Should the types of product photography be a major concern for you? I mean, you can capture some quick images, and you’re good to go.
Nope. You’re not. Nowadays, businesses are much wiser and more competitive. Gone are the days of basic product photos. If you plan to grow your eCommerce store into a good position, you must understand all the varieties of the product photography niche which you can successfully utilize.
What is E-Commerce product photography?
With the rise of eCommerce came the increase in eCommerce product photography. Online businesses thrive on this niche, as it is one of the sole methods of getting consumers to browse your store.
Professionally capturing your items, often with creative elements, is what eCommerce product photography is. You are presenting your products to the world. And it would be best if you did so because eCommerce businesses are online-based, with no physical showrooms to benefit from.
Whether it’s an Amazon product photo, eBay product photo, or a photo of your own website/store, you cannot take eCommerce product photography for granted!
Importance of Product Photography For E-commerce Store
It’s a scientific fact that visual information is more critical than readable information. In a study, 60% of people were determined to be visual learners.
Thus, no matter how much information you insert in your product description, the eyes only shift there at the very end. In the beginning, it’s always the product image that your consumer will see.
Can you imagine a popular brand like Apple without glamorous images of its products? More than the technical features, Apple products are bought for the looks. But how would a new consumer know about a product’s visual aesthetic to begin with?
That’s precisely why product photography is so important. It presents, highlights, and beautifies your product. It’s something that can make or break your business, especially if you plan to grow it!
Types of Product Photography
There are several kinds of product photography. In this section, we will discuss the most popular and beneficial ones. They are –
White background shots
This is the most common form of product photography. Sellers in eCommerce platforms like Amazon usually start with white background product photos. Additionally, some of these platforms require you to have at least 2-3 product images white a white backdrop.
White is the most neutral color; thus, it’s great for every product. It does not focus on any color and provides a clean aesthetic. Unless, of course, your product is entirely white. In that case, adding shadows or using a different colored backdrop may help.
Hanging photography
A new genre to the product photography niche, hanging photography is a fresh approach. The product is captured in a hanging position. It could be hung using a rope, wire, hook – whichever suits the product’s aesthetic.
There are many benefits to this kind of photography because it’s simply an artistic choice. In the long run, it can help you define your brand if you keep pursuing this style consistently.
Be careful, though, as not everything looks good while being hung. For example, hanging denim pants would look creative, but hanging a wedding dress may diminish its specialty.
Mannequin photography
Mannequins are an unavoidable aspect of clothing photography. If you want to boost the brand image of your clothing store, you must use mannequins. The 3D feel of the mannequin is appealing as it resembles a real human body.
Professional eCommerce stores take this photography style up a notch by vanishing the mannequin! It’s commonly referred to as ghost mannequin or invisible mannequin photography. You can do this effect by –
- Taking a front-facing picture of the cloth
- Taking a back-facing picture of the cloth, inside out
Superimposing these two pictures on another and erasing the mannequin. However, this final process is best done with the help of professional photo editors.
Flat lay photography
Flat lay photography is one of the simplest and most cost-effective methods of capturing photos. Your product will be laid on a flat surface captured directly from above, providing a “flat” feeling. Any product can be captured in this style.
Just ensure that the surface is perfectly flat and that your camera angle is facing directly towards it. Even mild variations in the flatness and the camera angle will ruin the “flatness.” Without the flatness, the pleasantry of this style is not fully present in the photo.
Texture photography
Since consumers can’t touch or feel your products, perhaps you can help them imagine the feel. For example, capturing close-ups of your products can invoke a sense of touch. This can also be called macro photography because you will need macro lenses to take such close images at high fidelity.
As with all other types of product photography, not all items will benefit from this style. For example, the texture of the lint of a t-shirt may not be that pleasant to look at. In comparison, the finely carved texture of a jewelry piece could enhance its beauty further.
Group photography
In group shots, you capture multiple products or multiple items of a single product. For example, if you’re selling a phone, a group shot could be the phone along with its charger, cable, and box. Or, it could be multiple color variations of the same phone.
Group photography is an excellent way of summing up what your customers can expect into one photograph. This clears up a lot of confusion and can automatically build trust with your consumer base.
The Packaging Shot
Sometimes, packaging quality becomes just as important as the product itself. For example, everyday products like candles, shampoos, lotions can benefit from glamorous packaging.
In such cases, you ought to capture shots of your product packages along with your products. Of course, you can take a gift-wrapped image of it, too, if you provide that option.
Lifestyle action shots are fabulous options for bringing the products to life – literally! For example, models can wear your clothing while engaging in a particular activity if you’re selling clothing. The same thing can be done for accessories, phones, and a wide variety of products.
This style of photography may be a bit cumbersome and expensive, but it’s worth it if you want to bring originality into your brand.
Product Specification Image shot
Certain items may require a lot of details to be known. What’s the size? The weight? The height?
Including these specifications in the image can save you a lot of hassle in customer support. They will also help you gain customers’ trust as you’re making the extra effort to make such small details visible.
Before and After Photos
Consumers need to be convinced. If you’re selling a product that claims to make a big change in their lives, they need to see it!
Before-after photos help you accomplish that. Slimming products, beauty products, and health products can benefit from pictures before and after use. Make sure that the before-after images are realistic and not wildly exaggerated.
Pro Tips: After taking the photos, edit by professionals
Professional photo editing is, without a doubt, the ultimatum for all product photographers. You must edit your photo professionally. Color correction, photoshop image masking, retouching, background removal, spot healing are highly specialized editing services that only professionals can carry out perfectly.
Photo editing may be a hassle for eCommerce business owners or product photographers. However, a lot of time and effort needs to be invested in this, which you can easily use to grow your business. Thus, outsourcing photo editing work may be a better option than doing it by yourself.
Plus, if you’re not an experienced photo editor, you may not be able to edit with such high precision that the professionals can!
Important FAQs of Product Photography
What is product photography?
Product photography is a genre of photography that captures pictures exclusively for a product-based business.
Why is product photography getting popular?
It is getting popular because of the rise in eCommerce, startups, and easier access to technology worldwide.
Why is color correction service important for e-commerce?
Without color correction, the products will not resemble how it appears in real life. This can damage your business’s reputation.
What are the reasons for background removal services?
Background removal services are usually done for –
- Removing distractions from the image background
- Using a different background
- Use the image of only the product to merge with other images
Which company is best for eCommerce photo editing & why?
There is no best in general, but there can be a best for you. Most reputable photo editing agencies provide their portfolio and free trial options. Browse these agencies and choose whichever offers the best quality of editing, onboarding process, and communication style suited for you.
Conclusion
Phew! Great job in digesting so much information!
It may be overwhelming to learn about so many types of product photography. But if you’re a professional photographer and a business owner, it will be worth it! We hope this article has helped you and if it has, do share.
