Key Elements for Taking Beautiful Product Photos

Summary: Product photos can drastically impact the way your customers see your business. Here’s how you can take perfect, cost-efficient photos without having to spend thousands of dollars.

The way you present your products and services online can have a significant impact on your overall sales. Amateur product photos won’t cut it in today’s digital space. Fortunately, you don’t need the fanciest camera equipment and thousands of dollars to take professional photos.

This guide is designed to showcase how you can take photos without breaking the bank.

Camera and Gear

It is important to use a quality camera. Fortunately, you can find an affordable camera that comes with decent lenses and can accommodate mid-range and portrait work. Although it used to be that a DSLR was necessary for taking high quality photos, smartphones have come into the picture and can replicate the same quality – or close enough.

Lighting

For product photos, you’ll also want to incorporate some good lighting. While the sun is a great, and free, way to take your shots, you may want to invest in two lights, a tripod and an attachable diffuser square. While there are numerous types of lighting kits available, what is most important for your setup is to purchase lights that can operate in “continuous” mode, as this helps videos.

The Setup

For most product photos, you’ll want a backdrop that makes the product stand out. Colors like white or neutral grey work well and offer a simple and professional look used by major retailers. If you prefer natural light, you can place your setup near a sunny window, or in a dark room if you prefer using your photo lights.