When a customer makes an online purchase, those who have great product photos are more likely to make a profit. This is because 75% of online shoppers base their purchasing decisions on product photos rather than product descriptions. Because of this, investing in e-commerce photography is a tremendous and essential move for online businesses.
Ideas are necessary before starting any product photography. e-commerce photoshoot ideas can help with that. Want to create excellent and profitable product photos? Continue reading as we walk you through the tools you’ll need and the strategies you can use to produce fantastic product images.
What Do I Need for an E-commerce Photoshoot?
Everyone can pull off a DIY product shoot for e-commerce with just the right materials and skills. Here are the types of equipment you need for you to get started:
Camera
You’ll need a decent camera that can capture high-quality images. It can be a smartphone camera with a resolution of at least 32 megapixels or a DSLR with at least 10 megapixels. Check out our top DSLR recommendations if you’re considering buying one.
Tripod
Tripods can help you capture stabilized shots. By using a tripod, you can avoid taking shaky, blurry photos that will lower the quality of your e-commerce product shots. Before choosing which one to use, check to see if the tripod will work with your camera. You should also consider the height of the tripod for maximum efficiency. One last thing you need to check before purchasing a tripod is its locking mechanism. Once you know it fits, check how it secures your camera to prevent accidental removal or falls.
Backdrop
The purpose of backdrops is to give more focus, style, and personality to your products. In that case, backdrops should not become a distraction from the product. Using the right photo background allows buyers to quickly digest the photo’s message and highlight what you’re trying to focus on. When choosing a backdrop, pick muted colors or hues that contrast the colors of the products you’re shooting to make the products stand out. For a makeshift set, use a piece of fabric or colored paper to make a quick and easy backdrop.
Lighting
Good lighting is an essential element of a high-quality e-commerce photoshoot. Like the backdrop, perfect lighting sets the tone, highlights the details, and improves the quality of the product image. For a DIY photo studio, ring lights will do the trick. If you have more budget for lighting equipment, go for soft box lights, scrims, and umbrellas.
Reflectors
A reflector is any surface, improvised or otherwise, that can redirect light to an object. Reflectors can create shadows and amplify or diffuse a poor light source, significantly improving your product photos. There are many different kinds of reflectors, so when deciding which one to use, consider the color, size, type, material, and shape of each.
When you’ve gathered all the necessary equipment, the next step is finding the ideal room or location. For a successful product photoshoot for e-commerce, ensure that your room has enough space for all the necessary equipment. After double-checking the materials needed, proceed to brainstorm photoshoot ideas.
How Do I Photograph My Product for E-commerce?
In e-commerce photography, it’s not just about having the right tools; how you use them makes your photos worth many purchases. Take a look at these simple but effective e-commerce photoshoot ideas to make the most of your images.
When in doubt, use a white backdrop.
White is always a safe bet if you’re unsure what to use as a background. White backdrops provide a clean background that doesn’t take focus away from your product. Additionally, white backgrounds aid in proper lighting. It makes the product details stand out, which is why it’s suitable for small products like jewelry or heavily colored items.
Use props to make your product pop.
Props add value to your e-commerce product photography. When used effectively, props can highlight a product’s best qualities, reveal the brand’s personality, and produce a striking visual. Props are best used in lifestyle shots to convey a compelling story. For instance, if you sell cupcakes, use the ingredients as setting props to narrate a tale to your customers.
However, while using props is a great option, never overdo it. Remember that props should complement your product rather than overshadow it.
Play with flat lays.
A flat lay is a top-down photograph of a product. Most of the time, these are used in social media posts because they can create whimsical and aesthetic effects when used with other props. Flat lays can also help tell a story to add more value to your product. Use this method on your e-commerce photoshoot to create engaging narratives about products such as clothing, food, and beauty products.
When playing with flat lays, it’s important to keep the following recommendations in mind:
- Use soft lighting.
- Have a neutral background to make a product stand out.
- Experiment with product colors. Use contrasting colors if possible.
- Add textures to bring more life to the photo.
Use fake water droplets to induce refreshing feelings.
This e-commerce photoshoot idea is best for shooting food, drinks, and beauty products. Water droplets create a refreshing effect on a product, which is why beverage companies widely use them. Spraying water on the product can do the trick, but the water can trickle down quickly, reducing the image quality. Instead of just water, add glycerin. Glycerin prevents moisture from evaporating instantly, giving you more time to produce your best shots.
Make products float or hang in the air like magic.
Sometimes, performing your product photoshoot for e-commerce on a flat surface can be plain-looking. Making them appear to be floating can significantly influence potential customers. You can do this trick by suspending the product on a fishing line or editing it directly in photo editing software. When you accomplish this, your audience will be astounded by the trick you were able to pull off.
Connect with customers by creating scenes.
Associating scenes can help buyers visualize the product. The scenes you set can be a powerful way to connect with your customers since you’re selling the lifestyle they currently have or aspire to have.
When coming up with scene ideas, think about the concept behind your product. For example, if you sell coffee, consider what coffee does for our lives. You can create scenes where people sip coffee in cafes or enjoy a brew in the rain. These may persuade them to imagine themselves performing the settings you made, resulting in a purchase.
Shoot your products on a reflective surface.
Reflective surfaces can add sophistication and elegance to your photos. You can elevate bland product shots with a glass surface to add depth and texture to the picture. You can add reflections to your product photos for your DIY e-commerce photoshoot by placing them at the right angle on a mirror.
Take product photos outside for a more natural look.
Nothing beats natural light to make your photos vibrant. On the right day, outdoor locations can provide ideal natural lighting and make for stunning settings when shooting health, lifestyle, and beauty products. Conducting your e-commerce photoshoot ideas outside is cost-effective because all you need is a camera. However, you must ensure that the weather is ideal so the natural light can work in your favor.
Experiment with lighting.
As we’ve mentioned before, lighting is essential to any e-commerce photography. Experimenting with lighting can induce different effects on your product images. It can add depth and make your photos visually appealing. Experimenting with varying lighting setups, whether natural or artificial, can teach you how to better manipulate the light hitting your product and may even lead you to something incredible.
Add dramatic feels with window lighting.
A window can provide a great deal of natural light at no cost. It can produce the same results as larger, more costly lighting gears. It will spread light throughout the room and around the subject you place in front of it. This will dramatically affect your products and is perfect for selling luxury items like alcoholic beverages.
Why Should I Invest in Professional E-commerce Photography?
With e-commerce photography, you can show your customers exactly what they’ll get when they buy your product. Your photography skills and at-home photo shoots can only get you so far. If you want shoppers to make that purchase, you’ll have to invest in high-quality photoshoots.
Lucky for you, Stellar Studios captures perfection at any level. All it takes is one photo from one of our expert photographers to convince a skeptic to buy your product.
Here’s why you should invest in professional e-commerce photography:
We have all the right equipment.
There’s no need to buy new photography equipment for your DIY studio. From the camera to different studio lighting, we got it all. At Stellar Studios, we can provide cutting-edge equipment that can capture every product with detail, accuracy, and appeal from any angle.
We’ll give you more photoshoot ideas.
Collaborate with our seasoned photographers who know all types of product photography to give your e-commerce photoshoot ideas more impact. We’re confident that we’ll provide you with ideas that will produce images worth a thousand sales.
We have expert editors.
There’s no need to invest in expensive photo editing software. Our product photography service gives importance to the post-editing process to make sure your product will stand out from the competition. Besides our skilled photographers, our studio also houses expert editors that will surely make your photoshoot ideas come to life.
Make Your E-commerce Photoshoot Ideas a Reality at Stellar Studios
Indeed, outstanding product photos are the way to a customer’s heart. How you choose to produce your photoshoot ideas will determine their worth in the eyes of potential customers. That’s why it’s essential to understand e-commerce photography thoroughly.
With Stellar Studios, you can push the boundaries of product photography. Work with us today, and let us help you make your creative ideas a reality.