle and location-based content
- Capturing team culture or customers in action
- Local brands or service-based businesses
- Food, events, and environments
It’s about the people
Photo and video let you highlight the unscripted details that make us human. Ben says, “These methods give you imagery of customers or staff in particular settings in the most realistic and authentic way, featuring all the imperfections that make up our everyday lives.”
It can be fast
Have hundreds of SKUs for your e-commerce site? Photography can streamline that. “We set up lighting conditions that can work across the majority of products, and then we swiftly move through hundreds of shots in a day or two,” Ben says.
If you need to say “This is who we truly are,” there’s nothing better than a photograph or video, shot through a real lens.
3D rendering: Strategically adaptable
Sometimes, the product doesn’t exist yet. Or it’s stuck in shipping. Or it’s just… huge. And sometimes we just need more flexibility, and that’s where 3D rendering and animation shine.
Versatility is the name of the game when it comes to 3D rendering, according to Jon, our Lead Motion Designer. What 3D rendering might lack in warmth or human elements, it makes up for with flexibility.
Ideal for:
- Prototypes or unshipped products
- Large, complex, or modular products
- National/global brands needing consistency
- Quick-turn visuals across multiple campaigns
Flexibility
“Once, we had to create videos and photos for a trailer accessory that our client wasn’t able to ship to us, but they had CAD files that we were able to use to create an accurate, realistic model,” Jon says. “We can make something a reality before it’s a reality.”
Versatility
Using 3D rendered assets also allows us to adjust how a product looks or how it’s lit in a scene without having to book an additional photoshoot. Need a new angle of the product? No problem!
At the end of the day, the choice is yours
There’s no one-size-fits-all. Some stories call for people and place. Others, precision and polish. And it can often be a mix of both.
What makes the most sense? We’ll help you find the balance that works for your goals, timeline, and budget.
Need help deciding the right approach for your brand?
Whether it’s behind the lens or the screen, we’ll help you build the visual strategy that gets results. Let’s talk.
