High-quality, purposefully shot product photos are critical to your online store’s success. With increasing sellers competing for buyers’ attention, you must nail first impressions from the first product image. Showcasing high-quality products on your website’s homepage is considered an eCommerce merchandising strategy that can keep customers on your site longer and guide them to purchase. Thankfully, producing eye-catching photographs does not require you to be a skilled product photographer Montreal. Continue reading for how to take professional e-commerce photos.
Use the right space and equipment.
- Choose a space that is appropriate and has lots of natural light and workspace.
- Ensure the area has enough outlets for equipment.
- Invest in proper lighting for clear, high-quality photos.
- Include a reliable light source, diffuser, and white bounce board.
- For complex setups, consider additional equipment like light stands, lightboxes, speedlights, or strobe lights.
- Set up a smartphone with a high-resolution camera, tripod, or DSLR camera.
- Use a pure white backdrop for even light reflection and easy editing.
- To ensure steady shooting, set up a chair or stool or a table for small items.
- Consider purchasing stands or tape for large items like furniture.
Set Shooting Area
For large items
Set up your stand-mounted sweep or tape the backdrop to a wall near your main light source. You should soften your lighting and try to avoid harsh shadows. Some Montreal product photographers may prefer to use overhead lighting rather than angled lighting to achieve more evenly distributed light. Alternatively, you may need at least two sources of light.
For small items
- Set up the table close to a window or other source of light.
- Support against sturdy surfaces.
- Position at a 90-degree angle for light penetration.
- Adjust placement for dramatic effect.
- Attach a white bed sheet or diffuser to soften the surface.
- Keep out of the direct sunlight.
- Set up a white paper backdrop to cover the bottom and back of the shooting area.
Prepare your product
To prepare your products for their debut, gather all the items you want to photograph, including samples of each variation, and check for any blemishes, smudges, or creases. Make a shot list of all the products you intend to photograph during the session to help you work more efficiently. Experiment with different arrangements, such as displaying delicate items on a bust or facing prominent labels and packaging.
Prepare Your Camera
You need to change your camera settings. Turn off the flash if you are using a smartphone. Set your phone on a tripod to prevent camera shake. Note that when taking photos, you should avoid using the zoom function, which will reduce photo quality, and instead move your phone physically closer to your subject as needed.
If you’re using a professional product photography Montreal camera, use a slow shutter speed and a high f-stop (such as f/16) to achieve a greater depth of field. To avoid graininess, use the lowest ISO possible (100 to 200), and set your camera to the highest image quality option (preferably RAW). Play around with the white balance on your camera. A preset balance may suffice, but you may prefer to set it manually.
Take product shots.
Apply the following points when taking the product shots:
- Compose your shot based on specific equipment, product, and other factors.
- Use diffusers and white bounce boards to make sure the lighting is constant throughout the photo session.
- Turn off all other lights in the room, except studio lights, to avoid discoloration.
- Photograph items from every angle for a 360-degree view.
- Consider the actual observations that customers have made about the product when directing shots.
- Consider frequently asked questions to capture the texture and inner details of the product.
- Display an odd number of objects in a photo for a more interesting viewing experience.
- A low aperture and depth of field can create balance by directing the eye to the item in the centre.
- Divide your shot into a 3×3 grid and position the main subject or points of interest along the lines and intersections.
Finetune your photos
After you’ve taken your photos, make sure they’re publish-ready. If you use a website builder for your ecommerce photography Montreal needs, you’ll already have some photo editing tools at your disposal. You can use online tools such as Canva. You can also use more advanced programs like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom as an alternative. As you fine-tune your photos, remember these post-production tips:
- Avoid distorting images: Use subtle changes to accurately represent products, not filters or distorting effects.
- Adjust discolorations: When editing photos, balance colours to give them a more realistic appearance.
- Prioritize consistency: Prioritize consistency when cropping or retouching photos, especially between feature and thumbnail images.
- Optimize photos for faster loading: Resize and export photos as smaller, crisp files to avoid slowing website performance.
Put photos online
Take the last pictures you want to use and post them to your web store. Remember to follow these best practices:
- Consistent appearance on category and product pages.
- Commit to a specific photo style for visual appeal.
- Provide a range of product images to boost your customers’ interest.
- Include a variety of photos to answer common product questions.
- Enable photo zoom for finer details.
- Include alt text for SEO and accessibility.
- Alt text should be descriptive and not overly long.
Conclusion
The post concludes that by following a structured approach, anyone can take professional-quality eCommerce product photos, such as those used in Amazon Product Photography Montreal, without having to hire a professional photographer. It emphasizes the importance of using the right equipment, lighting, product preparation, and post-production editing to achieve high-quality images. Additionally, consistency in photo presentation and website performance optimization is critical for improving overall visual appeal and increasing customer confidence in online stores.