Within the spin there are a host of features available to allow potential
customers further interaction, such as zoom and magnify. The main benefit of these features is the ability to show enhanced detail within a single file. The trade off is that the files themselves are slightly larger and can take a few seconds to download. Having said that, Broadband speeds are increasing so this is becoming less of a problem. The most common worry shoe retailers have about 360 software is
whether it will work on their web sites. The majority of spins are created from scripts written in a program called Adobe Flash (the Footwear Today ezine is created in Flash). Most web browsers accept Flash files and there are two types of spin file to choose from. Hosted or Self-contained. Hosted files, as the name suggests, are usually hosted (or held) on a
separate computer or web site. The benefit is that it only loads the images it needs and is therefore slightly quicker. The drawback is the risk of not being able to show the spins should the external file become damaged, lost or accidentally deleted. Although slightly slower to load, self-contained files offer greater control. They are single files, which are loaded in a similar way to a .jpeg and do not need to be stored anywhere else in order to work. They can be backed up easily, displayed in Powerpoint presentations and are small enough to be distributed via email. There are a number of software programs that can create 360 product
spins. Some produce simple rollover files with little interaction, others are integrated into complex e-commerce solutions that can offer other rich media such as video and podcasts. However, there are also companies who offer an animation service. For retailers who want to take their own photos, but don’t want to get involved with the software side this is worth investigating.
In-Depth Knowledge of Photoshop
“Where can I buy the kit?” is the most frequently asked question 360 suppliers get asked. It’s actually quite simple to build a turntable on which to rotate a shoe. You certainly don’t need to spend a fortune buying one. But what you will need, is a professional camera kit, complete with colour- balanced lights, otherwise your shoes will be the wrong colour, blurred and out of focus. If you want to produce your own spins then retailers with existing photographic facilities and staff capable of retouching will probably find the transition to 360 quite straightforward. Having said that they might find it a good idea to make or hire a turntable first and outsource the animation until they can decide whether to take the production completely in-house. Overall, 360 product photography can seem a little daunting, but
hopefully this has given you enough information to grasp the basics. After all, it should be your shoes that do the spinning, not your head.
360 Product Photography features include:
Zoom - allows the user to click on the spin and zoom in to see detail such as stitching and fabric texture. Two types of zoom are available – single- and
“professionally produced 360 degree spins now compare favourably in price with that of still photography” Terry Mapstone, Swiftspin
THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR THOSE LOOKING TO OUT-SOURCE:
1 Do you want ‘rollover’ or ‘click and drag’? - suppliers should be able to offer both
2 Do you want your files ‘hosted’ or ‘self-contained’? - check with your web designer if in doubt
3 What features would you like included? - choice varies, but popular ones are zoom, magnify, hotspots and branding
4 How many products will need spinning? - most suppliers offer quantity discounts
5 How many shoes will need support? - strappy sandals are tricky and take longer to set up, therefore cost more to produce
6 Do you want shadows removed from underneath the shoe? - most supplier’s turntables should be able to do this
7 Are there any licensing, usage or copyright restrictions? - ask if there is anything unexpected likely to crop up on invoices
THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR THOSE LOOKING TO DO-IT-YOURSELF:
1 Time - styling is very time-consuming (sadly, you can’t feed fifty shoes into a machine and expect fifty spins to pop out the other end)
2 Training and staff costs - in addition to turntables and camera equipment
3 Photographic experience and Photoshop skills - remember that 360 equipment is only as good as the person who operates it
4 Developments in 360 - 360 is developing so rapidly that the equipment you buy today may well be out of date tomorrow
5 Flexibility - is the equipment you’re considering large enough to display a whole range of shoes or strong enough to support a person?
Terry Mapstone is managing director of Swiftspin, the UK’s 360 Product Photography specialists. The company offer the full 360 service as well as advice on software and equipment. It has produced ‘Swiftspins’ for shoe retailers including:Beyond Skin,Bourgeois Boheme, Clifford James Street Mandarina,Paradox London,Rainbow Club, Samuel Windsor, Six Top Wellies, Think.
full-zoom, the latter enabling zoom on every angle of a spin. Magnify - similar to zoom but uses a magnifying glass that hovers over
the image to show the detail. Hotspots - allow separate pictures to appear in the spin window. Often
used to show unseen parts of a product, such as the inside of a handbag. Rarely used in shoe 360 apart from when the sole of trainers need to be seen, even then techniques exist whereby shoes can be photographed at an angle to display the sole (see picture, right). Branding - allows customised buttons and the addition of company logos
and corporate colours, because, after all, 360 spins are an important part of the marketing mix and need to conform to a brand’s corporate style.
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