3D Rendering Vs. Traditional Photography: Which is Better for Your Brand?

Humans can process images 60,000 times faster than they can interpret any text. This is why many brands use visuals to promote their products or services. In the business world, powerful visuals can capture an audience's attention and even transform their purchase decisions. For instance, online shoppers on eCommerce shops expect to view at least 8 (or more) images and 3 videos, providing product information.

While a visual experience has benefits, it can also be time-consuming and expensive for brands. For a long time, traditional photography has been a reliable approach to capturing and rendering high-quality images. However, besides being more expensive, traditional photography does not always capture intricate visuals of the promoted product.

The advent of 3D rendering has opened up a world of opportunities for leading brands. Which of these 2 approaches is better for your brand? Here are 6 factors to consider when choosing between the two approaches:

1. Which approach is more cost-efficient?

Traditional photography is cost-effective for brands that don't rely on various product images. However, in the long run, companies may need a variety of visual images to promote their product or brand. The traditional mode is not scalable to fit these needs, thus making it more expensive. Brands have to organize expensive photoshoots – as well as hire photographers and models.

On the other hand, 3D rendering is more cost-effective for both short-term and long-term use. While the initial hardware and software investment is high, a 3D model of any product can be reused for a variety of images without any additional expenses.

2. Environment friendly or harmful?

As customers are more environmentally conscious, they prefer brands with a minimum carbon footprint and environmental impact.

Traditional photography has a significant environmental impact fueled by necessities like:

1. Transportation

2. Energy consumption during photoshoots

3. Generated wastes from disposable materials or props

4. Alternatively, 3D rendering has a lower impact on the environment as it eliminates the need for outdoor photoshoots and physical product prototypes. Due to its visual imagery, 3D rendering lowers the brand's carbon footprint by reducing waste due to transportation, waste disposal, and physical prototypes.

3. Visual quality of the images

Traditional photography and 3D rendering can deliver visual quality and realistic images that can capture customer attention. While a photograph is an accurate representation, 3D rendering delivers life-like images where brands can control multiple aspects like lighting, background, and color.

Additionally, 2D photographs cannot capture product dimensions such as depth and relative proportions. On the other hand, 3D rendering presents a 360-degree view of the object, thus enabling interested buyers to make informed purchase decisions. Advanced 3D rendering also enables “virtual” walkthroughs (for real estate buyers) or a digital “try-on” (for fashion customers)

4. Can 3D rendering deliver the output faster?

Time is always a constraint in the modern world of product marketing and advertising. Brands need to respond quickly to changing market trends and customer tastes to maintain their competitive advantage.

3D rendering delivers the output in a shorter production time as compared to traditional photography, which involves preparing the right equipment, personnel, and logistics.

Additionally, photography consumes more post-production time due to photo editing and retouches. Comparatively, 3D rendering professionals can make faster iterations of the digital product model and "experiment" with variations and visual updates.

5. Which approach can engage customers?

High-quality visual imagery is crucial for building the customer’s brand perception. Customers can “visualize” the product by simply looking at the product images.

While traditional photography can “excite” customers, 3D rendering displays the same product in various aspects including configurations, angles, and aesthetics.

Further, interactive 3D models allow customers to explore the product deeply – and even “visualize” them in their desired settings. For example, a sofa set in their virtually simulated living room. Effectively, 3D rendering helps in boosting customer engagement with its in-built flexibility. This level of flexibility is lacking in traditional photographs.

6. Technology behind the high-quality images

In recent years, 3D rendering technology has advanced in leaps, thus improving the quality of 3D models. Modern 3D rendering tools can simulate real-life photographic elements such as brightness, shadows, and materials. This makes them look like real-life images. Other techniques like illumination and ray tracing are creating images with close to real-life reflections and shadowing.

With the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning, 3D rendering can replicate the creation of complex environments and textures. This is driving more accessible and efficient 3D models for brand recognition and sales.

Which is better for your brand - 3D rendering or Traditional photography?

Companies offering multiple products to their customers are better served by 3D rendering. For these brands, traditional photography consumes a lot of time and money. Similarly, for industries with changing customer needs and market dynamics, 3D rendering is a better option as it allows them to easily modify their rendered models without any added cost.

With its technological innovation, 3D rendering is also suitable for industry domains like real estate property and architecture. Through virtual tours and visualizations, 3D models can provide a life-like customer experience and help them visualize the spaces before construction.

In the eCommerce domain, 3D rendering is scoring over traditional photography as 3D images are more visually appealing than 2D photographs. Besides, this approach also offers many benefits for the eCommerce sector such as:

1. Shorter production time

2. Easy customization

3. Creative liberty

Conclusion

To stay relevant and competitive, modern brands must be prepared to innovate by using visuals to capture their customer’s trust and attention. As compared to traditional photography, 3D rendering is more cost-effective, scalable, and flexible for changing market demands.

At KiXR, we are in the business of delivering engaging 3D experiences to our customers. With our expertise in 3D rendering, you can develop a range of 3D models suited to your business requirements.

Are you considering 3D model development for your business requirements? We can help you out. Contact us today.