In today’s world, nearly 90% of consumers do an online search before making a purchase via the web or at a brick-and-mortar store. A big part of this shopping experience includes browsing through photos. As an online seller, this is why you need high-quality photography. Not only will the images you provide help you sell more products, but they will also increase your bottom line. That’s why Thrive Product Studio would like to provide you with the following product photography basics to help you gain a better understanding of the practice.
Understanding Product Photography
Product photography is the process of capturing images of the products you sell. This is especially important for e-commerce stores but can be used for brochures, advertisements, and catalogs. In fact, just about every business needs product photography at some point or another. Why? High-quality images not only provide a visual aid for consumers, but they also support your company’s brand while increasing sales and enhancing your marketing efforts.
Product Photography Categories
There are three different product photography categories. These include:
- Studio images
- Lifestyle images
- Stock images
Studio images are high-quality images that showcase the quality and features of a product using a clean, consistent background. Lifestyle images show how a product works in real life. Models, props, and natural backgrounds are often used with this concept to evoke emotion and boost engagement. Stock images, on the other hand, are generic images that multiple companies can purchase to support their advertising and marketing efforts.
Basic Product Photography Principles
- Clean Background
- Photo Consistency
- Proper Lighting
- Product Details
- Product Angles
Clean Background
When it comes to high-quality product photography, consistency is key. Why? Using the same background for your product images will give consumers a professional, organized perception of your company. At Thrive Product Studio, we love using a pure, white background to bring your products to life, showcase important details, and minimize potential distractions.
Photo Consistency
As an online seller, you probably have a wide variety of products that you sell. As mentioned above, consistency is key when it comes to showcasing them. If all the images of your products look consistent, your website or selling platform will look aesthetically pleasing and professional. That’s where the use of a tripod comes in. While it’s essential to shoot against the same background, the height and distance from a product are equally important. This will keep your products in the same position within the frame of each image.
Proper Lighting
Proper lighting is crucial when it comes to representing your products online. Common lighting mistakes include too much direct light, the wrong light color, or a lack of brightness. That’s why it’s important to balance the lighting to ensure your images have the right amount of shade, brightness, and highlights. Sharpness and clarity are essential components when it comes to product photography. That’s why proper lighting is needed to capture a product’s important details for a crisp, clear, professional look.
Product Details
Online shoppers are limited to the images you provide of your products. Without the ability to touch, or try things on, it’s crucial to showcase as many details as possible. Why? Potential customers want to see the quality and value of a product before they make a purchase. By taking the time to focus on even the smallest details, you leave little to be desired and provide online buyers with the ability to inspect your products closely and build trust with your brand.
Product Angles
Online shoppers are less likely to purchase a product with only one image. This ties in with providing them with important product details. While having a main image is important, potential customers expect to find additional images to gain a better understanding of a product. That’s why it’s important to shoot from different angles to provide customers with key details by incorporating side-views, back-views, and close-ups.
Thrive Product Studio
Whether you’re just starting out or have an established e-commerce store, it’s important to refer to the product photography basics mentioned above to aid in the professionalism and success of your business. If you would like more information or want to get started on your next project, contact the professionals at Thrive Product Studio. Simply fill out our online form or give us a call at 1.877.681.0980. We would be more than happy to help!
