How to Take Great Ecommerce Product Photos With Your Phone

How to Take Great E-commerce Product Photos With Your Phone

Posted 8 years ago by Kristen Pinkman, 붚죕쳔 Team

There�셲 no桂denying that product photography is桂incredibly important to桂e-commerce. Bad photos桂�� or桂a桂complete lack of桂photos桂�� can take a桂potentially thriving business and桂stall its sales. But, as桂a桂fledgling e-commerce entrepreneur, you might not have the桂money to桂pay for桂professional photos right off the桂bat. What�셲 a桂business owner to桂do?

Lucky for桂you, you don�셳 necessarily need an桂expensive toolkit or桂a桂photographer friend to桂take those pictures. Smartphone cameras have progressed at桂an桂astounding pace.

They won�셳 deliver the桂same end result as桂hiring a桂product photographer with a桂DSLR, but you can take perfectly good photos of桂your products in桂the桂meantime. You just need to桂know a桂few tips and桂tricks.

Get the桂Right Camera

In桂the桂best lighting conditions, any桂modern smartphone can take decent pictures. If桂you are going to桂take photos in桂natural light, you don�셳 need to桂worry about your camera.

However, if桂you go桂for桂indoor photography, make sure your camera has the桂following features:

Autofocus for桂quick shooting
Optical image stabilization (OIS) for桂reducing blur
Aperture (lower numbers are better) for桂improving low-light performance
LED flash for桂powerful light

More megapixels do桂not necessarily create a桂better image. The number of桂megapixels mostly stands for桂the桂image size桂�� the桂more megapixels, the桂larger the桂image. Something between 8桂and桂16桂megapixels is桂fine桂�� in桂case you want to桂crop your pictures, they won�셳 lose a桂lot of桂clarity.

If桂you are going to桂buy a桂new phone anyways, you can compare the桂quality of桂real pictures taken under different light conditions by桂various cameras . The most popular brands are available for桂comparison.

Prepare the桂Background

Find a桂contrasting background �� that is桂the桂#1桂rule. Ideally, you want the桂background/surface to桂skew on桂the桂lighter side桂�� black backgrounds can make a桂photo look very dark. If桂your product is桂light colored, go桂for桂a桂medium tone rather than a桂black background.

Choose a桂concept for桂your background, so桂that your photos look like a桂gallery. Background ideas vary from plain white to桂every kind of桂surface you find attractive. Having a桂concept doesn�셳 mean using one and桂the桂same background all the桂time桂�� you can play with textures and桂colors.

White Background

Sometimes it�셲 hard to桂find a桂plain background for桂your photos. In桂this case, set up桂a桂poster board against a桂wall, so桂that it�셲 curved from the桂floor to桂the桂wall.

You might need to桂anchor the桂corners that are on桂the桂floor to桂keep it桂from moving or桂blowing away (if you�셱e outdoors)桂�� you can use books or桂anything else that�셲 heavy enough. If桂you�셱e having a桂hard time picturing it, think of桂it桂like creating your own mini-drop cloth:

Source: Jet

Textured Background

Your pictures don�셳 have to桂be桂all white. Using a桂natural background is桂not just an桂in-case option, as桂this approach has several benefits over shooting your products on桂a桂plain background.

Experiments with background make your pictures unique and桂influence brand establishment. People tend to桂remember brighter colors and桂interesting compositions better.

Also, getting creative with backgrounds increases the桂chances that someone will want to桂like and桂share your product picture on桂social media, especially on桂Pinterest and桂on桂Instagram.

Try and桂DIY a桂wooden background:

Source: loveandoliveoil.com

Here�셲 a桂possible result:

Or桂use a桂knitted one:

Source: www.etsy.com

You don�셳 even have to桂buy special cloth for桂that. Go桂through your sweaters, plaids, and桂rugs桂�� they are all treasures.

Natural Background

Take what you sell and桂go桂for桂a桂walk to桂find backgrounds that would make great company to桂your product�셲 colors, shape, and桂dimension. Grass, sand, road, leaves, walls桂�� the桂list goes on桂as桂long you can go.

Set the桂Light

Light is桂by桂far the桂most important factor for桂a桂beautiful picture. As桂mentioned above, natural lighting is桂best, but sometimes, direct natural light can be桂harsh and桂cause dark shadows and桂color distortions (making things look more orange than they are).

Shoot in桂Natural Light

If桂you can take photos directly next to桂a桂large window that receives natural light, that can prevent harsh shadows because it桂diffuses the桂light.

The other option is桂aiming for桂earlier morning hours or桂later afternoon hours when the桂sun is桂a桂little less harsh. You also don�셳 want the桂product to桂be桂backlit, so桂you want the桂source of桂light to桂be桂behind or桂to桂the桂side of桂you and桂above the桂camera/phone.

Source: pixc.com

Get a桂Lightbox

If桂you are going to桂consistently take and桂add new photos to桂your store as桂you expand your product catalog, and桂have no桂intentions of桂outsourcing product photography any桂time soon, buy a桂lightbox or桂go桂DIY.

You�셪l need: your phone; a桂white poster board; a桂large, clear, plastic storage container; and桂2-3桂lamps (a桂kit like , if桂you would have to桂go桂out and桂buy all those components).

How to桂shoot with a桂lightbox:

Put the桂white poster board in桂the桂storage container so桂that it桂curves from the桂bottom of桂the桂container up桂the桂back.
Position a桂lamp on桂each side of桂the桂storage container.
Make sure you have the桂right bulbs for桂the桂lamps. The bulbs in桂each lamp need to桂be桂identical (otherwise the桂lighting will be桂uneven or桂give different colors); ideally, you�셪l use cool-colored 5000K bulbs.

Think Through Composition

Remember the桂benefit you have over physical stores: you can tell a桂lot more about your product by桂means of桂photography. Customers don�셳 buy things桂�� they buy emotions. So桂ask yourself:

Does my桂picture tell a桂story?

In桂order to桂picture an桂involving story and桂drag your customers into it, experiment with perspectives and桂use accessories. You will need more than just the桂front and桂the桂side views of桂your product. Try the桂following approaches to桂start with.

A桂Static Picture

Show your product�셲 natural look.

Product in桂Action

Tell your customers about the桂best product features.

Lifestyle Picture

Give your customers an桂idea of桂how your product can fit their lives.

Your Next Steps

Are you inspired enough to桂grab your phone and桂go桂shoot beautiful product pictures?

Here�셲 a桂summary of桂things to桂remember:

You�셪l need (in total): a桂smartphone, a桂tripod, a桂plastic container, three lamps, a桂poster board and桂a桂backdrop or桂two.
Natural light is桂best, but try to桂shoot during morning hours or桂before the桂sunset.
Choose contrasting backgrounds.
Try to桂include a桂story in桂your images.

桂

About The Author

Kristen is a �ontent creator at 붚죕쳔. She finds inspiration in sci-fi books, jazz music, and home-cooked food.

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