FURNITURE VISUALIZATION OR PHOTOGRAPHY?

Furniture visualization and photography provide amazing imagery for successful marketing campaigns. Even though photos feel like a more familiar choice, product 3D rendering is gaining more popularity day by day. For instance, IKEA was one of the first furniture companies to reveal that 75% of its catalog images were CGI. Can you believe it? These amazing product images and lifestyles were digitally created. Small wonder that other Manufacturers and Marketers followed the example.

It makes even more sense when one remembers how much time it takes to wait for new photos. Want to present new collection on your e-store? With furniture photography, that requires at least a week to organize a photoshoot, and then more time for getting the images done. Of course, it’s possible to speed the process by choosing only silo images. However, that won’t do much good for the advertising campaign.

Fortunately, there is an alternative – furniture visualization. It offers a much-needed break from photoshoot-dependance, and has more benefits for Marketers, Retailers and Manufacturers alike. To decide what to choose for getting product imagery, we’ve analyzed pros and cons of both 3D visualization and photography. Stay tuned and find out what’s better for your business process.

Product Photography for Furniture Marketing

Advantages of Opting for Photoshoots

#1. Realism

The realism of product photography helps immerse the client into a dream, and lets him understand that the fairy-tale can come true with the product advertised. For instance, a photography showcasing bookshelves in an interior design evokes the dream of a well-organized and stylish space. The shelves allow to organize books, artwork and personal memorabilia, thus allowing for a clean and sophisticated look.

It’s important, however, to find a Photographer that is really good at Photoshop. Oftentimes, Furniture Photographers chasing perfection make a good furniture image look plain and unattractive because of wrong light settings.

#2. Familiar Work Routine

Looking for a new Contractor is always complicated, but going into a new industry is somewhat scary. So when Marketers need images for catalogs, they opt for the well-explored choice rather than venture into 3D visualization industry. For unlike with furniture visualization, working with photography studio seems comfortingly familiar. Even though making tens of prototypes, finding decor and sending it to a location of choice is tedious, the process has been suffered through many times before. There is a photography studio the furniture company has worked with for years, and revising what’s been built is tough.

Disadvantages of Working with Photography Studios

#1. A Slow Workflow

Photoshoots are extremely time-consuming. Finding a perfect location, for instance, always takes longer than one could expect. Transportation stage is trying too: when there are a lot of prototypes to be photographed, sending them all abroad can be simply frustrating. Changes of sets and decorations also require a lot of time, as well as weather conditions, bad equipment and logistics issues adding to the list of worries.

#2. Big Expenses

Besides from devouring time, photoshoots consume money. Each variation of product design requires a separate photoset, and each angle needs a separate image. Both of these factors increase the price of the whole process that is usually charged per hour.

#3. Limited Correction Opportunities

Unlike furniture visualization, photography is a process where Retailers and Marketers cannot have any real control over the outcome. Once the photoshoot is over, that’s it: except for some retouching, Photographers don’t have the power to make any substantial changes to the results. That turns the process a risky adventure, where the Marketing Department prays for things to end the way they were supposed to.

Furniture Visualization for Product Marketing Campaigns

Cons of Working with 3D Rendering

#1. Enormous Pool of Specialists

3D furniture visualization offers a lot of options when it comes to finding contractors. Much like in photography, contractors come in 2 types: professional studios and freelancers. With such a wide choice, it’s not so easy to figure out whom to pick. In order to make the right choice, one needs to remember 2 easy things: first, it’s always safer to work with a 3D visualization studio, for it values its goodwill and provides quality guarantees. Second, it’s crucial to look at the portfolio before starting the project: case studies are the legitimate proof of successful work experience and scale.

#2. Understanding Timing

It’s hard to understand what’s what when one is new to 3D product rendering sphere. What are the stages of the process? How much time does each one take? Will the images be on time? For this reason, furniture visualization companies give their new clients the guarantees of completing the project on time. If results do not comply with the guarantees, then the customers can have their money back.

Pros of Furniture Visualization for Product Images

#1. Fast Workflow

3D rendering studios have way more means to provide clients with results on time. Teams of 3D Artists can work simultaneously on the same furniture visualization project, thus increasing the speed manyfold. Besides, cgi doesn’t require photoshoots, so there is no need for complex logistics involving prototypes. Moreover, weather – the prime enemy and ally of Product Photography – loses its power over the marketing campaigns. No more looking for the best light or waiting till the wind and torrential rains cease! Anything can be created digitally.

#2. Within a Budget

3D Max furniture visualization offers cost-saving options that can make all the difference when planning an advertising campaign. Here are the essential ones:

• a range of ready-to-use scenes : 3D rendering companies often have selections of ready-made digital scenes for silos and lifestyles. For instance, CGIFURNITURE company has over 3,5 K high-quality 3D scenes available. Selecting one of them means that 3D Artist won’t need to construct a new roomset from scratch, which lowers the project cost.
• library of 40k+ models with props and decor for the scenes, available for free.
• 3D modeling: one 3D model allows for lots of cgi furniture for marketing: colorways, different views, silo images and roomset renderings.

#3. Revision Flexibility

Working with CGI allows making edits during or even after the completion of the project. That is, if the Marketer changes the mind about the picture, 3D Artists can make these changes even after the 3D rendering project. At CGIFURNITURE, for instance, if the modifications amount up to 60% of the project, 3D Artists make them for free.

#4. Control Over the Process

Professional furniture visualization companies make a point of keeping the client up to date. Marketers and Manufacturers can even ask for intermediate results and take a look at the geometry of a 3D models before 3D rendering. There are different ways to effectively stay in touch. As for our experience, CGIFURNTIURE uses a CRM system that is perfect for the purpose. It allows our clients from all over the world to communicate with the project team and their Personal Managers, track the progress of their tasks and projects, leave the feedback, and have all project materials and communication in one place. Better still, our clients download the CRM on their iphones and ipads, and check on the progress anywhere they like.

#5. New Opportunities for Situational Marketing

Shooting the same 3D model for every holiday requires a new photoshoot and decor. But that’s not the case with furniture visualization. To get 3D renders of the same products for different occasions, one only needs a 3D model and scene references. And since 3D models have already been made, getting fresh images in brand-new scenes is a piece of cake.

Product photography is a good old-school solution – traditional, well-explored, but tough and precarious. Furniture visualization, however, looks scaringly new, but offers new opportunities that are already changing product marketing and advertising. They allow for extraordinary level of photorealism, enable to save time and money, as well as tap into an unlimited creative power.

Download CGIFURNITURE price guide and learn the costs of top-tier 3D visualization projects of different scales!

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Want to get the stunning CGI for your digital marketing? Use CGIFURNITURE 3D product rendering services and get top-notch furniture visualization for powerful visual content of you new marketing campaign.

Valerie Adams

Content Writer, Editor

Valerie loves writing about CGI in advertising, product design development, and swears by 3D printing technology. In her free time, she enjoys attending music festivals and art events around Europe.