Muskoka Retro Antiques and Collectibles Auction Product Photos

This is a little bit different, a post about product photography appearing on a site devoted to Muskoka candid child portraits, sports and events, all of which is done with available light and no studio set-up whatsoever! Indeed, I prefer to not photograph people like products so won’t use that sort of set-up to do portraits. Child portraits should be about capturing personality, individuality and character. Product shots on the other hand can be more about clearly displaying the physical characteristics of items. Or, another way I see it is product photos show the surface and good portraits can show something much deeper. These days however we’re inundated with commercial photography intended to show products, the surface and superficial physical characteristics of objects, and unfortunately in many ways this overexposure to commercial imagery and gimmicks has influenced people’s expectations of what a portrait “should” look like.

Though I avoid using the studio, artificial lights, backdrops, staging, props, costumes and posing for children’s portraits there is a good time and place to use those techniques. This was one of those times where it made sense to use some studio gear. I recently photographed products for a store in Gravenhurst, “Muskoka Retro”, for their online auctions. During the shoot I felt that some of the shots captured were simply nice photos on their own – uncomplicated, artistic still-life images of all sorts of interesting vintage and antique objects. I can picture some of the images used as graphics on greeting cards or art prints.

I was NOT compensated to make this post and do NOT stand to earn any commissions on the sale of any items in the store or in their online auctions. I’m simply sharing the photos because some of the items look interesting, and it represents another side to the photography I’m able to provide. I often express views on the over-dependence on studio set-ups for child portraits, but this post reveals that I actually use some of that gear for appropriate jobs.

If you are interested in any of the items, or the Muskoka Retro’s online auctions, please check out the store in Gravenhurst (325 Muskoka Rd S, Gravenhurst, ON P1P 1J1 (705) 681-1111 ), or visit their auction listings at https://ontario.hibid.com/catalog/153081/antiques–collectibles-and-unique-christmas-gift-ideas-/ (not sure how long that link will be active as it looks like the current auctions will be ending soon).

Not all pictures seen in the current auction were taken by me – a few were likely taken by someone at the store. All the auction photos I provided for Muskoka Retro are the ones showing the store’s Muskoka Retro logo watermarked on the image. The collection of photos on this page shows only a small sample of the items photographed.

The thumbnail grid below repeats all the same photographs seen in the gallery section on the page, and is included here for those wanting an alternate way to download and save photos.