The Watch Pocket Shot gains more and more popularity within the watchfam. We have requested valuable informations from our brand ambassadors, who are famous for their #pocketshots and fashion to share their pictures, thoughts, tips and tricks with you, which might immediately improve your watch pictures in our Watch Pocket Shot Guide.
What is a “Pocket Shot” and why are we taking them?
Pocket-shots are, as the name already might suggest, pictures of your watch on your wrist with your hand in one pocket of your pants. What may sound a little strange when you read it, makes sense when you actually see the picture of a “Pocket Shot”; It doesn’t only show a watch, but also the fashion style. It can show people how to combine fashion perfectly with your watch due the help of watch straps and wrist accessoires. That kind of watch photography has become very popular among watchfam members.
Let’s hear our brand ambassador Jens Barslund why he likes to take pocket shots: “I like to inspire people with my pictures: Changing watches, their straps and combine it with various bracelets – as well as my clothes, to get as much variety in my pictures as possible. I like to poke at all the watch geeks who only wear the bracelet to their watch or to those who only use the strap that came with the watch. I have actually never dealt professionally with fashion, but I love to see when people really know how to make their own style. That said, you are always a bit vain so of course I go up in how I dress.”
1. Perspective
Pocket Shot of an Omega Speedmaster Professional paired with our black/grey striped Premium Nylon strap, Picture: @gulenissen
The perspective of the PocketShot is very self-explanatory: As explained before, it pictures of your watch on your wrist with your hand in one pocket of your pants. It is important that the focus is on the watch and that the background (your clothing) is easy to see at the same time. This means that your watch shouldn’t take too much space in your picture and your fashion style should be visible enough so that the viewer can create a connection between these elements. Both elements must be sharp, but most important is still your watch, so it’s OK if your background is slightly blurry.
2. Do I need a tripod for the perfect Watch Pocket Shot?
You don’t need to awkwardly bend over your pocket and risk a blurred image if you use a tripod. Simply place the tripod at the perfect height of your hips and you’re good to go. If you don’t have a tripod a table and a set of books to adjust the height will do the job just fine as well. Additionally it’s recommended to use remote shooting. If you don’t have. WiFi/Bluetooth compatible camera, a shutter release cable works just as fine. If you’re shooting with your phone, just plug in a headset and use the volume rocker as shutter button.
3. Composition and Accessoires
Pocket Shot of a NOMOS Glashütte Tangente paired with our handmade burgundy vintage leather strap by WB Original, Picture: Jens Barslund
A pocket shots gives you the possibility to not only show your wristwatch, watch strap and wrist accessories, but your whole fashion style. “I always think visually when I photograph my watch pocket shots and always have the criterion that it should be either elegant, colorful, provocative or a little crazy. For changing watch straps daily and have about 40 leather straps and just as many nylon straps and I like to buy them in some colors that many will find a little weird. For example, I know a bit about contrasts, not least when it comes to color combinations, colors like orange and pink are some of my favorites – red and green are also a wonderful composition precisely because of the great contrast. If I do not use contrasting colors then I use what I call monochrome colors (Monochrome: when one color is used in many different variants) The monochrome image is usually elegant and something most people like. For many years I have made my own bracelets, just to be able to substantiate a certain style or color between the watch – straps and bracelets and the clothes I am wearing.” – Jens Barslund
4. Photo lighting
Pocket Shot of an Omega Deville Tresor Master paired with our black premium nylon strap with golden hardware, Picture: @gulenissen
Light is a very important factor in photography to get all the details of your watch pocket shot right. You can get a continuous light or a proper speed-light, but due to time efficiency and possible budgetary constrains, getting outside and using natural diffuse light of a cloudy day might be even a better option. Never shoot with flashlight, it would always create strong reflections on your watch. If you want to put in some more effort, you can get an affordable diffusor which will elevate your shots. It will give the light in your picture a softer look and more control of lighting your surroundings and setting the focus on your watch.
5. Killing reflections
Pocket Shot of a Rolex Submariner NoDate, Picture: @gulenissen
Reflecting ceramic bezels, glossy lacquered dials, shiny finished steel and precious metals and even anti-reflective sapphire crystals can make it very difficult to shoot watches in general. Most foldable photo reflectors are cost efficient and offer a black side in addition to their reflector side, which eliminates unwanted reflections on your watch. Furthermore it gives your watch dial the wanted deep color and saturation. A very simple alternative is a piece of matt black cardboard, which you can get in every craft shop around the corner or can be simply cut out of your last shoebox. You can also use natural light of a cloudy day when you stand in front of your balcony glass door and simply use the door frame as a reflector-killer.
6. Editing
It’s easy to get tempted by the editing tools in the Instagram App, as we all know that your watch pocket shots will end up on the ‘gram. But let’s avoid to use the Instagram editing tools, or even worse filters, mostly due to unwanted image compression. Photoshop and Lightroom are perfect tools to edit your watch picture and removing unwanted dust corns, but it comes at a cost. Affinity Photo and Pixelmator Pro are just as great alternatives when it comes to picture editing. If you’re broke after your last watch purchase, just install Snapseed (App Store/Google Play)
Pocket Shot Gallery
Check out some nice watch pocket shots made by our #TeamWatchbandit paired with WB Original watch straps!
