What's wrong with this photo?

I must admit! I am my own worse critic.

But I attribute that to years of practice of "critiquing" my photos to get them nearly perfect.  ( I'm still learning)

I did a fun little "game" on Instagram and Facebook, where I posted this photo below:

This photo was taken with my iPhone 11 Pro using natural light.  I immediately noticed a few things that need to be fixed about this photo.  I wanted to see if my followers on social media could catch them as well.

The purpose was to show that taking a photo is more than snapping a photo.  You really have to examine your product and the scene around it and fix what you can while taking a picture, so the post-production is easy.

Pre-Production vs. Production vs. Post-Production

• What is pre-production? Are the activities that take place before taking photos. i.e., planning for your photo, bringing out the necessary props, backdrops, different photo shot lists, etc. 
• What is production? Actually taking the photo.  When in this stage, you will need to plan for multiple photos, different angles, backdrops, etc.
• What is post-production? Any activities after the photos are taken, such as editing, creating flyers, marketing, etc.

I've identified a few cosmetic items that SHOULD be fixed during pre-production and production.  However, they can also be corrected during post-production using editing software.

1️⃣ Glitter from the red heart on the lid⁠⁠
2️⃣ There is a speck of crumbs in the buttercream⁠⁠
3️⃣ Buttercream smudge on the cake layer⁠⁠
4️⃣ What appears to be a fine hairline crack is actually glue from my hot glue gun⁠⁠.  You can also see my overhead light shining on the jar.
5️⃣ Crumbs on the mirror surface⁠⁠
6️⃣ Buttercream smudged again on the cake layer⁠⁠
7️⃣ The ribbon is off-centered on the lid.⁠⁠

The seven(7) items should be fixed during production so that my editing time in post-production would be fairly quick.  However, they can still be fixed during post-production, as shown below.

⁠⁠

What I should have corrected during production

I can't express enough how important it is to take many photos of your items.  And after each picture, take time to look at it to see if any adjustment should be made.  In that way, you can improve your photo for the next shot.  It is pointless to take multiple photos if you don't adjust what's currently wrong with the item.

In this photo, the following should have also been adjusted:

1. The jar to the right should have been moved slightly to the right.
2. Adjust the ribbon on the jar on the left.

Other things to consider

From social media, some people commented the following:

1. Comment: "The bear not being straight" -
   1. Explanation: The bear's head is positioned differently from the body. In this case, it is best to show the bear's head/eyes looking into the camera. Otherwise, his head would be looking away slightly.
2. Comment:  "The jars in the back are not focused."
   1. Explanation: The jars are not meant to be in focus because I wanted the bear to be the primary focus.  I am using "depth of field" with the jars in the back. 
3. Comment: "There's a reflection on the table."
   1. Explanation: The reflection is created on purpose.  It is a style I really love doing.  I am using a reflective surface to create that look.  See my Top Favorite list.
4. Comment: "The red parts of the bear's foot are not even."
   1. When picking out your items, you most definitely want to choose the best quality for your clients. You have to be extra picky when choosing items to use for your photos. So, in this case, if I had multiple bears to choose from, I would pick a bear that had the best foot...LOL, I know that sounds silly, but you want to choose close to perfect items.

So the lesson here is, really pay attention to your photos as you shoot them.  Make all the necessary changes early on so that post-production will be easier.