Are you seeking to improve your product photography skills? Do you want to learn how to capture high-quality product images for commercial or personal purposes? In this article, I will share some professional ideas, tips, and tricks that will teleport you from being an amateur to a professional product photographer.
What Is Product Photography And Why Is It Important?
Just as the name hints, it is a type of commercial photography that involves taking pictures of products, such as paintings, furniture and jewelry, and other materials, for advert placements on websites and social media in order to create awareness and drive sales.
As you might probably know, the world is now a global village. This implies there are no more boundaries when it comes to communication, relationships, and trading, thanks to civilization. Most people now prefer to purchase goods and services digitally. In fact, there were a total of 2.14 billion digital buyers worldwide in 2021 alone, according to research.
The daily surge in the number of digital buyers is leading to the creation of millions of digital marketplaces or e-stores by business owners. According to another research, there are currently 2.5 million etailers (digital vendors) in the United States alone. This means great competition in the digital market space.
Thus, business owners now rely on high-quality images of their products to significantly induce a customer’s decision to make a purchase. Similarly, consumers now depend on photographs to assess products’ quality, design, and features before placing orders.
This implies that product photography is not only an important aspect of e-commerce; it is also a delicate genre of photography. A good product photograph can be the difference between increased and decreased purchases.
What is the goal of product photography?
The goal of product photography is simple and clear. It is to exhibit a product in the best possible light, highlighting its intricate features, quality, and design to potential customers and indirectly encouraging them to make purchases.
High-quality product photographs are essential to the success of any business owner, especially in the digital marketplace. In this article, you will learn how to click sharp photos of different products for your clients or your personal e-store catalogs.
I have taken my time to specially design this tutorial for both business owners and other product photographers who are keen on leveling up their shooting skills and knowledge but cannot afford to pay for premium product photography courses. I have designed it to be simple while producing excellent, professional answers to your questions.
4 Essential Requirements For Product Photography
High-quality product photographs require several things; below are the basics:
1. Quality tools are a must-have for persuasive product photos
You will need a quality camera. Practically, you don’t need a high-tech camera and lens for product photography. A good smartphone camera, with not less than 12MP, can suffice. However, if you’d like to purchase a special camera for the job, I suggest reading our camera reviews to filter out what suits your budget.
If you don’t mind shooting the pictures with your smartphone, that is also great; you can check out this helpful guide on how to take product photos at home with your phone. If you are an iPhone user, check out the article: Can I use an iPhone for product photography? Is iPhone good enough?
Apart from a camera, you will need a sturdy tripod, good lighting accessories, background materials and props, and professional image editing software with great filters. Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop are my go-to editing software for all my photographs, including portrait and food images.
2. Basic photography knowledge is an important prerequisite for this genre
Every aspect of photography requires adequate knowledge of the exposure triangle, composition, lighting, editing, the different shooting modes, and how to troubleshoot some common shooting problems. Every aspiring photographer must have a general idea of these key elements, for they are the determinants of good photographs.
Whether you want to click small product photos with your smartphone or a full-frame camera, you may struggle to achieve your desired product images without a good idea of these fundamental photography basics. Therefore, I suggest reading an article I wrote earlier, which offers professional tips to help you master the basics of photography.
3. Basic knowledge of the camera is another requirement
If you have ever picked up a camera, you will agree that setting one to capture high-quality images requires more than just the ability to hold it steady. You have to get your camera settings right if you must have great photos.
Consequently, you must understand camera basics in order to move from a beginner to a professional product photographer. A comprehensive understanding of the various buttons on your camera, autofocus (AF) system, and other components are important if you really want to change the way you click pictures. The knowledge will help you easily decide what camera settings you should use for product photography.
4. A good space in your home or studio
Additionally, you will need a good space within your room or studio for product photography. You can use a simple standing desk or the apartment’s floor, but it should be free of dirt and other interruptions.
7 Simple Ways To Do Product Photography In Your Home Or Studio
1. Look for a space
Look for a space in your studio or home that can accommodate the size of the product you want to photograph and your shooting equipment. Ensure the space has access to natural light or at least offer flexibility when setting up and controlling artificial lighting sources.
2. Set up the light
Next, set up your lighting apparatus, such as the softbox, in ways that will enhance product details, minimize shadows, and provide true-to-life pictures. A proper lighting setup will make it easier to edit the photographs later on.
Thus, if you want to harness the intensity of natural light, I recommend you position the product to be photographed close to the windows to get maximum benefits. You can read the article below to learn more about shooting product pictures in natural light.
How Do You Take Pictures Of Products In Natural Light?
If you want to shoot in a deep indoor setting with artificial lighting, I recommend using a lightbox for small products, such as body lotions, and light tents for bigger ones, like clothes or medium-sized objects.
You might be interested in the article: How To Do Product Photography With Light Box
Generally, you can use softboxes, light diffusers, and other standard lighting accessories for product photography. The most important thing is to have a consistent light intensity across all your images, whether shot indoors or outdoors.
You may go through the articles below to learn more about lighting for product photography.
How do you get good lighting for product photography?
Should I do product photography with no flash? Or should I use Flash?
Product photography flash VS continuous lighting
3. Choose a background
When it comes to choosing backdrops or props for product photography, the best and easiest option is to opt for materials or colors that suit your products’ style or represent your brand identity. Generally, the most preferred backgrounds are seamless papers, fabrics, woods, and acrylic. These materials are readily available and do not distract viewers from the main focus (the product).
Similarly, plain white, black, and muted colors are excellent background colors for product photos. White-colored backdrops are my go-to backgrounds for clicking small objects. They provide a clean and minimalist look and make post-processing a bit easier. Therefore, I recommend a white background for apparel and clothing, food and beverages, stationery and office supplies, and furniture.
Black backgrounds, on the other hand, are also great for product photography. But unlike white-colored backdrops, they are best for items (such as pieces of jewelry, vibrant makeup products, glass or reflective items, etc.) that have contrasting colors or vibrant elements that can stand out against the dark backdrop.
Generally, although you can switch to any desired background through, for instance, photoshop, I recommend you have a variety of backdrops in your studio or home. This will make post-processing quicker and easier. You can learn more about choosing a background color in the article-What color background is best for product photos?
4. Style the product
Arrange the items appealingly on your desired surface. Ensure the product and background are clean and in tune with each other. Then add a few props to make the products look more attractive.
5. Think composition
The rules of composition apply to every genre of photography. Fortunately, there are several techniques you can use to balance or compose your shots.
However, the most common ones are the rule of thirds, negative space, framing, leading lines, etc. We have created in-depth pieces on some of them. I suggest taking your time to read through each of the articles below:
A Guide To Framing In Photography. How to? Tips And Ideas
How To Use Leading Lines In Your Photography?
What Is Positive Space In Photography? How To Use It. Tips And Ideas
6. Optimize your camera settings
Set your aperture between f/22 to bring more of the product into focus, ISO at 100 or 200, depending on the intensity of the light, and set your shutter speed to a lower value. Do not forget to use a sturdy tripod; it will help you avoid camera shake and image blur.
Note: There is no general camera setting for product photography. Therefore, I challenge you to discover and rightly optimize your camera (for the product you want to capture) based on what you have learned from the master article on camera basics.
The best way to switch from a beginner to a professional product or commercial photographer is by taking action. If you haven’t read the article, I suggest you do it now if you really want to know the best camera settings to capture high-quality images.
7. Take the shots from different angles and perspectives
Start by shooting from an angle of 0° or a straightforward, frontal (3:00 PM) direction. This will clearly display the product’s features and intricate details. Then slightly move your camera to an angle of 10°-15° above (2:30 PM) and click to showcase the upper part of the item. Finally, zoom in and take close-up shots.
If you working with a female model, I suggest you go through the article below to learn how to click female model pictures.
10+ Tips for Photographing Women/Female Models
Tips for Shooting Specific Product Categories
A. Large-size painting
- Ensure even lighting across the entire painting by utilizing diffused lighting sources.
- Use a tripod to maintain stability and eliminate any potential camera shake.
- Ensure you have the entire painting in focus before taking the shot.
You can learn more in the article below:
How Do You Photograph Large Size Paintings? For Reproduction Or Online Sales
B. Jewelry
- Consider using a macro lens to capture detailed close-up shots showcasing the jewelry’s most intricate designs, gemstones, and craftsmanship.
- Try to capture the jewelry’s reflections or sparkle.
- Additionally, I recommend using props like velvet o, decorative boxes or stands to enhance the overall presentation and convey a sense of luxury.
You can learn more in the article below:
How To Do Jewelry Product Photography?
C. Food and beverages
- Focus on making the food or beverage look fresh, appetizing, and visually appealing by paying attention to plating, garnishing, and overall presentation.
- Experiment with different food-related props.
You can learn more by going through our comprehensive guide on food photography.
Advance Tips And Techniques For Product Photography
A. Lighting
- Harness the power of natural light by shooting near large windows or in outdoor locations with diffused light.
- Build a DIY lightbox using cheap materials like foam boards or cardboard boxes.
B. Creating a product series
- Maintain consistency in lighting, composition, and styling across all your photos to create a unified look.
- Try stop-motion photography for extra creativity.
C. Editing
- Choose a reliable photo-editing software. I recommend using the best product photography apps (free and paid) for editing.
- Fine-tune the exposure to ensure optimal brightness and contrast in your product images.
- Make the colors pop by using the best color temperature for product photography.
- Resize the photos.
You can learn more about editing product pictures in the articles below
How do I give a product a white background?
How can I edit my product photos for free?
D. Shooting at home
If you want to do product photography at home, I suggest you go through the articles below to learn more about how to do it like a pro.
How can I do a product shoot at home? Step-by-Step Instructions
How To Take Pictures Of Products At Home? Like A Professional Photographer
How To Take Product Pictures At Home
How To Do Product Photography At Home Like A Pro!
How To Do Home Decor Photography? Tips To Do Interior Photography
Starting A Commercial Or Product Photography Business
Commercial or product photographers are in high demand all over the world. An average product photographer in the USA earns about $54,436 per year, according to a recently published article on Glassdoor, one of the biggest job recruiting sites in the world.
Therefore, you have made a good choice in opting to become a professional freelance product photographer. Fortunately, starting a commercial photography business is simple. We have curated a well-detailed article to help you thrive in the industry. Find it below:
50+ Business Tips Before Starting Photography Business.
You can also learn about how to charge your clients in the article-How Do you charge for product photography?. Finally, I suggest you go through the article below to learn how small businesses like yours take product photos.