How to Use Negative Space in Product Photos

This post is brought to you from Melanie of Violet's Buds. Melanie has Bachelors of Science in Photography and provides product photography advice and services to entrepreneurs.

The primary subject of your photo is known as positive space. Everything else is called negative space. While your product is the most important part of the image, negative space can be just as crucial to creating a striking image & really showcasing the use of your products!

Watch negative space for distractions to the positive space
 

In the first photo, the tree branches near the models head are distracting and draw the eye away. The second image is cleaner and bring the focus back to the model.

Negative space can give balance & set the mood

The negative space in this image is the table & bowl, which doesn't distract from the image but helps set the mood the seller is going for & attract their target buyers while complimenting their product with similar tones & textures. 

Polder's Old World Market

Negative space helps to tell the story of the positive space.

Negative space doesn't mean empty - you can fill it with prop items that compliment your product, but they should never pull the eyes away from the product or main focus of the image.

Mohu
 
Carefully chosen negative space can improve the positive space by making it more noticeable & drawing attention to curves, design features, or details of the product. 
 
BlueCheak

Experiment with negative space - the space around your focal point, in this case, your model/product. Does it alter the feel of your photos? Create more visual interest? Draw your eye to your product's features?

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