Tag: product photo

How Product Photography Helps to Elevate Your Visual Brand

Online shoppers cannot physically hold a product in their hands to judge its quality. Therefore, how a product is presented via pictures on shopping websites or in advertisements on social media, forms the basis for purchase decisions made by customers.

The influence of product photographs is not just limited to its sales. Product pictures can play a significant role in generating a buzz about your brand. Professionals in the field of product photography understand how pictures of your products are the visual foundation of your brand image. Product photographs convey the personality of its makers to the customer, which forms the basis of your relationship with them.

Here are some of how the right product photography partner can help you take your brand to the next level:

Brand Product Photography

Let’s Discuss Each Point in Detail

1. Ensuring High Quality of Photographs

The photographs taken by professional product photographers are set apart by their quality. The quality of a photograph is determined by several factors like adequate illumination, the right degree of contrast, the balance of colors, the composition of the photograph, and clarity. Professional photographers are trained to take these aspects into account.  High-quality images create the all-important positive first impression that impacts purchase decisions.

high quality product photos

2. Accurate Depiction

Product photographers know how to toe the fine line between capturing the interest of the customer without making the product look unrealistic or heavily edited. At the end of the day, the customer should receive a product that closely resembles its online photograph. Using stock images or amateurish pictures tarnishes your credibility. It is as important to present an authentic photograph of your product to the customers as it is to present an attractive photograph.

3. Facilitating Collaboration with the Photographer

Professional product photography is designed to charm the customer in the unique manner that you envision. A professional product photographer from a product photography studio would be able to efficiently channel your vision into a photograph. A photograph has immense potential to tell stories. You would want the pictures of your product to reflect the message you want to send to your customer about your business. If you use a generic image or a flat one taken by an amateur, then the customer will only see a thing, not everything that it symbolizes. 

4. Using Lifestyle Photography

Lifestyle photography is a special service offered by professional product photographers. Beautiful Product Photography is not only about telling a story about your brand, but also about including your customer in the narrative. Lifestyle photography puts your products in context by capturing them as a part of a curated scene. It helps your customer align their self-image with that of your brand. Coupling the image of a perfume you are selling with chic shots of clothes for example could help your customer visualize the occasion where they might use it.

perfume product photography

 

5. Helping Develop a Visual Identity

Professional product photographers know exactly how to link a recurring visual theme with your brand. Highlighting a brand mark or logo repeatedly, sticking to a particular color palette in all photographs, and consistent emphasis on certain shapes, forms, or motifs will create a psychological association of those things with your brand in the minds of consumers. This in turn will make your brand stand out among others by making it immediately recognizable. People are more likely to choose things they find familiar. Professionals can ensure such consistency in imagery.

6. Supporting the Brand Image Building Process

Product images are a direct marketing tool at your disposal to communicate the values and sentiments that you want to associate with your company. A positive brand image is key to building a strong and positive relationship with your customers. For example, if you want your brand to appeal to make-up enthusiasts, the consistent use of playful settings, vibrant colors, fun arrangements, etc., through professional makeup product photography can achieve that.

The ‘Right’ Look

There is no singular path to success when it comes to an art form like photography. No matter the differences in style, the goal remains the same – to produce product photographs that make your brand appear attractive, unique, memorable, and stand out in popular online marketplaces like Amazon. So, hire professionals Amazon Product Photographer who understands the essence of your business, has the skills to present it in photographic form, and has the experience to do it consistently.

Mistakes to Avoid When Shooting on White Background

White backgrounds provide backdrops for your portrait and commercial photographs. To focus the viewer’s attention on only the product and avoid any background distractions, high-key, or white backdrop photography is used. Whether it’s the ‘infinite white background’ effect or the up-close shots, you can ace them with the right skills and enough practice.

You don’t have to spend hours fixing your light and subject placement if you avoid the following mistakes and learn from the mentioned tips.

Avoid Cloth Canvases and Muslins

It is not advised to choose cloth canvases over paper. The seamless look that photographers aim for during product photography ecommerce might get distorted due to the cloth crinkling up. Even with your best efforts, you cannot get all the wrinkles and creases out of your scope.

A paper background is comparatively cheaper and can be stored easily. You can roll it up when done; it is wrinkle-free, heavier, and easier to tear. Paper backdrops don’t need any ironing or steaming before the shoot and they are uniformly colored thus reducing your editing and post-production hassle.

Maintain Space

Lighting the subject and the background separately is important. 7-10 feet is the advisable distance for subject placement in front of the white backdrop. If the distance is not enough, the light intending to fall on the background will inevitably spill onto the subject as well. You do not need a halo effect, poor backlight, or the subject to look flat in your photo.

Lighting in two different stages is a mark of perfection. Light your subject and the background separately to prevent unnecessary shadows and hotspots in your photograph. Maintaining space and light during professional product photography studio prevents shadows from appearing in the background, thus giving a clean finish to your clicks.

Size Matters

When filming smaller subjects or taking close-ups or portraits, small backdrops work wonders. They are easier to set up and cost less. They efficiently fulfil their purpose of filling up the little background space available. But, full-body shots or larger objects require extended backdrops that sprawl across the floor, and the subject can be placed on them.

To make the set-up process handy, don’t hesitate to use clamps, tape, and pins to hold your background together. Plexiglass is your friend while photographing models and heavy products. Place a thin plexiglass layer on the ground over your paper backdrop to prevent any damage. Plexiglass also helps you to solve the depth problem as it enables slight floor shadows and prevents the infamous ‘floating effect’. A small investment like buying plexiglass can improve your outputs considerably and increase your product photography prices.

Aim for a Well-Exposed Background

Your camera’s screen doesn’t tell you the level of exposure of a photograph. A white background product photography requires bright light to appear white in color otherwise you’ll have a dull grey background. Overexposing the backdrop without mangling with the subject’s light settings gives a bright and presentable white background. The histogram feature is ideal for this purpose. Almost every camera has a built-in histogram under the information section.

A histogram displays the pixel brightness in the form of a graph. The range varies from zero to 255. With the majority of your values clustered towards the right, you’ll have an over-exposed image in your hands. Whereas the under-exposed photographs have left-clustered values. For a balanced and well-exposed click, you need the majority of your pixel-brightness values in the center. Also, the zebra stripe function, though a bit complex, can be used for adjusting the exposure and lighting for your next click.

Outdoors can be Difficult

Flags and reflectors are a must while shooting outdoors. The Sun is a relatively powerful light source and hence it might add complications to the photo set-up. Though natural light works well, studio lights allow control. Make sure the light is stationary and is not changing frequently to make stationary flags and diffusion effects work. Keep in mind that shade and clouds will help you to avoid overexposure.

You’ll soon be a PRO (Conclusion)

To make excellent product photography your premier trait, you need to work on the minute details at the start. White backgrounds due to their versatility and multiple uses are ideal for photography. By carefully treading through the process, you can develop an excellent product portfolio. Avoid the above mistakes and learn from the tips mentioned, to mint out crystal clear and commercially appropriate product and model photographs on a white background.

Major mistakes You’re Making on your Product Photography Portfolio

A photography portfolio is one of the most important tools in a photographer’s arsenal to draw clients to their product photography studio. It is a concise collection of photos, created to display your best work. If you’re a product photographer, then a portfolio is the medium that lets a business owner take a peek into your passion, dedication, and expertise.

The aim of a good portfolio should be to showcase as many kinds of products as possible, from various angles, with a background that highlights their best features and makes them stand out. This may seem like a simple task, but getting the kind of images that attracts business is tricky due to certain things that product photography studio overlook while taking, processing, and presenting photographs.

If you feel like your portfolio has scope for improvement, then you may want to find out if you are going wrong in any of the following ways.

Mistakes to Avoid During the Shoot

Once the stage is set for the shoot, here are the photography mistakes to avoid while taking the pictures:

1. Improper Composition

The arrangements of the objects in the picture make a big difference to the result. According to the ‘rule of thirds’, only 1/3rd of the picture should be filled with the products or any other objects. This is a good rule to follow for getting attractive captures.

2. Inappropriate use of Props

Using too many props, unrelated props, or props that overshadow the product defeats the purpose of using them. The right amount and kind of props can enhance the relatability and presentation of the products. But always remember that the ultimate goal of a professional product photographer is to keep the focus on the products. The key to that may be to keep your photographs simple.

3. Taking unsteady Pictures

Any unintentional movement during taking a picture can result in blurry, unsteady pictures. Product images usually need to have a high resolution so that the customer can zoom in and see the details. Even the slightest blurriness dues to an unstable hand will be visible at such resolutions. Therefore, it is wise to take your time, be extremely careful and use a tripod or the ‘stabilizer mode’ of the camera, while taking pictures.

4. Watermarking Images

In product photography, watermarking may not always be the right thing to do. Watermarks can distract the viewer from the center of attraction, which is the product. Today, watermark removing software is widely available, so, watermarking does not guarantee that your image will not be stolen.

Mistakes to Avoid During Post-Production Processing

If you are a photographer who provides Amazon product photography service, then the post-production stage of photography is of utmost importance to you. Popular eCommerce portals like Amazon have strict standards about adhering to the specifications of the product image that they provide. During post-production processing watch out for:

1. Lack of Clarity

Make the product the hero of the image while editing by brightening and whitening the background, so that the product stands out against it. For example, in makeup product photography, make sure the product and its shade and texture are visible. No matter how clean your background is during the shoot, you may still need to retouch it in the post-production stage.

2. Oversaturating Images

In cases like cosmetic product photography, you may want to increase the color saturation of the image so that the product looks more vibrant and appealing. You must, however, keep in mind that over saturation can make the product look artificially altered and reduce the customer’s trust in it. Such pictures in your portfolio may put off your client.

3. Inappropriate Cropping

Don’t underestimate the importance of having negative space in your photograph. The right amount of negative space can draw the viewers’ eyes towards the focus of the image. But, too much of it can make the product appear lost. So, it is important to crop, but keep in mind not to crop too closely or to keep too much space around the central attraction.

4. Over Sharpening

Sharpening can help reveal the texture of a product and highlight patterns on it. But overdoing it will make the product look rough, alter the look of the product negatively and make it look made up. You have to be careful while using the sharpening tool during editing.

5. Distortion from Resizing

Resizing your image may be necessary to fit the specifications of certain clients, but it should not make your photographs look overly stretched or out of proportion. Such images look unprofessional and unrealistic.

The goal of photographing products is to motivate customers to buy the product. When business owners look for a good photographer, they are primarily looking for a person who understands this simple fact. As a photographer who aims to cater to a certain industry, you need to look at the products through the eyes of the client and care about their features.

7 Different Types of Product Photography You Should Know About

Product photography is everywhere, whether you’re checking websites, magazines, or outdoor advertisements, mostly you will see advertisements for different types of products at all places.

This makes clear and high-quality product images crucial in supporting the company brand and driving sales.

In the case of eCommerce product photography, the product image is everything as the buyers are not able to see your products directly like they can when they do in-store purchases where they can view the products, try them and then easily make the decision of buying it.

Whereas in online shopping, the only way buyers get an idea about your product, its features, specification, etc. is by viewing the product images and reading its copy and descriptions. This emphasizes the importance of images and photography.

Product images are proof of your product specifications and tell the customer about the shape, size, color, etc. Though there are different types of product photography and you should know about them.

7 Different Types of Product Photography

Let’s Discuss Each Point in Detail

1. Studio Product Shots

These are simple product shots that are taken in a studio in a simple lighting setup. The motive here’s to take clear images which show the specifications of the product. Different kinds of products require different kinds of lighting setup because the surface of products vary to a great deal.

Simple studio product shots mean that all products will be shot in the same static studio setup. These shots tend to highlight the product details and specifications to give buyers a clear image of what the product looks like.

2. White Background Images

For several reasons, white background is the most preferred backdrop in commercial product photography. The white background highlights the product and clears away any distractions. If you look at the product images placed on Amazon, then you will see that almost all the product photos are on a white background.

taking product photos white background

3. Images that are Shown with Scale to Give An Idea of the Product Size

Scale gives your buyers an idea about the actual size of the product. It’s important to let the buyers know how the product looks and is used. Creating a scale is important as it gives a reference point and the buyers can conclude by looking at the visuals as to how the product will look on them.

4. Grouping of the Product

Grouping of the product can be done to present the options available to the viewers. This can be used to show a group of products in one image or the same product that is available in variations as a way to demonstrate options to the buyer.

5. Lifestyle Action Shots

In-context product photographs give buyers an idea of how the product is used in the manner they were designed for. In-context images of products can be used with simple product images. This approach is useful as it allows the buyer to see the product itself and in use.

lifestyle product photography

6. Studio Setups

Studio setups are the most preferred option as here you’re in control. You can set up the product the way you want to without worrying about any outside disturbances. In-studio setups, you’re in control of the environment or create the desired effect.

7. Non-Traditional Images

Non-traditional images don’t showcase a product, these images are used to sell an idea. There is no product shown in the image and these images are used for promotional purposes by stores.

Conclusion

Product photography packages are an important factor to determine the quality of the images you can get when you’re looking out for a professional product photography service provider. Every product is distinct and few products require a different approach to best showcase that product. A professional photographer will understand these nuances better.

Depending on where you intend to use these images, you should click multiple images from different angles per product. Most sites allow multiple photos with each product listing to show the product from different angles.

How to take Perfect Product Photos on a White Background for E-commerce Store

Introduction:
Photography is both a skill and an art and to achieve perfection in either of the aspects one has to put in a considerable amount of effort. If your dream is to rub shoulders with the amazon products photographers, you need more than just a DSLR, that’s for sure. It often takes days or even months for that perfect click, even for the best in business out there.

Recently, Ecommerce Product Photography has been in much demand. Companies are looking for shutterbugs that can capture captivating and mesmerizing photos of their products. The sheer brilliance of the product visual should be able to induce a want/craving in the average naïve web surfer so much so that he/she is compelled to buy the product.

How to take product photos with white background photography is what works best in these situations. Apart from accentuating and enhancing the vivid details of the product, it also makes the commodity look sophisticated and subtle. But handling a white background is not everyone’s cup of tea because it requires a certain degree of finesse. So, here are a couple of tips which can prove to be a guide as well as an aid in your quest for that perfect click-

White Background for Ecommerce

Let’s Discuss Each Point in Detail

1) Procure the Right Materials

First and foremost, it is quintessential that you have the right things to start with. Here we list some of them-

  • Lightbox
  • Clamp Lights
  • 100 Watt Daylight Light Bulbs
  • Camera
  • Photo Editing Software

2) Be Immaculate with the Set-up

Once you have got the right equipment to go about it, you also need to make sure that the whole set-up is just perfect for capturing impeccable images. Here we have a few recommendations to ensure that your photos turn out to be just how you want them to –

  • Always click more photos than you think you require. That way you will have more variety to choose from.
  • Go for a tri-illumination, ie- use three lamps- one on top and two on either side
  • Refrain from using flash
  • Eliminate all other light sources except the lamps from the room.

3) Create a Perfect White Background

There are several options available when it comes to setting up a products on white background. You need to choose according to your requirements and a level-headed sense of judgment is what is needed here. From paper sweeps from Amazon to poster boards from your local art store, take your pick with ease.

products on white photography

4) The Importance of Bounce Cards

Basic physics comes into play here. Anything which is illuminated by a light source (against a white background) from one side will cast a shadow on the opposite side. This is where bounce cards come in. More often than not shadow is quite dark and eventually ends up messing up the aesthetics of the visual. White bounce cards made up of foam boards reflect light on the shadowy portion, thus reducing the awkwardness. Alternatively, black foam boards can be used to make shadows more prominent if a white product is being shot against a white background.

5) Configuring the Camera

It is paramount that you apply the appropriate configuration and settings in the piece of equipment that you will actually use to capture Product Photos, ie- your camera. Here are a few useful suggestions to implement-

  • Use the setting ‘Auto’ in white balance.
  • As has been mentioned before, turn off the flash
  • As far as image settings go, use either ‘Raw’ or the highest JPG settings your camera possesses so that your camera can utilize the full bit depth.

professional product shots

6) Post Processing Procedures

Product photography white background do carry with them a certain aura which them visually appealing and engaging. However, no matter how good the shots are, a certain amount of post processing becomes imperative and unavoidable. Therefore, it is always advisable to take some time out to fine tune the image and add finishing touches to it. Image editors like Photoshop come in handy for such purposes.

The notion of photography being a skill as well as an art which fins mention in the introductory part, has been derived from valuable experiences of highly skilled and competent professionals. To try and separate the skill from the art or vice-versa would be tantamount to grave injustice to science of visualization. It therefore becomes important to delve deep into both the dynamics and master each of them.

A look at E-commerce website giant Amazon and its Product Photography is a graphic manifestation of the above-mentioned point. These suggestions and recommendations, therefore, will serve as a pivot about which the path to learning for a new amateur beginner will revolve. Happy Clicking!

How to Share Photo Shoot Instructions

Getting Professional Product Photography with our photo studio for product photography is a simple and easy process. While we do encourage all customers to email us any special instructions prior to your product photoshoot it is not required. With our vast experience with all types of high quality product photos, our customers often leave the creative direction up to ProductPhoto.com. Our expert team of Harlingen Photographers will select the best possible angle and image lighting style to bring out the very best in your product and brand.

For customers that have specific directions in mind, or have an idea of what they want we of course can follow your instructions. Simply send us your instructions, links to samples, or any other document. Instructions can be added when you place your order, emailed to us after you order, or even just included in your package.

Once you get your proofs you can view all your perfect product photos and either approve your order, or requests reshoots, or touch ups. Most revisions are free. However, additional product photography charges may apply in the event that your request deviates from your original instructions. Extra professional photo shoot prices will go through you for approval.