Guide to Improve e-Commerce Product Photography
Learn how to improve your e-Commerce product photography to beat the competition and create an authentic interactive customer experience.
Photo by: Eric Naslund
To win the e-commerce battle, you must use stunning product photos to demonstrate authentic and interactive product experiences during customer interactions. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of things you should think about to improve your e-Commerce product photography.
The value and details of your product are highlighted in the product image. As a result, product photography for eCommerce employs a variety of advanced techniques and tools to achieve the highest possible quality for product presence in online stores.
Creating the perfect images is critical for catching customers’ attention, building trust, and encouraging them to purchase your products. However, e-Commerce product photography is more than just pointing and shooting.
To win the e-commerce battle, you must use stunning product photos to demonstrate authentic and interactive product experiences during customer interactions.
That is why it is critical to present your products most interactively and authentically possible.
Now that you understand the importance of high-quality product photography, we’ve compiled a list of things you should think about to improve your e-commerce product photography.
1. Get the right equipment
If you want to take high-quality product images for your eCommerce store, you should invest in good tools.
As a result, you must use equipment that allows for multiple configurations and provides some flexibility. The good news is that you won’t have to spend a lot of money and can even make do with limited resources.
Furthermore, with technological advancements, high-end photos are now far more accessible, making improving your e-commerce photography a much simpler task.
We’ve highlighted some essential equipment that you should have to take consistent product photos for your e-commerce store below.
Camera
The right camera is critical for successful product photography and it goes without saying that professional cameras can always take better photos, but don’t feel defeated if you don’t have one right now.
If you’re on a tight budget or aren’t shooting regularly, don’t feel obligated to buy a high-end camera. If all else fails, you can always rely on your smartphone.
Today’s smartphones have powerful camera lenses and settings that allow you to optimize your shots for different types of light and environments.
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Furthermore, you can always dress up your photos with a backdrop or experiment with lighting to get the perfect shot.
Tripod
There is no harm in holding your camera yourself when shooting, but it can be difficult to standardize the orientation of the product in each photo when shooting handheld.
This is why, to capture the sharpest images possible, you’ll need a stabilizing accessory such as a tripod to support and keep the camera stable still during your shoot.
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They may appear unnecessary to some, but they make a significant difference in the clarity and quality of your product photography.
Also, you won’t have to spend a lot of money on a tripod because you can always find a cheaper alternative that meets your needs.
Backdrop
When it comes to selecting the right background, most photographers prefer to use a white backdrop. This is because using a real-world background can detract from the photo’s focus and make it unclear what you’re selling.
This is why, for the best results and to keep your audience’s attention, product photos should be shot against a white backdrop.
A white backdrop will make your photos more appealing, professional, and consistent, while also significantly reducing the amount of editing and post-processing required.
You can also use a sweep to enhance your white backdrop and remove blemishes and corners.
A sweep is simply a curved sheet of paper with a surface beneath your product that curves up into a white wall behind the product.
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2. Get the lighting right
Good lighting is more important than anything else in product photography for improving the quality of your photos. The use of proper lighting can mean the difference between professional and amateur photography.
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To begin, you should be aware that there are two types of light you can use as your primary source of illumination: natural and artificial.
Natural lighting is light from the Sun or any other natural source of light; it is inexpensive, so you will save a lot of money. Artificial light, on the other hand, is ideal for manipulating your shoot or taking a consistent series of images.
You can try to use them together, but it can be disastrous if you are unfamiliar with how light interacts with your product. Combining them can soften a product that is supposed to look sharp or vice versa.
3. Consistency is key
Your e-Commerce product photography should be consistent if you want them to be considered top-notch. This is because a consistent look conveys the impression that your company adheres to high standards.
Furthermore, your buyers expect a clear, accurate representation of what they’re purchasing, and if your actual product looks even slightly different than the product photos, you can expect it to affect how your brand is perceived.
However, it’s all too easy to use a shaky setup that moves around during the shoot, causing inconsistencies in the appearance of your photos. Such inconsistencies can then divert your customers’ attention away from your product.
As a result, regardless of the product or photography style you choose, consistency is essential if you want to keep your customers happy.
4. Take multiple photos
Instead of taking just one photo of each product, take a variety of images to simulate the shopping experience for your customers.
Try to capture your product on its own first, then use a model or mannequin if possible, or use a prop, but only something that does not detract from the product.
This is the product photography experimentation phase, where you can also move the various studio elements and adjust your equipment and camera settings to get the best images possible.
You can also try taking shots from various angles to show how your product looks from various angles.
The goal of taking multiple shots is to have a variety of usable photographs and to present your product holistically.
5. Edit your photos
It is critical to edit your product photographs before uploading them to the internet. However, if your lighting and preparations were adequate, you may not need to edit at all.
Ecommerce image editing is important because even minor changes, such as color correction, saturation adjustment, background removal, drop shadows, or masking minor flaws, can make a significant difference in the final product.
It will take some time for you to get used to the editing process, and it may even appear tedious at first, but the effort will be worthwhile once you are finished.
Summary
75% of Online Shoppers Rely on Product Photos When Deciding on a Potential Purchase.
You don’t have to be a pro to do great e-Commerce product photography, you just need the right tools and a little experimentation. Many small online entrepreneurs take their own e-Commerce product photos with equipment that didn’t cost a fortune and with a little practice produces a huge return on investment.
Shoot better – sell better! Give it a try.
If you have any of your own tips share them below.
