Product photography is at the core of Rico Ploeg's commercial work. With more than 30 years of experience, Rico produces product images for advertising campaigns, e-commerce, packaging, catalogues and corporate communications for clients ranging from major international brands to specialist manufacturers.
Many products are technically challenging to photograph. Reflective surfaces, transparent materials, dark objects on dark backgrounds, liquids, small scale objects and products with fine detail all require specialised lighting, camera technique and post-production knowledge. Rico has built his career on solving exactly these kinds of visual problems.
For the most demanding product photography assignments, Rico uses a Sinar technical camera with an ultra-high-resolution digital back. This combination provides a level of image sharpness, geometric precision and tonal range that standard camera systems cannot achieve. It is particularly valuable for luxury product photography, technical documentation and any application where maximum image quality is required.
Rico's studio is equipped with a complete Broncolor professional flash system — one of the world's leading studio lighting brands. The Broncolor Para 222, a large parabolic reflector widely regarded as the gold standard for controlled studio lighting, is used for product work requiring beautiful, wrap-around light with precise highlight control. For small products and detail work, the Broncolor Picolite provides miniature, precisely placed light sources. Broncolor's extremely short flash durations also make it possible to freeze fast-moving subjects for high-speed product photography.
Product photography rarely ends at the camera. Rico provides full post-production services including advanced retouching, colour management, background replacement, shadow creation, focus stacking and CGI compositing. All work is delivered in any required format for print, web or broadcast use.
Rico photographs a wide range of products including jewellery, food, beverages, industrial components, packaging, electronics, cosmetics, automotive parts and luxury goods.
Yes. Reflective products are a speciality. Rico uses custom lighting setups, flags, mirrors and post-production techniques specifically designed for reflective surfaces including metals, glass and polished plastics.
Yes. High-end retouching is included as standard in professional product photography assignments. Rico works in Adobe Photoshop and Capture One to deliver fully finished images ready for immediate use.