Photography is a blend of courage, knowledge, skill set, an eye for creativity, and most importantly, having conviction in your own ideas. Regardless of the type of photography, it requires similar skills, for instance, a good grasp of concepts like focus, exposure, ISO speed, and composition, irrespective of the camera used. Contrary to the beliefs of many, an Android or iPhone camera is simple, cost-effective, and intuitive to use for capturing great e-commerce product photography shots. In this blog, we’ll discuss how your smartphone’s camera, equipped with the right techniques, can capture outstanding product photos.
Can we use a phone camera for professional e-commerce product photography?
Not everybody has the budget to buy a DSLR camera for product photography. It is not surprising that Android and iPhones have the capacity to capture stunning images that qualify for e-commerce product photography.
Surely, a DSLR gives better megapixels, but it’s a fact that many top sellers on popular e-commerce sites like Amazon, Shopify, and eBay use their phones to shoot professional e-commerce product photos. These days, mobile phones are equipped with a high-end camera, and the difference in shooting depends on how you use it.
Smartphone product photography tips
If you’re wondering and searching for How to take professional product photos with your phone, here are some tips:
- Become familiar with your phone camera
In today’s world of Android-powered mobile devices, there is a wide assortment of lens combinations. The first tip to creating stunning product photos is to understand the nuances of your phone camera.
Today, phones come with multiple lens combos. The most common Android lens combinations are:
Ultra-wide: provides a wider view than standard wide-angle lenses.
Wide-angle lens: a default general-use lens for all smartphones.
Telephoto: it is more of a zoomed-in look.
Super-telephoto: it’s a very zoomed-in look.
- Setting up your camera app
Choosing the right camera app is crucial for DIY product photography at home, where you would need high-quality zoomed-in photographs. It is always advisable to first check the in-built phone camera. Especially the new model phones come with a better megapixel and image sensor than before.
- Gather essential tools
While your smartphone is the star of the show, some affordable tools for mobile e-commerce photography tools can greatly enhance your product photography setup:
Tripod or Stable Surface: This helps eliminate camera shake, ensuring sharp images.
Backdrop: A plain, non-distracting backdrop in a complementary color can make your product stand out.
Natural Lighting: Natural light is your best friend. Set up near a large window or outdoors during the golden hour for soft, diffused lighting.
Reflectors: These bounce light onto your subject, reducing shadows and enhancing details.
Props: Consider using props that complement your product and tell a story.
- Focus on lighting
Lighting is the key element that plays a critical role in capturing stunning images. Remember, Android cameras have small lenses, so they are unable to collect light like a DSLR camera. So if you’re shooting in dim light, it would produce dull and grainy photos.
While doing Mobile photography for e-commerce products, it is always recommended to shoot in natural light to capture high-quality pictures without any dullness or shadows.
- Avoid using flash
Flash photography is not recommended for product photography as it can cause distracting light reflections in the images that can wash out the details and flatten your main product.
Flash would not produce the result you’re seeking, and chances are it may leave you with blurry, blown-out, or poorly colored images.
- Avoid zoom
Photographing on smartphones requires not zooming while capturing the shots. With zooming, you are somewhat messing with the high-quality images captured and the drop in resolution.
Instead, the best option is to physically get closer to the subject to fill the frame and to make it clearer with digital zoom.
- Pay attention to the background
The background is one of the most important elements in product photography, owing to the fact that it creates the right contrast, mood, and emphasis on the unique features of your product. While professional photographers can afford to invest in high-end backgrounds, that does not mean you have to shove backgrounds completely to save your budget.
Typically, mega e-commerce sites like Amazon only require a white background, while other e-commerce sites like Shopify give you more freedom to have creative backgrounds. In most cases, white can work well for mobile photography and photographers with a limited budget,
- Explore different angles
Photographing from your phone does not mean you can’t explore different angles. For Smartphone product photography tips the must-have angles for product photos are:
Front angle: The default image for most e-commerce product photography, as they tend to show the product’s main feature. It should be enticing enough to inspire the viewer to buy it.
Profile angle: Photos taken from a side view of the product are known as profile angles.
Back angle: it is used as a key supporting shot in product photography. Back angles are vital in providing crucial information about the product.
45-degree angle: A 45-degree angle shot helps to provide multiple sides of the product while giving additional information at the same time.
Top angle: Typically called bird eye view. The top angle is not always necessary but can provide more context for viewers to shop for the product.
Macro angle: Macro angles display the fine details of the product.
There are several different angles you can try to shoot from, such as:
Close-ups: Best for covering details on fashion, jewelry, and timepieces.
Getting low: to make the product seem more impressive and allow the customer to see what’s inside.
- Composition
Composition is a distinguishing factor between a hasty snap and a well-captured and edited photo. The art of product photography is not just capturing it but also figuring out the best way to perfectly arrange all the elements to get a pleasing, well-balanced result.
Here are a few tips for composition:
- Keeping in mind viewers’ attention
- Focus on balance, layout, and arrangement.
- Use contrast to add dimension to an image.
- Blur the background.
- Pay attention to the details.
- Differences in perspective.
- Shot to edit
We often believe that capturing photos is the final step in the process. But post-editing work is a crucial step in creating an impressive product image. A professional photographer typically shoots with the idea of keeping editing in mind.
Shoot while focusing on the product being well-lit and having plenty of space to crop and edit the photo, add filters, and even change the background in case you’re not satisfied with it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, for DIY e-commerce product photography using your smartphone is not only feasible but can yield impressive results when approached with the right techniques. By understanding your phone’s camera capabilities, optimizing lighting, avoiding common pitfalls like flash and zoom, and exploring various angles, you can capture stunning product images. Remember, the key lies in composition, attention to detail, and planning for post-editing enhancements. With these strategies, you can create professional-grade product photos that stand out and attract potential customers to your online store.
