ColorReader EZ – #fromthistothat: A use case in product photography

A part of my job is to photographically stage my customers’ products. Whether it’s grain bread rolls, hot-air fryers or forks – all of these are to be photographed in an appealing way that immediately inspires the consumer to give the product a try. Advertising is a very visual exercise. In addition to image composition and form, one other aspect is of particular importance: color. Here I often receive very precise briefings from my clients, who want their settings to reflect a certain color concept. Or the product has a specific color that needs to be picked up precisely. That’s exactly what Datacolor ColorReader EZ was designed for.

The first thing I do for my projects is create a mood board, which I discuss in detail with my client and then fine-tune, before diving into the actual design of my setup.

For one of my latest projects, I was asked to photograph various cutlery sets in so-called mood photos. What stands out about the cutlery sets are the handles in tasteful colors, inspired by nature. I wanted to pick up on these colors in my photographic setting.

Before – Different components in their original colors

So I needed to create a wooden background in exactly the sage green hue of the cutlery. A smaller tray was to be given the matte brown hue of another cutlery variant. Datacolor ColorReader EZ allowed me to do some freestyle design: as a perfect match to the sage green of the cutlery, my ColorReader app suggested a darker green that blended in harmoniously. I stamped a white tea towel with a pattern of the suggested color and was able to give my table setting the final touch.

So how exactly does this work? First, I held the Datacolor ColorReader EZ with its sensor against the cutlery handles and tapped the button to trigger the color measurement via the associated app. The smartphone immediately displays all the information about the color: its HEX code, the RGB color values, values in the CIE Lab color space, and various color codes in systems such as RAL or exact product names of paint color brands that are usually available at local paint stores.

With this exact information on the colors I was looking for, I went to my local hardware store and asked them to mix the exact paint color shades. Thanks to Datacolor ColorReader EZ, you can “translate” the color tones of any object precisely into an acrylic paint color. I then proceeded to paint my photo background and the small wooden tray with my latest purchases.

Another feature of Datacolor ColorReader EZ that I found valuable is its suggested coordinating colors. If you tap on “Coordinate colors” in the app for the hue measured, various color palette combinations are displayed. Color schemes you can choose from include Complementary colors, Analogous, Monochromatic or Triad schemes. I chose the dark green from the Complementary set suggested.

Color coordination in the app and precisely mixed colors for a harmonious color scheme in the overall picture

I was also able to have this color mixed at the hardware store without any problems and used it to stamp a tea towel that was meant to give my setting the final touch.

Designing an accessory in an accent color suggested by the app

With the help of Datacolor ColorReader EZ, the set on the left was turned into the photo set on the right, perfectly color-coordinated with the cutlery. All that was missing for a harmonious mood photo in exactly the desired color scheme was a little tad of food styling. The color match between cutlery and background creates a subtle but stunning effect, so the viewer is sure to take a second look at the image.

From a set of cutleries to an overall harmonious color setting – #fromthistothat, all thanks to Datacolor’s ColorReader EZ. I am pleased to be able to offer my customers this option and to confidently adhere to all color requests.