When you sell products online, good photographs are one of the priorities, and there is no discussion about whether the money should be invested or not. If you want to convince your customers that your product is the best one they can find on the market, you can do it via photography. Besides, they are the only way to describe the look of your products, because your customers are buying them online, and they are not able to touch them physically. This guide is dedicated to the most important tips related to product photography. Let’s start from the very beginning.
What is product photography?
Product photography or e-commerce photography relates to photos created for e-commerce websites or social media, with the goal to draw the attention of the customers and increase sales of your products or services. Regarding the fact that more and more customers shop online, photos they see on the website, or on social media, are crucial for their choice. The reason your customers have chosen exactly your products can largely depend on the photos.
Why is it important to pay attention to photos?
The point of photographing products is not just to show them to customers. The context in which the product is placed or what marketers would say – context is a king – is also important. So, putting a product in a certain perspective can help customers imagine what it would look like in their life and the purpose it would have. Research clearly supports this fact and says that a detailed and vivid photo leads the customers to imagine themselves as the owner of a certain product. Taking photos like this sometimes doesn’t assume expensive photo equipment, but the fact is they look much better when a professional photographer is thinking about light and shots.
Top 3 things to keep in mind when photographing products
- Each type of photography has its own purpose. Remember that one photo cannot fit all occasions. Actually, you will need several types of photos for one product: a standard photo on a white background for a web store; branded photos for the site or social networks; lifestyle photos showing the product in an inspiring environment or how the model wears it; photos of details, with which you will show the key benefits of the product; photographs from the production, which show how the product has been made.
- The focus must be on the light. Light is what makes one photo beautiful and different. Photo equipment can further make photos look even better, but natural light also has its advantages. If you opt for natural light, then wait for the brightest part of the day and find the largest window in the room.
- Consistency is important. In order for customers to better recognize one of your products and connect it with your brand, it is important the photos are similar and have a consistent look. This, for example, refers to the angle from which the products are photographed, the distance, color palette, and tone. All these parameters will give a special, recognizable note to your photos and the products on them. It is important to have a clear goal at the beginning and know what you want to achieve and pass it through the photos later.
Finally, here’s the part you’ve been waiting for – How to… make product photos
In this part of the blog, we want to share our 5 most useful tips with you, which will surely help you make good photos of your products.
- Creating a mood board is a great way to start any creative process. It is important to connect everything you want to be in your photos in one place. The vibe you want to share, the angle, colors, and tones you want to see on them, as well as what designs or props should be found in the photos – the answers to these questions are kept in your inspiration board.
- Making a list of the types of photos you need is a necessary and important step so that you know how much work awaits you. Make such a list for each product. Starting with a few photos on a white background, lifestyle shots, and photos of products in an environment that will match your brand perfectly – this is the minimum.
- Choosing a photo-shooting location can play a very important role in the overall look of your photos. This is especially the case with lifestyle photos because if you want to sell a swimsuit or summer sandals, the main goal should be to evoke summer, the beach, and the ease of living at sea with your perfect product that fits into that ambiance.
- Quantity leads to quality, which in this case means that as many shots as possible should be taken in order to get photos that will be found on the website or social networks. Again, you need to take into account the light and the angle from which the photos will be taken, and try several options until you get the right one. This is followed by the selection of the best in each category.
- Optimizing photos for your site is key to showing your products in the best light. So adjust the photo size and resolution. When it comes to social networks, they need to be further adjusted in order to fit into the standards. When it comes to SEO, the title of the photos inserted on the site is important, so let it be descriptive, not generic.
Titans know all secrets of good product photography
Due to the fact that we often build web stores, we have many years of rich experience in product photography. After we create a set of photos from each required category, we process them in photo processing programs.
This is also a favorite part of the work of our designers, who try to keep the authentic look of the products. This is very important to us because customers want authenticity and prefer to buy products that look natural.
But photos are only one part of the overall customer experience on the site. If you want to know how design affects your e-commerce website, be sure to take a look at our blog. And if you still think that product photography is a job for professionals, contact us and our team will suggest the best visual plan for presenting your products.
