7 Product Photography Tips to Level Up Your Photos

With digital photography becoming increasingly accessible, it’s important to know that there are still ways for photographers to elevate their work.

The way your audience views your items and your company as a whole is heavily influenced by the quality of your product images. Learning the fundamentals of effective DIY product photography and using more advanced methods to elevate your listings may help your whole shop.

If you don’t have time to do it yourself, Square Photo Studio has the most affordable professional photography on the market, beginning at only $9.95 for a set of high-resolution product images.

1. Purchase the Correct Equipment

Though you may take great product shots with common home items, adopting sophisticated technology will give your final images a more professional appearance.

Remember that your product photographs are brand ambassadors, and image quality is directly proportional to perceived value. For this reason, the purchase of a few tools is usually a fair outlay.

Despite the fact that detailed product descriptions are one of the keys to successful eCommerce listings, it is commonly recognized that the brain absorbs pictures 60,000 times quicker than text and that visuals account for 90% of all information received. That means a high-quality product picture gallery is essential for effective conversions—and you don’t need to pay a professional photographer to do it. With the correct equipment and expertise, you can do it yourself.

Camera

When it comes to your device, a specialized camera isn’t necessary—a high-quality smartphone may perform as well as, if not better than, many tiny digital cameras. However, taking images with your old iPhone 4 won’t provide the greatest results.

Make sure your existing gadget is up to standard or switch to a phone with a top-notch camera if you prefer the user-friendly interface and flexibility of a smartphone camera. Here are some things to think about:

The amount of pixels in a photograph is measured in megapixels (MP) (the prefix “mega” implies a million). In-camera specifications, it refers to the maximum picture resolution that the gadget can produce. The bigger the quantity of visual data collected by the gadget and the sharper the picture, the higher the pixel count.

The amount and kind of photosites on the camera’s internal sensor influence this figure. A photosite is a tiny, light-sensitive region that catches the light and turns it into data that the rest of the device can understand. Because each pixel on a digital picture corresponds to one photosite on the sensor that acquired it, the MP count is often used to denote the number of photosites.

Make sure you use a camera with at least 12 megapixels. If you want to utilize your photos for printing or commercials, go for larger MP counts and consider moving to a DSLR camera because of its greater quality possibilities.

Another thing to consider is the sensor size of the camera. It’s measured in inches or fractions of an inch, although the format might be misleading due to the non-standardized denominator. The Huawei P40 Pro+, for example, features a sensor that measures 1/1.28″, but the iPhone X’s sensor is just 1/3.4″.

Because of their small size, smartphones have a lower value (dedicated digital cameras have the necessary bulk to include much larger sensors). Aim for a sensor with a diameter of 1″ or less.

Aperture is a measurement of the size of the aperture through which light enters the camera; we’ll go over this number in more depth later.

The difference between digital cameras and smartphone cameras is that the aperture on virtually all phones is fixed. The opening cannot be altered, unlike specialist camera diaphragms, however, photos may be processed to seem to have a wider or shallower depth-of-field.

Try to use a camera phone with a relatively large aperture of f/1.8 or wider to allow for the most versatility and brightness (but remember: the lower the “f-number,” the wider the diaphragm—the latest Samsung’s Galaxy and Note models feature f/1.5 lenses, giving them some of the largest apertures in the smartphone arena).

If you’d prefer buying a dedicated digital camera than use your smartphone, there are two main varieties to consider: DSLR and DSLM.

DSLR stands for digital single-lens reflex, and it’s the most common camera used by professionals. The ability to utilize interchangeable lenses on the camera body is the biggest advantage it offers.

DSLM stands for digital single-lens mirrorless, and this camera type, despite its lack of popularity, offers its own set of benefits. It’s smaller and lighter, making it perfect for carrying about, and it usually has greater video capabilities.

Differences Between DSLR and DSLM Cameras

Note: Each DSLR and DSLM camera has distinct dimensions and functions, so before purchasing new equipment for your product photography, double-check the camera’s particular characteristics.

Accessories

Having the right accessories to go with your gadget might make all the difference.

If you’re looking to buy a new digital camera, there are a variety of “bundle” alternatives that include a variety of simple (but useful!) accessories. This 18-piece package has everything you’ll need to get started, including a Nikon D3500 camera, which is a popular option for budget-conscious beginners and hobbyists.

Here are some suggested extras to look for if you wish to build your own photographic arsenal:

Lenses

The 18-55mm zoom lens that comes with your camera (sometimes known as the “kit lens”) is the standard lens. It’s adaptable and helpful, but there are some more choices that will increase the quality of some images.

Lenses are measured in millimeters, which is the focal length of the component. The broader your image is, the lower the focal length, or millimeter (mm) number, of your lens.

There are 11 different kinds of camera lenses, however, the two best for product photography are:

When used with a full-frame DSLR camera, this lens length closely resembles the field of vision of the human eye. This benefit is especially valuable in product photography, where you want to portray your products as truthfully as possible. Other lenses might generate visible distortions, resulting in dissatisfied clients.

An illustration of how optical distortion in images may cause your goods to be misrepresented. The candle seems tapered and smaller at its base in the picture on the left.

A macro lens will come in handy if you need to capture close-up detail for your goods (we recommend 90mm-105mm). This focal length is great for capturing clear, in-focus detail images of tiny objects without casting shadows or causing lighting problems.

You may catch close-up details using a macro lens. (Photo courtesy of Swatch)

Keep in mind that compatibility varies while browsing for lenses. Because not all lenses are compatible with all digital cameras, double-check with the manufacturer before purchasing.

Add-on lenses are also an option if you’re shooting with a smartphone camera. They’re generally attached to a clamp that can be simply attached to any phone and provide impressive effects.

This clip-on macro lens can help iPhones take excellent detail shots.

Tripod

It’s critical to keep your equipment stable, particularly if you’re shooting in less-than-ideal lighting and need to utilize longer exposures to get enough light.

Although you can set your phone or digital camera on almost any household item, this isn’t necessarily the most practical (or beautiful) approach to getting steady images. Investing in a tripod enables you to go outside for the best natural lighting, save time when setting up photoshoots, and more quickly duplicate precise settings throughout your whole inventory.

Camera tripods start at about $20, while more costly models are engineered to resist rough terrain and strong winds.

Tripods for use with a smartphone, such as this one, are also available.

Remote Controlled Shutter

A Remote Controlled Shutter release is a trigger that connects to your camera (either wirelessly or through a long cable) that fires the device’s shutter, telling it to take a photo. It replaces the act of physically pressing the shutter button on the camera.

Even with a high-quality tripod, the simple act of pressing the shutter button can cause a “camera shake,” resulting in blurry photos. A Remote Controlled Shutter solves this problem and ensures a crisp image every time. It also gives you the freedom to take photos as you move around your studio space, which can speed up a photoshoot significantly.

Wired (or “tethered”) options are available from around $10, but wireless (also called “untethered”) Accessories are a little pricier, like this item. These devices are usually brand-specific, so make sure your camera is compatible with the Remote Controlled Shutter you choose.

For use with smartphone cameras, Bluetooth-enabled versions are also available.

2. Take Full Advantage of Your Camera’s Settings

The automated, point-and-shoot modes on your smartphone have the ability to help you capture amazing shots with little effort, but tweaking the settings manually offers you much more control over how you edit your photos.

Automatic vs. Manual Mode

Switch your camera app to manual mode (or “PRO mode”) for maximum control over your smartphone photos. This allows you to alter the picture qualities individually. This feature is normally located in your camera’s advanced settings.

On a Samsung Galaxy A32, going into PRO mode from the basic camera app

You may fine-tune your picture from here to achieve the best effect. You may download a second, more complex camera software if these settings don’t give the features you’re searching for.

These extra camera applications give you more control over your device’s camera’s fundamental tasks while also adding new functionality. Here are a few of the most well-liked camera apps:

• iPhone Camera+2 ($7.99)
• FV-5 Android Camera ($3.95)

This program includes excellent sophisticated auto settings as well as simple manual options for focus, exposure, white balance, and color filters. Camera+2, as seen below, makes it simple to snap sharp, color-corrected product photography right away, saving time in picture processing.

Simple manual controls, like an exposure slider, are available in this sophisticated camera software, as well as superb auto settings if you’d prefer to let the device do the job for you. Camera FV-5 delivers everything you need to produce professional-looking product photography and save picture editing time for Android camera phone users.

Best of all, this software simulates a DSLR camera display, allowing you to experience the sensation of a specialized digital camera.

(Photo courtesy of the FV-5)

Simply set your digital camera’s mode dial to “M” to enter manual mode.

(Image courtesy of IFB Media)

When shooting manually with any sort of equipment, below are the important parameters to adjust:

ISO

ISO (which stands for International Organization of Standardization) is a measurement of a camera’s light sensitivity. The value you select regulates the camera’s internal sensor, and its range varies based on the camera.

The ISO range is typically 200 to 1600, although top-of-the-line cameras may go as low as 50 and as high as 3 million. The greater the setting, the more light-sensitive your camera is and the brighter the picture seems.

Keep your ISO as low as possible as a general guideline. Higher ISO settings produce grainy or “noisy” images, lowering picture quality.

The degrees of “noise,” or grainy distortions, in these photographs of the same subject, recorded with both a low and high ISO setting, are substantially different. (Image courtesy of Photography Life)

Aperture

The aperture of your camera’s lens diaphragm is the size of the opening. It’s measured in “f-stops,” and a typical contemporary camera lens has an f/2 to f/38 aperture range (but it varies depending on the lens model).

The lower the f-stop number is for this setting, the larger the lens aperture will be—allowing more light to be caught. A big f-stop, on the other hand, generates a narrow hole, allowing for less light in your picture.

Aperture is most typically employed to adjust the depth of field, even though it has this influence on light and exposure.

Depth of field (DOF) is the distance between the image’s closest and furthest objects that seem sharp or in focus.

A large (or “deep”) DOF is created with a high f-stop value, so the picture has a sharp focus from foreground to background. Landscape photography, huge group portraits, and some product photography lifestyle images benefit from this setting.

Smaller (or “shallow”) DOF is produced by lower f-stop values, which softens the backdrop while keeping your subject in great focus. These settings are suitable for individual portraits as well as a wide range of product photography.

Different values of this setting will be appropriate for different pictures, but for your product photographs, start with an aperture between f/4.5 and f/7.1. This range blurs the backdrop somewhat, allowing the subject to shine out while maintaining the sharpness needed to portray information.

The depth of focus of the same picture shot with a low and high aperture is varied, giving each photograph a distinct appearance. (Image courtesy of Canon USA)

Speed of the shutter

Speed of the shutter is the length of time that the digital sensor (or film) inside your camera is exposed to light. It’s measured in seconds, and most commonly represented as fractions of a second. Your camera can likely be adjusted from a Speed of the shutter of 1/4000 to 30, but another manual option—called “bulb” mode—can be used to leave the shutter open as long as you want.

This setting affects the brightness of your image by controlling the amount of light that reaches the sensor. A slower Speed of the shutter yields a brighter photo, whereas a faster Speed of the shutter creates a darker one.

It also changes the way that motion is captured in your pictures. If there is any movement in your scene, a slower speed of the shutter will let the sensor absorb more of its range, creating a “blur” effect. A fast speed of the shutter, on the other hand, will appear to “freeze” motion.

The photographer was able to capture the blurred motion of this fountain by using a slow speed of the shutter and “freeze” the water’s motion with a fast speed of the shutter. (Source: Canon USA)

These three variables work together to produce a correctly exposed photograph.

“The Exposure Triangle” is a visual demonstration of the relationship between aperture, ISO, and Speed of the shutter. All three settings work together to achieve a balanced, well-lit photograph.

White-balanced images (or WB)

The color temperature of the scene you’re photographing is adjusted using this parameter. Color temperature is a physical characteristic of light that is measured in Kelvins (K). It runs from 1,000 K to 10,000 K, with warmer, orangey tones on the lower end and bluer, colder tones on the higher end.

The neutral color temperature is 5,200-6,000 K, and it is measured in direct sunshine at midday. All other light sources force a warm or cool hue onto the surfaces they touch, even if you don’t see it (due to your brain’s capacity to do its own white balancing).

A graph depicting the color temperature of various lighting situations. (Image courtesy of Photography Life)

To neutralize the scene’s color temperature, your camera’s white balance functions add the opposite hue to the picture.

The default auto WB option (designated A in your device’s WB menu) performs an excellent job of detecting the scene’s K value and compensating to create pleasing, neutral tones. It’s a common option among professional photographers, and it’s often the best place to start.

Other WB Settings for particular lighting circumstances, such as Cloudy, Shade, Fluorescent, and Incandescent, are likely on your camera. It also lets you choose the K value of your shot manually, which ranges from 2,500 to 10,000.

It’s critical to capture images with a neutral, true-to-life tone, regardless of the white balance choice you choose. The simplest approach to do this is to adjust your lighting and settings, however, the color temperature may also be altered while editing.

3. Personalize Your Set

Adding some panache to your settings may assist portray emotive aspects of your items, even if a basic, white-background studio image is the go-to for product photography.

You urge your audience to build a connection with your product by linking it with their own interests and aspirations by arranging your images with different backdrops and suitable items. This may help transform studio images into “lifestyle shots” by showing how the product is used or how it would seem in the user’s life.

Here are a few things to keep in mind while designing your product photoshoot:

• When styling your set, think about the aesthetic characteristics of your business. This might include your signature colors, a certain style you like, and the preferences of the consumer profile you’re aiming for.

It’s critical to maintain your images “on-brand,” or consistent with how you portray your shop across all platforms.

• Audience: In keeping with the branding notion, you should design your set to appeal to your target consumer. Not only the product itself, but everything in your images should appeal to them.
• In terms of scale, choose props that work well together and with your product. Because objects seem bigger on camera, avoid using props that will dwarf your primary item.
• Tale: Try to make your props relevant and related to your primary item; one common method is to have your set convey the story of the product.

Consider include materials that may have been utilized during the product’s production process, such as knitting needles and yarn with a handmade scarf or a chocolate bar’s primary components (like the one below).

(Photo credit: Fixthephoto)

Another alternative is to visually present a tale about how the product may be used, such as this one, which shows a knife (the product) on a cutting board with kitchen objects.

(Image courtesy of Kutara)

• Clarity: Keep the shot simple and free of distractions to ensure that it clearly promotes your goods. Avoid any props that are clearly labeled by another firm or have a lot of busy, distracting writing.

4. Experiment with New Composition Methodologies

Using visual appeal in your compositions to create comment-worthy product images that make an impact is a terrific way to go. Here are a few great concepts to consider:

Make a Negative Area

Negative space in photography refers to leaving most or all of the frame empty. It gives the topic a lot of visual weight, calling attention to it while also adding an aesthetic quality to the shot. It also provides room for a logo or text to be added.

When employing negative space in your composition, place your product on the right side of the frame—this is where the human eye gravitates when initially analyzing a picture.

The watch is in the bottom right corner of this product shot, with a basic reflection underneath it, allowing plenty of negative space in the rest of the frame. (Photo courtesy of Photodoto)

Make use of leading lines.

When choosing and organizing your props, attempt to create diagonal lines that link them to your subject. This nicely moves the audience’s eye around the composition, enabling them to absorb the picture while finally directing attention to the goods.

The razorblades and the metal support of the mirror generate diagonal lines that draw the viewer’s attention to the merchandise. (Image courtesy of Chad Verzosa/Expert Photography)

Color

Colors have a powerful emotional influence on buyers and might reveal the emotional characteristics of your goods. This phenomenon is known as “color psychology,” and its roots may be traced back to survival instincts and cultural upbringing.

Consider using backdrops and objects that have colors linked with your brand’s characteristics. Also, think about how the product is supposed to make the consumer feel, and match that emotion to a hue in your design.

This graph shows the most frequent color connections that viewers create, either consciously or unconsciously. (Image courtesy of the London Image Institute)

5. Improve Your Editing Skills

Although there are several free photo-editing applications and tools available, the experts prefer to utilize expensive software. Due to their large feature sets, varied interoperability, and exceptional user-friendliness, editing suites (such as the ubiquitous Photoshop) are regarded to be well worth the money.

Here are the three picture editors that are commonly considered to be the finest in the business:

Lightroom

Lightroom excels as a complement to Adobe Photoshop because of its capabilities that go beyond retouching. It’s designed to make importing, editing, evaluating, saving, and organizing all of your images a breeze, with lots of high-level features that come in useful when photographing a complete inventory.

Simple changes, such as color correction, contrast adjustment, and light touch-ups, are also highly advised. Because Lightroom’s capabilities are more intuitive and user-friendly than Photoshop’s, many professionals choose to utilize it unless their project requires substantial modification or ground-up creation.

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop is the industry standard for picture editing, graphic design, digital art, and many other applications. Its retouching capabilities are broad and intuitive to use and may be further enhanced via web plug-ins.

Photoshop’s automation features, which can be produced, purchased, and sold as “actions,” make executing repeated chores fast and straightforward, are another advantage. This is a useful tool for ensuring that all of your product images are consistent.

Adobe presently provides a Photography Plan for $9.99/month that includes both Photoshop and Lightroom, however, the package comes with substantially less cloud storage capacity than paying for Photoshop alone.

Luminar Skylum

The keyboard shortcuts, predefined workspace choices, and organizing features of this tool are quite similar to those of Adobe products. It’s known for its easy-to-use AI improvement capabilities and cataloging capability (which rivals Lightroom).

Many customers prefer Luminar’s one-time payment model to maintain a monthly Photoshop membership, and your purchase is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Despite the fact that most of these applications are praised for their ease of use, learning how to utilize any new, complex tool is no easy task. Set aside some time to explore the capabilities of your editing program to get the most out of your purchase.

Signing up for an online class given by a knowledgeable teacher is one excellent approach to do this. Skillshare, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning all provide fast, highly-rated courses on how to edit product images like a pro that you can take on your own time.

6. Incorporate Product Videos

Providing product videos is a guaranteed approach to getting online shoppers as near to the in-store experience as feasible. Increase conversion rates and build consumer confidence by providing them with a dynamic, active knowledge of the product.

When asked how they would want to learn about a product or service, 69 percent of consumers stated they would prefer to watch a short video, according to a Wyzowl poll from 2020.

A good product film doesn’t have to be a big-budget production fit for a Super Bowl spot. Any appealing material that provides your audience a more in-depth look at the product they’re contemplating will be appreciated and responded to.

Take a look at this example from Target’s online store:

This professional product film is a collection of short clips that successfully illustrate how to use, look at, and feel about the product. (Image credit: Target)

Your home studio setup, when combined with a high-quality camera or smartphone, can produce fantastic films for your listings. To help you started, here are some pointers:

Examine the Platform Requirements

Uploading product videos to the media section of a listing on your eCommerce platform is generally all it takes to include them in your online shop. Check with your store’s host for compatibility of a few crucial aspects before spending time filming a product video:

• Make sure your listing can accommodate videos in general!
• Length
• File Size
• Resolution
• File Type

These needs may be addressed by using your video editing program to make tweaks and conversions, which we’ll go into later.

Recognize Your Limitations

Advanced productions with professional personnel, written language, and intricate sets are just not appropriate for a DIY endeavor. Many shop owners and marketers decide to outsource high-level movies like these to a local production business, which is a fantastic choice if you have the funds.

Creating product films on your own in a modest home studio may be a great success—but keep your expectations in check. When venturing into the realm of video, opt for a simple production that highlights your product without adding too much flair.

Audio that is usable is difficult to record and requires specialist equipment (your camera’s built-in mic will not suffice). Furthermore, processing and equalizing the music you capture is a separate issue that necessitates time and specialized tools.

Beginners should avoid using music while creating films to augment a gallery of product photographs for their eCommerce site.

Make sure you know what kind of product video you’re doing.

Begin by designing your video and determining its objectives. Determine the advantages of your product the consumer would benefit from viewing and how to showcase them succinctly. The following are the most prevalent forms of product videos:

• Demonstration: These films demonstrate the item’s features and advantages in action. If the goods do not have an active function to demonstrate, a demo video might merely consist of a straightforward view of the product from various perspectives and distances.
• Explainer video: This sort of video explains how to use, set up, or install a product in more detail. It’s useful for showing the simplicity of use of products that need a procedure.
• A narrative film puts the item’s characteristics and advantages into perspective by showing them in the context of the user’s life or profession. It allows the viewer to engage with the product by imagining it in their own context, similar to a lifestyle image in product photography.
• Although any sort of product film may be used to market, this term refers to a commercial-style video that focuses on the product’s brand and emotive aspects rather than its features. Ads are often designed to persuade viewers to get interested rather than to provide clarity and knowledge.

Make a Video Edit

Simple editing tools may help you convert your product video into a sparkling representation of your product and business after it’s been filmed. The following are the best video editing programs:

Lightworks

This tool is well-known for its approachability (because of its extensive library of in-depth lessons) and user-friendly design. Its free capabilities contain everything you’ll need to make clean, appealing movies that sell your product, but those who want to go even farther may upgrade to the expensive “pro” version.

VideoPad

VideoPad is yet another excellent starting point for product video editing, with adjustable transitions for tying product footage together and exportable presets for file optimization.

If you want to increase conversions but don’t think filming a product video is the greatest use of your time, Square Photo Studio can take fully interactive 360-degree spin photographs of your products for only $29.95.

7. Use user-generated photos to build trust.

User-generated content (or UGC) is any kind of material made by users or consumers of a brand, such as video, photographs, text, or audio.

According to a recent Stackla poll, 90 percent of customers value authenticity in their purchasing choices, and they are 2.4 times more likely to consider user-generated material legitimate than brand-created content.

As a result, including user-generated content (UGC) in your online business is a great method to increase consumer confidence.

Instagram postings are the most prevalent kind of photographic UGC. Your customers’ material may have a place on your website, albeit it can’t replace a gallery of useful product photographs.

On the homepage of this fashion resale shop, there is a banner with credited UGC. (Image courtesy of Fashionphile)

To find your own UGC, start by generating and marketing a branded hashtag. When your consumers start sharing photographs to share their thoughts about your business, all you have to do is ask for permission to utilize their images and you’ll have high-quality material that is really genuine. However, obtaining permission from the author is legally essential before using their work, so don’t neglect this step!

PetSmart, a pet retailer, is a strong supporter of user-generated content. They utilize Instagram to advertise and monitor a variety of hashtags, and they employ a regular protocol in the comments to legally get permission to publish their followers’ photographs.

A “respond with yes” remark on the poster’s picture is a frequent practice used by marketers to gain permission to utilize UGC. (Image courtesy of Social Media Examiner)

It’s been shown that 65% of individuals will provide permission to use their Instagram images for business reasons within 24 hours, so don’t be hesitant to ask! UGC in eCommerce helps both parties since the artists often enjoy the visibility their work will bring them—just remember to always acknowledge the author.

Conclusion

The current eCommerce sector is very competitive, and having excellent product photography is one of the finest ways to stand out.

Whether it’s taking your own professional-level photos, making educational films, or sourcing user-generated material, making sure your listings accurately depict your products is a worthwhile investment of time and money.