Product photography is an essential element of any successful eCommerce business. Whether you're selling physical products on your website or platforms like Etsy or Amazon, high-quality product images are crucial to attracting customers and making sales. If you're new to product photography or looking to improve your skills, this article is for you!
If you are just starting out, you will find in this piece product photography tips for beginners. We have also provided you with a guide to product photography. You will equally learn the best product photography tips and how to create a product photography strategy to help you take stunning, professional-quality images of your products. Whether you're a professional photographer or just starting, we guarantee that these top product photography tips will help you take your product photos to the next level.
How to Develop a Product Photography Strategy
“No one has the formula for life. Most people are just winging it.” Ever heard that saying? Yeah, it does not apply in this case. You must map out a plan when carrying out any action concerning your business. In the same vein, you need a well-made product photography strategy.
- Determine your goals
- Count the Cost
- Draw Up a Budget
- Understand Your Target Audience
- Invest in Good Quality Product Photography Equipment
Step 1: Determine Your Goals
This is one of the most important product photography tips you need as a business owner or professional product photographer. What do you want to achieve with your product photography? Do you want to highlight specific product features, create a mood or atmosphere, or appeal to a particular audience? Clearly defining your goals will help you create a focused and effective product photography strategy.
Step 2: Count the Cost
The second most important step in developing your product photography strategy is to count the cost. By carefully evaluating the costs associated with product photography, you can make informed decisions about the resources and budget you need to allocate towards this important aspect of your business.
There are several product photography tips you must consider when counting the cost. These include:
- Equipment
The type and quality of equipment you use can greatly impact the overall cost of your product photography. Investing in high-quality cameras, lenses, and lighting equipment can improve the quality of your photos, but it will also increase your upfront costs. Decide ahead of time what you can afford.
- Location
Every good photographer knows that getting a good location is one of the best product photography tips to give a new photographer or business owner. The location where you take your product photos can also affect the cost. If you need to rent a studio or hire a location scout to find the perfect location, this will add to your expenses.
- Models
If you are using models in your product photos, you will need to factor in the cost of hiring models and paying for their time. This will be part of your budget in your product photography strategy.
- Post-processing
Editing and retouching your product photos can also add to the cost. If you outsource this work to a professional, you will need to consider the cost of their services.
Step 3: Draw Up a Budget
Ensure that you have the resources to create high-quality product photos that will showcase your products in the best light. Research the cost of each item or activity required for every product photoshoot you have. This may involve getting quotes from suppliers, photographers, or other service providers. Divide the total budget among the different activities that will be required for the photo shoot. Don't forget to prioritize. Let first things come first, especially if you work with a tight budget. With these product photography tips, you can prevent getting into money trouble.
Step 4: Understand your Target Audience
Our list of product photography tips would be pointless without this point (pun fully intended!). You cannot sell if there are no buyers. In other words, your target audience determines most of your operation as a business.
Think about your target audience and what they might be looking for in a product photo. For example, if you sell high-end fashion items, your audience may want to see more artistic and creative photos. If you sell practical household items, they will likely want simpler photos showing the product while you are using it in the kitchen.
Step 5: Invest in Good Quality Product Photography Equipment
It is possible to take good product photos with a smartphone. However, get a professional photographer if you can afford it. Investing in professional photography equipment such as a high-quality camera, lenses, and lighting equipment can make a big difference in the quality of your product photos. This is one of the most crucial product photography tips to follow, if you will get ahead of your competitors in the marketing race.
Best Product Photography Tips
Image taken from Strikingly Product
- Invest in a Good Camera
If you are just starting out and working with a tight budget, you may not be able to afford it. If you however can, this is one of the most important product photography tips to adhere to. A good camera improves your chances of taking top-quality photos for your product. This in turn, increases the image of your product to your potential customers. While you don't need the most expensive camera on the market, a good quality camera with a high-resolution sensor will help you take clear, detailed photos of your products.
- Experiment with Different Lighting Setups
Lighting can make a massive difference in the look of your product photos. Try shooting with natural light, studio lights, or a combination of both to see what works best for your products.
- Use a Light Tent or Light Box
A light tent or light box is a small, enclosed space with diffused light that helps evenly light small products and reduce shadows. This is particularly useful for shooting small, shiny objects like jewelry or electronics.
- Use a Reflector to Fill in Shadows
A reflector is a simple and affordable tool that can help fill in shadows and add dimension to your product photos. You can use a white reflector to add light, a silver reflector to add contrast, or a gold reflector to warm up the photo.
- Use a Macro Lens for Close-ups
A macro lens is specifically designed for taking close-up photos. It allows you to focus on small details and can be particularly useful for shooting small products or products with intricate designs.
- Play with Composition
Don't be afraid to get creative with your compositions. Experiment with different angles, framing, and perspectives to make your product photos more visually interesting.
- Edit Your Photos
Product photography tips do not apply to taking pictures alone.Editing software can be a powerful tool for improving the look of your product photos. Use it to touch up the photo, adjust the lighting, and correct any blemishes or imperfections. Just be sure not to overdo it and make the photo look unrealistic.
- Include People in Your Photos
Including people in your product photos can help give the viewer a sense of scale and add a human element to the photo. Just be sure to choose models that represent your target audience and are appropriate for your brand.
Image taken from Strikingly User
- Choose the Right Background
The background of your product photo should be simple and not distract from the product itself. A white or neutral-colored background is often a good choice.
The Don'ts of Good Product Photography
1. Ignoring the composition: The composition of your photo, including the placement of the product, the angle, and the framing, can have a big impact on how the product is perceived. Avoid placing the product off-center or cutting off important parts of the product.
2. Not using a polarizing filter: A polarizing filter can help reduce reflections and make colors appear more vibrant.
Image taken from a Strikingly User’s website
3. Not using a remote shutter release: A remote shutter release will allow you to take photos without touching the camera, which can cause a camera shake.
4. Not using a white balance card: A white balance card will help ensure that colors are accurately represented in your photos.
5. Not shooting in raw format: Shooting in raw format will give you more flexibility when editing your photos.
How to Add a Product Photo to Your Strikingly Website
Step 1: First, log in to your Strikingly account and navigate to the page on your website where you want to add the product photos. Don't have an account yet? Create one through this link.
Step 2: Click on the "Edit" button in the top right corner of the page to enter the editing mode.
Step 3: Scroll down to the section where you want to add the product photos and click on the "+" icon to add a new element.
Step 4: From the list of elements, select the "Gallery" element and drag it to the desired location on the page.
Step 5: A new window will appear, where you can choose the photos you want to add to the gallery. Click the "Select Photos" button and choose the photos from your computer.
Step 6: Once you have selected the photos, you can arrange them by dragging and dropping them into the desired order. You can also add captions to the photos by clicking on the "Caption" field for each photo.
Step 7: When you are finished, click the "Save" button to add the gallery to your page.
Step 8: This is the final step in our list of product photography tips. Preview your page to ensure the product photos are displayed correctly, and then click on the "Publish" button to make the changes live on your website.
Conclusion
In conclusion, product photography is an essential aspect of online marketing. By following the product photography tips outlined in this article, you can improve the quality of your product photos and better showcase your products to potential customers.
Again, we encourage you to hire a professional when you can. However, it's okay when you can't. If you are using just a smartphone, these tips can help you take professional-looking photos to help your products stand out online. Whether you are a professional photographer or just starting, with a bit of practice and attention to detail, you can create stunning product photos to help your business succeed.
