Discover how to capture photos of beautiful products for your e-commerce sites without spending much money.
The visual elements of your website play an important role in confidence in your brand and your product. Therefore, don't let the wrong product photos ruin all your hard work.
Photos that include low resolution, poor lighting, distracting reflections and a lack of detail won't convince people to buy what you're selling.
Now, you could pay someone to take pictures of your products, but it can become very costly—and take much longer than your imminent deadline allows. Luckily, you can take great pictures of your products by yourself.
Let's see how.
Let your images tell the story of your product
We know you like your products, but that doesn't mean you should write an essay about them. Your product descriptions can add some fun, but it's not necessary to go too far.
In general, you just need the specs of the products that people want to help them make a purchase decision. Let your photographs convey the rest.
Your pictures should highlight what's important about your product - from the buyer's point of view, not your own. Several photographs taken from different angles build a complete image for buyers, while close-ups can help them appreciate details of the design or less visible features.
However, some items are fairly easy to photograph. You probably don't need multiple frames of your last candy bar, but they are a must-have for a bike or guitar.
Begin—without going bankrupt
You don't need a bunch of expensive gear to take beautiful pictures.
Of course, a classy Canon 5D is awesome, but it's financially out of reach for most of us. I keep trying to work with what you have. At a minimum, most modern telephones have built-in cameras capable of producing high-resolution quality images.
The camera you're using is important, but it's just a little bit of a much larger process.
Going a bit beyond your smartphone, you will find a number of inexpensive point-and-shoot digital cameras that take great photos without spending much brain power. Start with your homework. Learn their limitations to avoid finding yourself with something that won't work for your project. For example, many low-end cameras can lack a decent macro mode or a lens that is not good with details.
For more experienced photos, and for those who need really detailed pictures, the next step is a digital reflex camera (DSLR).These allow more manual control, including the possibility to adjust the white balance, f-stop and focus, in addition to using various objectives.
No matter which camera you choose, you're going to need a way to stabilize it. Since you will use the highest f-stop to capture as many details as possible, the shutter speed will be slower. A tripod is essential to ensure your photos are sharp, whether you have stable hands or drink quadrupeds of espresso all day long.
In addition, you'll need a smooth, pure-white backdrop (a "sweep") or a lightbox. Alternatively, you can buy white paper at your nearest art supply store or buy rolls of this paper from a photography store. If you want pure white paper, make sure it's as close to it as possible. A white foam board will also help you illuminate your subject evenly by reflecting light.
Make sure you use photography-specific bulbs if you're using external lights. It is possible for regular light bulbs to cast a tint on your photos that will distort their color. Beware of the heat generated by these photography bulbs.
Getting your space ready
In an uncluttered room, a simple table set close to the wall is ideal for shooting smaller products. You can ditch the table if your product is larger.
Make sure you are aware of your immediate surroundings. Does the ceiling have fluorescent lights? While taking photos, make sure they are turned off. Rooms with bright colors should be avoided. White paper or cloth can be used to cover bright areas if you can't. Also, keep in mind that shiny products will reflect whatever's around them (including you!).
Tape your sweep to the the backing wall and guide it onto the surface of the table. There should be a gentle curve like a skateboard ramp from where the sweep descends down from the wall onto the table. Tape down the sweep. Position your light and move your foam boards around so nothing gets lost in the shadows.
Windows can work for or against you. You can set up your photography area to take advantage of natural light, but keep in mind that harsh direct sunlight can overexpose your photos. The best orientation would be directly to the right or left of your photography area, with reflectors on the opposite side to fill in the shadows. A window at your back will cause shadows.
Edit to perfection
Even good camera lenses are more susceptible to poor photo editing than bad ones. And a good photo can transform into something amazing with the right editing and cropping
Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom are two really powerful programs for manipulating photos. Because of that power, both have a bit of a learning curve. Lots of tutorials are out there to help you use them.
There are free options, such as GIMP and Pixlr, or cheap alternatives. They should have everything you need.
Easy photo editing is good. Just make sure the end result accurately represents your products.
Looking for professional Ecommerce Photographer:
Email: info@skyavisuals.com
Phone: +1 647 455 0076
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