Product photography is a key part of ecommerce, because it showcases your products to potential customers. However, it can be expensive to hire a professional photographer.
If you’re on a budget, it’s still possible to take amazing product photos without spending big money. Here are a few tips to help you get started on the right foot.
Lighting
When it comes to product photography, light is one of the most important things to consider. It can make or break an image and understanding how to recognize it is crucial for taking great photos.
Whether you are an experienced photographer or just starting out, there are many different lighting options available for you to choose from. The best option for you will depend on your budget, and what kind of product photography you plan to do.
In most cases, natural light is the best option for product photography. It is much more flattering than flash and produces beautiful images that can drive sales. However, if you don’t have the money to buy lighting equipment, natural light can also be achieved with simple DIY techniques.
A soft box light with a diffuser is often the most basic and effective setup for most product photographers. A softbox can help to reduce harsh shadows on the product and increase the overall quality of the shot.
If you’re looking to achieve more dramatic effects, back lighting can also be a great choice. This type of lighting creates a more natural look and makes it possible to shoot translucent products like glass.
Another type of lighting you may want to try is continuous lights. This can be used for both photos and video, and it stays on as long as you need. This type of lighting is a little more expensive than other types of lights, but it allows you to see how the light is falling on your product without having to take reference shots.
Finally, if you are a beginner product photographer, strobe lighting is an option that can be used to achieve sharp focus images. Using strobe lighting in the early stages of your career can be risky, and you should only use it as an option if you are confident that you have enough experience to work with it.
As mentioned earlier, lighting is the most important thing to think about when doing product photography. It can create a mood or emotion that is essential to telling the story of your brand and product. Once you have a better understanding of how to use lighting, you can start focusing on creating the photos that best reflect your brand.
Camera
If you’re an online entrepreneur with a small business, the cost of hiring a professional photographer to take product photos can be prohibitive. But the good news is that there are many affordable and easy to use equipment options to make your product photography budget stretch a bit further.
The most important piece of equipment you’ll need to do your product photography on a budget is the camera itself. Whether you’re using a smartphone or an enthusiast-grade digital point-and-shoot, a decent lens can help you produce great results without breaking the bank.
For starters, if you don’t have the money for a full-fledged DSLR, start with a point-and-shoot camera that has a decent zoom lens. This type of camera will allow you to zoom in to see the product details and then crop out the background to give the product more room.
A point-and-shoot camera that can capture high-quality images at a reasonable price is the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS70. This entry-level camera boasts a Leica lens, in-body image stabilization and video abilities.
Another option for beginners is to buy an enthusiast-grade cropped sensor camera that allows you to shoot in RAW format, which produces much better results than JPEG. This will also save you a lot of time when you’re editing and making final adjustments to your images.
To get the most out of your camera, it’s essential to be able to control all aspects of the process. This includes selecting the ISO, shutter speed and aperture settings that are appropriate for your situation.
The right setting can have an enormous impact on how your photos turn out. Choosing the wrong setting can cause your images to look unnatural or even out of focus.
If you’re unsure what settings to use, you can always consult a professional or read up on the basics of taking pictures. Some cameras are even equipped with a manual mode, which lets you set the settings yourself.
A tripod is an essential tool for any product photography session, as it’s the best way to ensure that you don’t have to constantly hold your camera in awkward positions. It can also give you the ability to move the camera slightly and tweak the composition of the image for a more appealing result.
Props
There are a lot of things you can do to improve the quality of your product photos on a budget. The first step is to ensure that you have the right equipment. This can be a big investment, but it will pay off in the long run. You should also consider taking some photography classes to learn the basics of editing photos so that you can improve them quickly.
Props are another way to enhance your product photography. They can make the photo look more interesting and creative, add a sense of humor or create a story about the product. Depending on the type of product you are photographing, there are many different types of props that you can use.
The important thing is to choose props that complement the product or fit with the brand’s branding. It’s not uncommon for companies to have certain colors or themes for their products, so it’s a good idea to pick props that are in tune with these themes and color schemes.
For example, if you’re photographing a fragrance or body wash that contains vanilla, it’s a good idea to include a vanilla flower. This will send the message that the product is something to do with vanilla and help your audience understand what it is.
Other natural backgrounds are also a great choice, especially if you’re trying to capture an outdoorsy or more natural image. A tree, waterfall, or forest can really set the mood for a product shoot.
You can also use nature as a prop to create unique and artistic images that will truly stand out from the crowd. A simple stone, leaf, or brightly colored string can be used to create a striking background that will enhance your product photography.
Once you have a basic lighting setup, take multiple pictures to evaluate them. This will allow you to see what works best, which you can then tweak for future shoots.
Using a tripod will help you to get the exact angle you want and take advantage of the slightest changes in position that can give your product photos a boost. You can even experiment with different filters to see what kind of effect you like.
Editing
Product photography is a critical part of any successful ecommerce business. Not only can high-quality photos increase your conversions, they also help boost your brand image and make shoppers feel more confident about purchasing from you.
As with any other type of photography, there are a number of things you can do to ensure that your product images look their best. In particular, you want to pay attention to lighting, camera selection and editing.
First, decide on the types of images you need. These may include standard product shots on a white background to use on marketplaces, branded product photos that can be used on your own website or social media accounts, lifestyle pictures that show the product in an aspirational setting and detail shots that highlight key features.
Next, choose the appropriate settings on your camera and take several photographs. Ideally, you’ll use multiple lenses and capture several different angles of your product to get the right effect.
To capture the best possible photo, you’ll need to adjust your exposure, focal length and shutter speed. This will ensure that your photos are crisp and clear and make sure you’re not overexposing or underexposing the image.
Using the right lens can help you achieve the desired effects and save you time in post-production. This is especially important if you’re on a budget and want to get the most bang for your buck.
While there are many things to consider when shooting a great image, selecting the right lens is one of the most important. The correct lens will allow you to capture the details of your product in all its glory without compromising your quality.
The right lens will also enable you to shoot images that are sharp, clear and bright. You’ll need to keep your camera steady while you’re taking the pictures, so it’s important that you invest in a sturdy tripod.
