3+1 tips for taking product photos (2020)

Consumers seek time-saving shortcuts all the time, and their attention naturally approaches to the fastest way to gather information: pictures.

Product images not only testify to the quality of your product but also work as windows into your eCommerce store, creating 2 very things of great importance: trust and clarity.

When customers view a product page, they are looking for proof of quality and excellence.

Images shape their first impression, creating a tipping point as to whether they will continue browsing and finally make a purchase.

The images should focus on:

1. Engagement

2. Conversions

3. Boost lifetime value

We’ll also go over how to optimize the photo production method to save you time and money.

Keep in mind that you don’t need large resources to create elegant and professional product photos.

In fact, Pixofix and other picture editing professionals can also do it for you for about $70 per month (if you have a member subscription) or $1 per image. There are also several DIY product photography guides online.

Here's an easy list of tips and tools to get you started, along with real examples of product photos that demonstrate this advice.

1. Don't Be Scared to Use Your Smartphone Camera

This is the part where I'm supposed to persuade you to invest in a high-end, 50-megapixel (MP) camera with a 100-millimeter screw-on lens. But I'm not going to do that. If you already have a camera that fits this description, take advantage of it. But for many types of products, it's completely fair to shoot product photos on a smartphone.

Some of the first smartphones had cameras that operated on fewer than 4 megapixels, which made it tough to capture important optical elements of products where detail matters.

But newer smartphones such as the iPhone 7, Google Pixel, and Samsung Galaxy S4 possess 12MP and 13MP lenses along with various "warmth" settings to optimize your shots for the various kinds of light you might shoot in .

Here's a product photo you won't believe was shot with just a smartphone and clever desk lamp placement

2. Use a Tripod for Consistency

Before explaining tripods, I'm obligated to begin with a rule: Don't prop your phone against something firm to aim your lens via the subject. It's just too easy for this temporary setup to slide around during the shoot and cause discrepancies in your photos' appearance. If you rest your camera on, say, a stack of books, just be sure this method doesn't change over the course of the shoot.

There's no wrong in keeping your camera yourself when shooting just a few product photos for your eCommerce website. But as your business expands, and you take more photos of more products, it can be difficult to regulate the product's adjustment in each photo when shooting handheld.

To ensure consistency across your products, you'll need a tripod. And luckily, buying one isn't always the big, industrial-sized expense it used to be. Here are two types of tripods to consider and one accessory you'd need when shooting on a smartphone:

Traditional vs. Flexible

The one on the left is a common, extendable tripod stand, and the one on the right is a shorter but adjustable mount with legs you can bend to achieve the camera angle you want.

(You can't tell from the two photos, but the mount on the right is roughly a foot high -- considerably shorter than a traditional tripod, which can extend to more than five feet high.)

Mobile Grip

You'll see a screw on the top of both products. This screws into your camera and holds it in place when you're shooting from the tripod. The underside of most expert-grade cameras has a screw hole just for this purpose, but smartphones can use the following adapter:

The adapter grips the sides of your smartphone and can screw into either type of tripod, allowing you to operate the camera controls with the phone screen facing outward and toward you. Once you decide which mount you'll need, set it up in front of your product, and consider putting three pieces of tape on the ground to mark where you'd like to keep each leg of your tripod over the course of the shoot.

4. Choose Light Type

Never undervalue how specific kinds of light can enhance (or hinder) your product photography. Remember, buyers, get the best look at an item in person, where they can see everything they need to before purchasing. The right lighting arrangement helps you reveal those critical decision-making product characteristics when all website visitors have to go on is a photo.

A single lighting setup might not work for every single product -- a lighting arrangement that works for some products might weaken the appearance of others. There are two types of light you can choose as your main light source:

Natural Light

Natural light refers to sunlight -- simple as that. It's also known as "soft light" because the sun casts a larger, softer range of light than, say, a lamp shining directly on the product. Ecommerce product shots thrive in natural light if:

• The product is shot outside or intended to be an outdoor product.

• The product is used by, worn on, or shot with a person (people tend to look better in natural light).

• You're trying to emphasize the product's surroundings, rather than specific traits of the product.

Below is an appealing product photo was taken under natural light.

Artificial Light

Artificial light includes candles, fire, and more commonly, light bulbs. It's also referred to as "hard light" because it produces a smaller but more focused light surface. This type of light caters to products with natural details that need to be highlighted to influence an online purchaser.

Here's an appealing product photo that was taken under artificial light

As a general rule, you should choose just one type of light per photo -- natural or artificial. Adding natural light to an artificially brightened photo can soften a product that's meant to look sharp, and adding artificial light to a naturally lightened photo can sharpen a product that's meant to look soft.

Photo taking tips differ depending on the products you may take pictures of. For example, if you want to take photos of clothes for your shopify store, you may use different processes.