The proverb says “a picture worth thousand words” and when e-commerce we say a picture worth thousand visitors. Because a picture can create a great impression. A picture is the expression of the aesthetic mind and professionalism of the photographer.
In e-commerce, a product photo has several intentions behind it. One is to increase the number of visitors by creating an impression, and the other is to increase the conversion rate. Photographers also have to take product photos to accomplish those goals.
To achieve the goal of increasing sales and generating traffic on your website I have brought some practical product photography tips. Without further ado, let’s get started.
Camera Settings for Better Product Photos
Getting your camera settings right makes a big difference in product photography. Adjusting the aperture helps control background blur make your product stand out. Keep the ISO low prevents grainy images while a fast shutter speed keeps shots sharp, especially if you are holding the camera. Manual mode gives full control over brightness help you avoid over exposed or dark photos. White balance keeps colors accurate prevent weird tints. Different focal lengths change how the product looks so experimenting helps. When you understand these basics, your photos look more professional make your products more appealing to potential buyers.
How to Get the Right Colors in Your Product Photos
Colors need to look natural in product photos or customers might get the wrong impression. White balance settings help adjust colors so they match real life. Auto white balance works sometimes but setting it manually gives better results. A gray card is useful for getting colors right especially when working with different lighting. Sunlight, indoor lights and LED lights all affect colors. so small adjustments make a big difference. Editing software like Photoshop or Lightroom can help fine-tune colors if needed. When colors look true to life, customers trust what they see, leading to fewer complaints.
Picking the Right Lens for Product Photography
The lens you use affects how your product looks. A macro lens works best for tiny details make it great for jewelry or small accessories. A 50mm or 85mm lens creates a natural look without distortion while wide-angle lenses can stretch and change how a product appears. Prime lenses are sharp and let in more light which helps in low-light conditions. Zoom lenses give more flexibility when framing shots. Choosing the right lens ensures your product looks clear and professional. A good lens investment improves image quality make your products more appealing to customers.
Choosing the Best Background for Your Product
A good background makes your product stand out. A plain white background is great for e-commerce because it keeps things simple and professional. Texture backgrounds add style make the photo more eye-catching. Environmental backgrounds show how the product is used help customers relate to it. The key is to pick a background that does not distract from the product. If the product blends too much a different color might work better. Paper, fabric or even everyday items can create great backdrops. A well-thought-out background adds personality and makes your product photos look polished.
Taking Professional Product Photos with Your Phone
You do not need an expensive camera to take great product photos. Set your phone to the highest resolution for sharper images. Natural light near a window gives the best results make products look bright and natural. Tapping on the screen to adjust focus and exposure helps keep images clear. A small tripod helps reduce blur by keeping the phone steady. Editing apps like Snapseed or Lightroom can fine-tune brightness, contrast and colors. Cleaning the camera lens before shooting avoids blurry spots. Taking multiple shots from different angles helps you choose the best one. Simple tricks like these make phone photography look professional.
How to Make Product Photos Rank Better on Google
Optimizing product images helps them show up in search results. Using clear keyword-rich file names makes a difference—”red-leather-wallet.jpg” is better than “IMG_1234.jpg.” Adding alt text helps search engines and visually impaired users understand whats in the image. Compressing photos reduces file size, making websites load faster. Choosing the right file format matters too—JPEG is best for general use, while PNG works well for images with transparent backgrounds. Mobile-friendly images ensure smooth browsing. SEO-friendly images not only improve website performance but also help attract more buyers.
Before & After: The Power of Editing in Product Photography
Seeing a side-by-side comparison shows how much editing improves product photos. Unedited shots might have poor lighting, dull colors or distracting backgrounds. After editing the product looks polished, sharp and well-lit. Brightness and contrast adjustments help bring out details, while color correction ensures the product looks exactly as it does in real life. Removing shadows, reflections and unwanted objects makes the image cleaner. Sharpening textures enhances the product’s quality. Before-and-after examples highlight the difference a few adjustments make, showing why editing is a key step in product photography.
Why Alt Text is Important for Product Photos
Alt text describes images for visually impaired users and helps with SEO. When someone can’t see an image, alt text explains what’s there. Search engines also use it to understand and rank images in search results. A good alt description is simple and direct—”Handmade wooden coffee table with metal legs” is better than “Table.” Avoid stuffing in too many keywords, as it can make the text sound unnatural. Many businesses forget to add alt text, missing out on SEO benefits. A little effort in writing clear descriptions can improve search rankings and user experience.
Using Proper Lighting
Lighting is one of the most important parts of product photography. That’s why I would like to start with lighting. It reveals the real look of the product and it’s background. If you don’t use proper lighting, the background may become gloomy.
Or sometimes, the real color may not appear as it is without proper product photography lighting. So, put first priority to lighting so that you can represent the features of the product to the customers. Well, you have two sources of light. One is natural and artificial. Both work well according to the need.
If you are shooting edible items, clothing, and people then go for natural light. If you are shooting indoors, then artificial light will work.
Using Tripod
The product photography setup is incomplete without bringing a tripod. You might think that I am getting too nerdy about product photography. Let me tell you, without a tripod, it becomes hard to take a clear photo. If you shoot photos keeping the camera on your hand, without your knowledge your hands will shake. For this reason, you will notice there are some blurry parts at the edges.
To get rid of this kind of problem, a tripod is the best rescue. Not only this, a tripod helps throw light on every part of a product photo. No matter what kind of camera you use, a DSLR, or a mobile phone camera there are many convenient tripods for you. A tripod is a basic product photography equipment. You can never deny buying this.
Using Relevant Props
Props are always an auxiliary force. And when you are shooting product photos, props become a secondary force. The focus should always be the product. However, props can be used to brighten the photos. It is good for the viewers to get attracted to the product photos. Nevertheless, the props must be relevant to the product. If you are showing groceries, then the props should be related to it. Sometimes, photographers use irrelevant props as well. That is used for an aesthetic purpose.
Know Product Specification
The specialty of product photography is to highlight the products as much as you can. As a product photographer, you have to show product specifications as well. How the products look like, which part of it is more important, and many more regarding the product. To execute it right, you have to know the product specification. Otherwise, you cannot focus on the most important attributes of the products.
Get Inspired by the Top Brands
There is no doubt that the best brands are the trendsetters in the market. Most photographers follow what they do. You can also take inspiration from their photos. If you analyze their photos, you can get a lot of things from the top brands. As you have a basic knowledge of photography, you must understand the techniques they are using.
Know the Rule of Thirds
Most photographers consider the rule of thirds as a strong photography technique. Even photography teachers teach this as a basic course in their classes. According to the rule of thirds, you have to imagine your frame comprising nine equal segments. Now you create a well-balanced composition on your photos. To be creative in product photography you have to learn the rule of thirds. Using the rule of thirds you can manipulate people’s natural way of viewing anything.
Take Multiple Photos from Different Angles
Well, we take product photos for the customers so that they can have a clear idea about the product. The product photo should contain every apparent aspect of the product. Otherwise, the buyers will get confused and will not place an order. Take some close photos to make sure the clients can see the details of the product. If the product contains a subtle design then it should be visible to the customers.
To give your client a clear idea of the product you must take several photos of a single product from different angles. That will expose every aspect of the product. When a customer will get a full idea of the product photo, he/she might buy the product.
Take Contextual Picture
Anything contextual becomes more meaningful to the viewers. The product photos are not different. You need to make your products more contextual. Take product photos according to their use, place where they are supposed to be, etc.
Making contextual product photos will allow the customer to have an idea about the use of the product as well. Many customers don’t even know the use of the products they are looking for. In that case, if you take contextual photos that will help them.
Know Different File Formats
As a professional photographer, you may have to share files in different formats. So, you must have a clear idea about every file format. Get a firm knowledge of how file formats work, which file is used for which task etc. TIFF, JPG, GIF, PNG, or BMP are some of the common file formats. All the formats have their own specialty and use. As a professional product photographer, you must know about all the file formats and their use.
Edit RAW Images
No matter how much expertise you have or how dexterous you become in the field of photography, you can never say that all your photos are up to the mark and ready to upload. You have to take the help of professional image designers or editors to make your photo look as you want. To get any kind editing for product photography contact Fix the Retouch.
Final Thought
Any kind of photography genre demands hard work to bring it to perfection. You also have to endure toil and moil to achieve a certain level of expertise. Taking photography class, getting expert help & advice, working with seniors can take you a long way. But practicing yourself is the best way to learn product photography.
