It doesn’t take a professional to gauge the difference between good and bad imagery. Anyone who has paid much attention knows high-quality photography when they see it. That’s understandable, especially given that approximately 90% of information that reaches our brain is transmitted visually. Furthermore, more than 90% of consumers say that images greatly influence purchasing decisions.
Businesses should take note of that. Taking top-notch photos of the products they manufacture and/or sell is of utmost importance. Doing so can mean the difference in not selling a product or selling out of it. For those looking to up their product photography game, use these 20 tips for taking better product images.
1. Buy Based on a Budget
One of the most important things is to buy the best camera equipment you can afford. Analyze the budget, settle on a sum you can stomach, then find the best camera at that price point. Remember, just because two cameras have the same price tag doesn’t mean they’re equal. Drill down on their capabilities, specs, warranties and more.
Bill Konway, a professional photographer who works with many brands in the hunting and fishing industries, encourages those who already have one to try their iPhone camera.
“The cameras in iPhone 10, 11 and 12 are fantastic,” he said. “These are way more advanced than you might think. You still follow the same photography rules — frame the subject, hold steady, get a sharp picture, make sure it’s in focus, try not to get any weird distortions by tipping the camera one way or another, etc. Plus, they have 20-megapixel cameras, but not all megapixels are created equally. A Nikon or Canon at 20 megapixels is going to be a better picture because of the optics.”
Still, don’t spend all of your budget on a camera. Keep some of that money for additional items to purchase. There are other things necessary for jumpstarting your in-house photography program. (More on that later.)
2. Know Your Camera
Whatever camera you select, it’s important to learn it well. Each camera functions differently. Block out a day or two to do nothing but play with the controls and settings. Figure it out before you begin shooting images for your business. This is important, especially if you want to produce high-quality photos.
3. Use Sound Principles
Those with a formal or self-provided education in photography already know the basic principles of photography. They incorporate these things into their work and therefore produce a better end product. It’s important to understand these principles.
While I don’t have space in this article to cover everything, there are certain attributes to definitely know, including balance, color, contrast, dominance, emphasis, form, harmony, lines, movement, pattern, repetition, shape, texture and more. There are certain rules to follow, too, such as the Rule of Thirds, which suggests photographers should place subjects on one of three axis — the left, center or right third of the photo.
4. Clean That Lens
One of the easiest ways to ruin a good photo is using a dirty lens. You can edit out a speck here and there, of course. But who wants to do that? It’s much easier to use a proper cleaning cloth before snapping the photo. Get in a habit of cleaning the lens before and throughout photo shoots, and this will be less of an issue.
5. Use a Tripod
Blurry photos are generally due to one of two things, either the camera or the subject is in motion. (Digital zooms cause this, too, but more on that later.) Given that most product shots are stagnant, blurriness is usually a product of camera shake. To reduce or completely cut out this issue, use a tripod, gimbal or harness system to stabilize the camera. This helps produce clean, crisp images.
6. Learn Proper Lighting Techniques
Good product photos are dependent on good lighting. To capture that, it’s important to learn proper lighting techniques. When using artificial lighting, it’s best to set up lighting kits angled 45 degrees off the front-right and front-left sides of the product. You can backlight it at 45 degrees on the back-left or back-right sides, too. Also, make sure to understand different lighting colors, and when to use each one. Different situations call for different light color variations.
7. Buy a Light Box
Those who are photographing small- to medium-sized items on neutral backgrounds might consider purchasing a light box. These are perfect for setting up product shots with a white or other color background. That said, white is the most common and works best for most items.
8. Operate Under Open Shade
Those who don’t purchase lighting equipment must rely on natural lighting. That’s fine, but it’s harder to control. “Look for open shade, or a little bit of an overcast,” Konway said. “Shoot early or shoot late. You can use all sorts of light control to negate bad light, or enhance good light. Adapt what light you have available to the subject. Sometimes, it’s just as simple as bouncing some light into it, or using the light that is coming in. Either of these things, or both of them combined, can really improve the image.”
Because of this, when outdoors, he prefers cloudy days for most product photography. And if it isn’t completely overcast, you want at least some clouds to filter harsh light. For example, let’s say it’s overcast, but every tree has a small shadow beneath it. This would be a good light because there is a little bit of contrast, lightness and darkness to it. So, a medium overcast day is great.
That said, for those who go all natural, they will still need certain items such as reflectors and other similar tools. “In terms of stuff to adjust light, I went to the store and bought silver and white boards for reflecting,” Konway said. “I just bought a piece of silk fabric to stretch across a PVC frame to soften direct sunlight. You don’t necessarily need high-end stuff. Have a white pickup truck? Pull it over there and bounce some light. Use whatever is handy.
“If you want to buy something, try one of those round collapsible reflectors that come in different diameters. You can have a translucent one that softens light, or a two-sided one with options of white, gold or silver to bounce light. These are really handy.”
9. Understand Depth
While too little light and too many shadows are bad things, you actually want a little shadowing in your photos. This helps provide depth, and really adds another element to the photo. It makes a two-dimensional image look more three-dimensional.
“You don’t want something shot with deep shadows, but you don’t want it completely flat, either, because it’ll be lifeless,” Konway said. “You need a little bit of depth to it. The shadows and light enhance it, so you need some, but you need to be able to manage how much.”
10. Consider Different Shot Types
Once the setting is selected, understand the different shot types, including individual product shots, product in packaging, scaled out (to show the entire item), zoomed in (to show specific features), and lifestyle images, which show the product in action. Just remember: When zooming in, never use a digital zoom because it produces a pixelated image. It’s always better to use an optical zoom, or simply move closer to the subject.
