5. Get a WHITE Back Drop

A residential space is not the ideal setting for a professional business.

A white sheet or opaque shower curtain will work nicely for a back ground and cost very little. Ivory is okay but white is far better.
Do not choose a dark colour, pastel or print. These will take away from your subject.

1. Step Back

Get the whole subject into the picture frame. Without the container this is not a gift basket - it's just a pile of stuff. If you cannot trace all the way around the subject with your finger it is not an ideal photograph to cut out.

2. Consider the Intention of the Image

The intention of this image was to illustrate the variety of items that can go into a gift basket.

A better solution would be to photograph an example of a gift basket with a variety of unique items displayed in front and to one side.

Step Back so the individual items are not cut off.

Symmetry for the gift basket reflects a style.
Symmetry for an arrangement of items takes away from showcasing individual products.
Also - It is not necessary to show dozens of treats when a couple will do. The fullness of the gift basket will go further to show value than presenting 100 small items.

3. Do Not Put Straw in Front of the Subject

The example shown here could not be dressed up simply by putting it into a pretty frame. There’s a basement in the back ground, therefore it had to be cut out. It takes FOREVER to cut out nesting material.

Nesting Material is fine inside the basket but it would have been soooo much nicer (and professional in appearence) to cut a clean straight line around the bottom of these containers. Do not hide the quality packaging behind cheep fluff.

4. Do Not Wrap the Subject in Cellophane

Cellophane puts a glare and blurry distortion over the contents within.
As well, whatever is in the background shows through. In the example on the left the cellophane would look dingy and yellow because of the wood behind it if the basket were to be cut out. A white back ground would make the basket appear cleaner and brighter.

A better solution would be to tuck a bit of wrap behind and perhaps a bow in front to indicate that the basket can be dressed up. Be understated with this presentation technique so that it does not take away from the subject itself.

In the example on the left the subject has been cut off on the left, right and top. If the purpose of the image was so show the final wrapped product - ready to go - the pretty ruffle of cellophane has been cropped. Step Back