So you want to take your own photos for your eCommerce store?
If you have an online store with products that change often, or you are just interested in taking your own photo shots, here are some tips to get you started.
Tips for taking your own product shots
Remember that if your products don’t look as good as they can be, you are shooting yourself in the foot. It’s amazing how many eCommerce site owners post horrible photos of their products, then can’t understand why sales are lacking.
You don’t need a $10,000 camera to get decent photos for the web, but the better your camera, the better your shots will be, because quality cameras have sharper lenses, and more custom settings so you can get the lighting, shutter speed and apeture settings just right. And you do need to know how to use your camera. Simple point and shoot cameras (we used to call them PHD Cameras… Push Here Dummy!) are going to disappoint you.
Good lighting is key. Get yourself a light kit. There are some nice light tent kits out there that let you easily get some nice 3D lighting on your subject in a white background. See box on right for example.
Use a tripod. Even the steadiest hand is moving, and when sharpness really matters (and it does!), then use a tripod. Not only does the tripod give you a better shot, it also gives you more consistency among multiple shots, for a more professional result.
Learn how to do a white balance on your camera. This will make a world of difference in the color quality of your shots.
Try multiple exposures to see which one works best. Trial and error is your friend. Be patient. It might take all afternoon to get your one shot right, but then, if you write down everything you did, tomorrow will be a better and faster shoot.
When photographing clothes, make sure your steam iron your garment. This may sound obvious, but just take a look on eBay and you’ll see what I mean. Products that are wrinkled look used and dirty. Not appealing!
Finally, if you don’t want to go through all this but still need product shots, we are happy to help! See our Product Photography Services page for details.
