Models don't always have to be tall and thin, they can be modeled after your product and made of plastic, foam, etc. There are some important techniques that photographers use to make products look their best in photos. Sometimes it's to your advantage to have a model made of your product, rather than shooting the actual item. "Mass produced merchandise often has small flaws that you don't want reproduced and magnified," explains Pozniak. "For example, many items are not quite square, especially cardboard product containers. It's often cheaper to make a model than to retouch the photo."
If you have a shiny product, like a cardboard box printed on glossy stock, be especially careful about glare. You might want to make a non-shiny model or spray your product with a matte lacquer to cut the glare. But your photographer must be an expert in this case.
When you photograph food, use a food stylist who knows how to prepare and arrange each dish so it looks appealing on camera. Since the photographer's lights generate heat, the stylist will have to continually replace food as it wilts or dries out.
For great tips and advice on how to make the portraits of your products the best they possibly can be, see David R. Yale's report "How To Get Free Publicity For Your Products"