How to Get Great Product Photos for Your Business
Have you ever looked at a product online and been completely uninterested because the photo was so unappealing? It’s true, a simple product photo can make or break a sale. If your photos aren’t up to par, potential customers will pass on buying your products, causing you to miss out on well-deserved revenue.
Product photography can make or break new businesses with limited resources. In this blog post, we’ll share our best tips on how to get great product photos that will capture the attention of your customers and increase conversions from the first glance! All without paying for a professional photographer.
Do you want your products to look amazing? Do you have an idea for taking beautiful pictures but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry – in this article, we are going to explain some techniques that anyone can use.
The Importance of Product Photography
Product photos are one of the most important items a potential customer will look at to base their decision on whether or not they should click “Add to Cart”. Knowing this, it’s vital to make sure you’re doing everything possible to get these photos right. Product shots without good lighting and clear images can leave customers uninterested in buying from your business.
On the other hand, well-lit, professional-looking photos of your products can increase purchases and interest in your products. In fact, Forbes found that 88% of shoppers characterize detailed product content as being extremely important.
You’ve invested your hard-earned money into creating and designing products that you’re proud to offer. It is important to make sure the way they’re displayed matches that level of quality.
We have insider tips and tricks to help you take high-quality photos of your products, even if you only have an iPhone!
Do You Need Expensive Equipment?
In today’s day and age, we have near professional-level cameras at our fingertips. Product photos can be taken with an iPhone, Android, or any other camera phone. Product photography doesn’t require expensive equipment to get the job done.
However, if you’re looking for professional-quality equipment, Canon DSLRs and Sony mirrorless cameras are two of our favorite cameras that don’t break the bank. These two cameras produce crisp, high-quality images and feature interchangeable lenses that will take clear product pictures that are sure to turn heads.
PRO TIP: While taking clear pictures of your products is essential, editing them to look their best is just as important. Photo editing software can help you make your product photos pop with clarity, color, and brightness!
Different Types of Shots to Get
On your website’s product page, you should include a variety of product photos for visitors to click or swipe through. Product photos that have a variety of shots and angles leave customers with a complete understanding of what the item is, how it looks, and how it is used.
If you’re ready to take the plunge and shoot your product photos, try these different shots and ideas:
- Product from all angles – front, sides, back, and above
- Product while open or closed
- Demonstrating how the product is used
- White or black background, whichever shows the product best
- Creative options that feature fun and relevant backgrounds, correlating products, variants, and collections
- Interactive, 360-degree photos
In addition to your product photos, it is always a great idea to include user-generated content (UGC) or lifestyle pictures showing your product in action. This way, customers will see how the product works, the size and design to scale, and how people use the product in real life.
Product Photo Lighting Tips
Lighting is one of the most essential components of product photography. Product shots that are too dark or have odd shadows can make your products look unappealing, unprofessional, and not worth purchasing.
Natural light is usually best for taking photos, but you may need an additional light source if it’s overcast outside or you don’t have a lot of natural light at the location you’re taking pictures at.
You can use different types of lighting setups to create a bright, clear area to take your photos. For instance, if you’re shooting a single object on its own, an off-camera flash is usually recommended for smaller items. Product shots with multiple products may need more light sources and diffusers to avoid shadowing. Light rings and lightboxes are inexpensive items that can make a huge difference in your photo’s brightness. Check out Amazon for plenty of affordable options.
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Where to Use Your Product Photos
Now you know the importance of product photos and tips for taking them, but where should they be used? Product shots that promote your products in different contexts can encourage customers to buy or contact you with questions, so you need to utilize them wherever possible.
Of course, you’ll use these photos on your website’s product pages to visually communicate product features and design. But can you utilize this content in other areas to drive traffic and increase revenue? Absolutely!
Some popular places to share your product photos include:
- Social media – Post these on Facebook and Instagram as part of your organic marketing strategy! This is a terrific way for potential customers to learn about your product and decide whether or not they should buy from you, so these images must create positive associations with your brand.
- Ads – If you’re running Google AdWords campaigns, Facebook ads, or other types of digital ads, you can utilize product shots to promote your products as well. Product photos are a great way to catch the eye of potential customers and convince them that they should take some time out of their day to learn more about your business.
- Product packaging – Imagine the feeling of opening a package with an exterior that captures your interest. What are you going to find inside? A teaser photo on the packaging will just heighten that anticipation. You can’t wait for it! Who doesn’t love receiving packages!?
- Blogs and other written content – Blogs are an excellent way to showcase your product and engage customers. Blogs offer a great opportunity to write about the inspiration behind each piece, why it’s special or unique, what makes you proud of its design, etc. The photos accompanying blog posts can quickly give viewers a better idea of how different pieces look in various environments.
As you can see, there are several places that you should use your product photos to get the most exposure and ROI on your visual content. Plus, you can use your product photos as a jumping-off point for all of your other graphic design assets.
For example, you could send your simple product photos, branding guide, and a vision over to a graphic designer and they can create custom social graphics, guides, email banners, flyers, and more that seamlessly combine your product, logo, and vision.
Try it Out!
Product photography is extremely important but it doesn’t have to be difficult or boring! Product photos are a valuable part of your marketing strategy and should show potential customers what they can expect from a purchase with detail, clarity, and creativity.
Need help turning your product photos into marketing masterpieces? Click here to see some examples of what NLC is capable of. Contact us today to see how we can help you with all of your design needs.