Product display podiums: placing a product in a ready-made scene

Download the podium collection

The public set of ten images is in the files channel. Previews and a description are in the main CreoPrompt channel. These are ready-made backgrounds with platforms; your product photograph is not included.

Use a product photograph you have the right to use. Start with a simple object such as a box, jar or bottle. Transparent surfaces, hair and mesh details are harder to separate cleanly from the original background.

Match the scene to the product angle

Look at how much of the podium's top is visible. If the camera looks down at it, the product needs a photograph taken from a suitable height. A frontal product photo can clash with a top-down background even with a clean cutout.

Try several podiums first. Moving the product into a suitable scene is usually easier than heavily distorting it to fit the wrong one. Preserve packaging proportions and the lettering on the label.

Separate the product from its original background

In Photoshop, select the object and refine the mask around its edges. Test the cutout on a temporary light background and then a dark one to spot leftover background, pale halos and missed areas. Keep the original layer and use a mask so you can correct the selection.

In Figma, place an already prepared transparent PNG. The PNG extension alone does not guarantee transparency: check for a white background baked into the file. Remove it separately if necessary.

Place the object on the surface

The product's lowest point should touch the podium's top surface. Start small, then enlarge it to the required size. Watch the contact point: resizing can accidentally lift the object off the surface.

1. Place the background on a separate bottom layer.
2. Add the cut-out product above it.
3. Find a surface that can plausibly support the product.
4. Check that the base stays inside the podium's edge.
5. Leave room for the headline and required information.

The object does not have to fill the whole scene. A smaller product with surrounding space can make its shape clearer. If packaging matters for recognition, check it at the final viewing size.

Add contact and cast shadows

A small contact shadow at the base connects the object to the surface. Use a separate soft shape beneath the product and adjust its opacity. Do not stretch it over the whole podium: the shadow is usually denser near contact.

The cast shadow should match the scene's lighting. Light from the left calls for a consistent shadow direction. Examine the podium's existing shadows and highlights before drawing your own. For early exercises, choose a background with clear, soft lighting.

Match color and sharpness

Compare the light temperature. A cool product photograph on a warm background can look disconnected. A subtle color correction can connect the layers, but should not misrepresent the product's actual color to a buyer.

Check sharpness: a very sharp cutout on a soft background can look pasted in. Match detail carefully and assess it at final size. Before trying heavy blur, check the scale, angle and shadows.

Build the product card around the object

Add the name and one or two useful benefits. Keep long text away from important packaging details. Check the platform's image and text-overlay requirements before publishing. This tutorial explains visual assembly, not a universal template for every marketplace.

Export the final image and save the editable project. For another card of the same product, keep the lighting, scale and text hierarchy, changing the background to suit its purpose. Also read how to handle backgrounds and text readability. Other public sets are in free materials.