Bag & Accessories Photography.

A handbag packshot has to show shape, material and hardware in one frame. I shoot bags front-on, three-quarter, side and back on white, handle up and strap either styled or tucked away, so every bag in a collection sits the same way on your product pages. The same bag shown from four angles answers most of a customer’s questions before they ask.

Shape is the first thing to go. Bags slump once they leave the stockroom, so fill them with tissue paper before you come and they’ll hold their structure on set. Gold clasps, chains and buckles throw back the lights; I control that while shooting and clean up scratches or marks in retouching.

Each material needs its own light. Smooth leather wants soft light so it doesn’t shine flat white. Croc-effect and textured leather need light from the side so the grain shows. Straw, wicker and woven bags need enough contrast to pick out the weave. Close shots of stitching, tassels, charms and logos sit alongside the full packshot.

Hats and fascinators keep their shape best on a stand or a mannequin head, which is how I shoot them for a shop. Felt brims, ribbon bands, netting and silk flowers need light that brings out texture without dulling the colour. For scarves, glasses frames and other small accessories, I’ll suggest whether flat on white, folded or worn suits each piece.

Worn shots show size: how a bag hangs from the shoulder or sits in the hand. I shoot on models in the studio against plain or coloured backgrounds, or outdoors on location in London. Hats in particular look better worn, because a brim needs a face beneath it.