Model or just product?
The answer is not to choose one, but to know how to use it at the right time, on the right channel, and within the right budget.
Simple product photography is enough to describe and sell on e-commerce platforms. Introduce models when you need to demonstrate usage, scale with the body, emotions, or lifestyle associated with the product. Many brands choose both approaches: clean background product images as the base, supplemented by some images with people for advertising and landing pages.
- need to demonstrate how to use emotional ratios
- Advertising channel and landing page.
- industry of fashion, cosmetics, F&B experiences
- The photo catalog needs a clean background.
- limited budget prioritizes product images first
- technical products where value lies in details
This is the question Sinh Vũ often encounters during the shot list phase. The answer lies not in preferences but in the intended use of the photos, distribution channels, and the actual budget of each project.
Two types of photos serving two different purposes
Simple product images, shot against clean backgrounds or in minimalist contexts, serve the purpose of description and sales. Customers see the shape, material, color, and technical details. This type of image is mandatory for e-commerce platforms, catalogs, and quotation documents.
Photos featuring people, often referred to as lifestyle photos, serve to sell experiences and emotions. Viewers not only see the product but also see it being used in a context they want to belong to. This type of photo is suitable for advertising, landing pages, and social media content.
Are there models: Suitable when needing to demonstrate usage, proportions with the body, emotions, and lifestyle. Almost mandatory for fashion, cosmetics, and experiential F&B. This entails casting costs, production time, and legal obligations regarding image consent.
Models must serve the content, not just be a backdrop.
Research from the Nielsen Norman Group on web images shows that images featuring real people and relevant to the content attract attention better than decorative images. However, generic models and stock photos are still overlooked by viewers as if they do not exist.
This means that including people in images does not automatically make the images more effective. Models must be chosen correctly to match the target customer profile of the brand, and must appear in a context that is meaningful to the product. If these two conditions are not met, clean product images can sometimes be more persuasive.
Legal obligation to clarify from the beginning
When using images of people for commercial purposes, you need a model release form. This form must clearly state three things: where the image will be used, for what purpose, and for how long.
A common issue is that the signed agreement during the shoot is too narrow, covering only one channel or a short period. When the brand expands to a new channel or wants to use the images for a longer time, it must renegotiate with the model, or if they cannot be contacted, reshoot. Sinh Vũ clarifies this scope in the deliverable documents early in the pre-production phase to avoid complications later.
When using images of people for commercial purposes, a model release form is required, specifying where the image will be used and for how long.
ASMP, Licensing Guide and Model Release
Common mistakes when making a hasty decision
- Hiring models because competitors do, but not determining what specific message those models serve.
- Choosing models that do not match the target customer profile results in beautiful photos but lacks consistency.
- Ignore or hastily sign off on image usage rights, then face issues when wanting to expand the scope of use.
- Spending the entire budget on a photoshoot with models, lacking basic quality product images for the floor and catalog.
The viewpoint of Sinh Vũ
Sinh Vũ decides whether to include a model as soon as the shot list is created, based on the purpose of each photo and the channel to be used. Casting a model is an optional item in the pre-production phase, not a requirement for every project.
For projects with a limited budget, Sinh Vũ often suggests building a solid product foundation first. If a human element is needed, just a hand or part of a body related to the usage is enough to create context, without needing a full cast of models. This approach keeps the budget efficient while still achieving necessary communication goals.
Decision checklist
Topic: Should models be used, or should only products be photographed? Sinh Vũ guide, sinhvu.com
Select each item you find appropriate, then print or save as PDF to take with you.
If you have marked most of the signs above, this is the time to discuss in more detail. Sinh Vũ can help you review and propose a direction.
References
Nielsen Norman Group, Photos as Web Content. ASMP, Licensing Guide and Model Release. Sinh Vũ, description of service R1 Brand photography (internal document).
Frequently asked questions
Limited budget, do I necessarily need to hire a model?
Not necessarily. Prioritize clean background product images first as they are the foundation for selling on platforms and in catalogs. If you want to include a human element but have a tight budget, just capture a hand or a part of the body related to usage, without needing a full model lineup.
I already have photos with models, what paperwork do I need?
A model release is needed, clearly stating where the images will be used, for what purpose, and for how long. If later you expand channels or extend the usage period that the old release does not cover, you will need to renegotiate or reshoot. This is something Sinh Vũ clarifies within the scope of deliverables right from the early stages.
Is it mandatory for my industry to use models?
There are no mandatory regulations, but there are industry realities. Fashion and cosmetics almost always require people because the value of the product is tied to the body and emotions. Technical products, household goods, or raw materials often do not require this, as their value lies in the details and materials that product images convey more clearly.