How to take photos of products to sell them

Quality product images, detailed description and listing of all characteristics significantly increase the likelihood of purchase. Of course, you can order a professional subject shooting in a Photo Studio, but this fun is not cheap and can even be unprofitable for certain categories of goods (e.g. high turnover and low margin).

Today mobile technology has gone so far that it can replace a semi-professional or even professional camera models: Apple smartphones are in no way inferior expensive hardware (Yes, forgive us now professional photographers). At least for one photoshoot, you can rent a camera and other equipment on time.

You might want to add to the list of their suppliers, then be sure to read our article "How and where to find suppliers for your online store."

What is the advantage of a personal photo shoot

If you are still in doubt whether to make your own photos or take a photo from a vendor site, then here are some advantages:

• photos will be unique and will allow you to move the TOP Google to of category Images;
• the unique photos will help you to stand out among competitors if you are placed on the marketplace;
• in general, the unique pictures have a positive effect on the ranking of a website;
• pictures made in one style, creating a certain opinion and help in strengthening the brand; it also allows users to see your photo amongst hundreds of others.

How to make high-quality photos on a phone at home that attracted buyers.

Equipment for DIY photo shoot

Now you will think "Are we talking about expensive equipment? It is better to order substantive surveys". Not in a hurry, but under furniture for full image quality we mean:

1. Tripod for mobile phone

2. The stabilizer helps to steady the camera. Well help when shooting video.

3. White background (for small items will fit a sheet of A4 paper, drawing paper for large items you can use white cloth tape with white paper), or solid background (suitable plain fabric)

4. A good option for high-quality photos will be a light box (softbox) that you can buy or make with your hands, in such amount as necessary.

5. For a glossy effect you can use it as a substrate glass org

6. To show the small details like the texture of the fabric, you can buy "fish eye". This so-called loupe for camera phones, allowing users to zoom in on a subject and not lose quality.

7. The table on which you will be photographing

8. Light reflector (not necessarily to buy, reflector can do it yourself).

Accessories for the photoshoot

For subject photography can also be necessary accessories. It does mean, additional surrounding objects that also fall into the frame and would complement the main product. Among such elements can be artificial or natural palm leaves, bits of cotton, flowers, dried flowers, candles or other accessories. Many choose additional lighting and all that can be useful for effective pictures. About the also worry a little bit before the photo shoot.

How to get quality shots: 10 practical tips

1. Properly directed light

Clear pictures of the product are better off in daylight. The ideal option would be cloudy. In another case, you can use the blinds to adjust natural lighting.

The best time for photos on the street, according to experts is the "Golden Hour". This time an hour before sunrise and an hour before sunset. At this time, light with a soft diffused that emphasizes the details in the photos.

In the room to adjust the natural light by using blinds. Depending on the time of day and flow of sunlight, direct slats downwards or upwards. For extra highlighting, use a reflector (below I will describe how to do it yourself). If the lighting in the apartment problem – use the softbox. It can also be done by hand.

2. Vertically or horizontally

Much debate occurs about how to photograph the object to the turned out as successful. There are a few rules:

• horizontal photos are best done for objects that are elongated in the length of moving objects. On the sides it is better to leave the space.

• the vertical direction is used for photos of clothes, food. Also, in order to show the object in motion upwards or downwards.

To know for sure how the more advantageous and attractive looks to your item – simply take a photo in vertical and horizontal position of the camera and deliver an objective assessment. If you are not sure, ask your friends.

3. A single style of photographs

Try to apply a single style in his photographs, this increases awareness of your brand. Select any accessory, background color or style in the photos that will distinguish your online store from thousands of others. The pictures in the same style can be attributed to the part of the company's branding.

4. View

Photos in the online store should replace users the ability to examine the item from all sides. Great goods from all angles and if it's important to scale. To display the scale you can take familiar objects and put next to the item (familiar objects should look esthetically attractive, so as not to spoil the impression about the product).

5. The size and resolution of photos

The average size of photographs should be 1000х1000рх and take about 200kB. If your business involves a lot of products and photos to these products, choose the engine module that compresses the photo, it does not affect the quality.

8. Realism

Today, the natural trend of the photo. No need to retouch source in the photo editors unrecognizable. Enough to make a color correction to add juiciness. If you are doing product photos on a white background, it may fall the shadow. So the picture will be more voluminous and natural.

The shadow should fall so as not to darken the object. The light source may be located above or the side: for each specific item you need to choose your option.

9. Photos of product in use

Even if you sell jewelry, show what accessories it can be combined. How it looks under one or the other color of nail Polish shimmers or sheen when hand holding a glass of champagne. Almost every product oversized product to show. According to statistics, products who have a lot more pictures, buy more often.

10. Take photos of all colors

If one dress there are several colors to make the pictures have every one of them. This may seem long and tedious process, but after such expenditure of time photography will be a long time to yield profit in the form of conversions and purchases.

How to photograph the product on a white background: step by step instructions

Step 1: Adjust the light and to organize the space

To place a table should be closer to the window. So natural light is the softest, and the object will move soft shadows. You must also turn off all other light sources, as they pictures will turn out bad.

The object is usually set at an angle of 90 degrees to the window. Can be set so that the light directly falling on the subject or so that the window was behind the subject. In the latter case the window can also be used as the background if the view from the window you have a beautiful.

Step 2: Consolidate background

The paper background must be fixed vertically on the wall and drop on the table. If the wall is far away from the window or there is no way to move the table, you can use a brick or other blocks as the basis.

The subject must be placed on white paper or background. Around must be space. It is also necessary to provide additional space for the placement of the light reflector, if you need to send additional light on the subject.

Step 3: Camera Settings

Each camera has its own settings, but in General the steps are the same. Some cameras are fully automatic and some have the ability to make changes. The beauty of backlight settings window that you can set all to auto if you want and it will still work.

• Set the white balance (WB) automatic (AWB).

• Turn off the flash setting.

• Set the picture settings to the highest quality (RAW, if you have it). Most cameras "point-and-shoot" settings are not RAW, but if it does, use it. This file is the largest which can remove the camera, and he uses all the bit depth of the camera. You, however, have to edit the software that reads RAW images (e.g., Photoshop, Bridge, Lightroom, Aperture).

• If you don't have RAW, set it to the largest JPG setting. Remember that reduce and compress the image without losing quality, and to increase – no

• Set the ISO to 100. ISO controls the sensitivity of the sensor. The higher the ISO, the more noise. Usually the lowest ISO setting, which you can install for your camera, is ISO 100.

• Do not trust the image on the back of the camera, instead pay attention to the histogram to know whether your exposure. The rightmost side is white and the left black.

• Cameras usually have optical and digital zoom. Do not use digital zoom as this reduces image quality, because it is just cropping the digital image. If you have an optical zoom, try to zoom in as much as possible, without resorting to digital zoom. Enhanced zoom will eliminate the distortion caused by wide angle lens. Cell phones, for example, have a very wide angle lens, which is a common problem.

Step 4: the Object must be at the center of the frame

Step 5: don't forget the light reflector

If you need to illuminate an object from some side, you can use a reflector.  Making a reflector with your own hands is easy.  Simply paint a piece of cardboard white or clip a piece of foil onto it.  For the cardboard, it will be necessary to make some kind of support so as not to hold it in your hands when shooting.

Step 6: Evaluate the quality of the images during the process

The image you get on the camera display will be different from what you get when uploading photos, so the best option would be to upload several photos to your computer while you are shooting.  This way you can judge if everything is in order and how good the photos are.  At this stage, you can detect errors and eliminate them in time, until all trading positions have been “clicked off”.

Step 7: submit the photo for retouching

On freelance exchanges, you can find a performer who will do the job quickly and efficiently.  Ideally, it's best to find your own designer who will periodically do this kind of work for you.

Step 8: balance between optimization and image quality

When uploading a photo to a website, it needs to be optimized for the pages to load quickly.  At the same time, you cannot sacrifice quality, otherwise it can reduce the likelihood of a purchase.  The ideal balance would be a photo size of at least and no more than 200Kb

Step 9: Resize the image to fit the width of the HTML container

When you look at an image on a website, you are looking at a block / container with a dynamically scalable image.  The container size can be 700px, and your image is 1500. The photo will be displayed at 700px, and uploaded to the server at 1500px, which may affect the upload speed.

Determine the size of the html container from your programmer and ask the designer to optimize all photos for the size of this block.  It is better to save photos in JPEG format.

Tip: you can optimize the image exactly to the container size or 1.5 times the size.  Try both to see if there is a difference in quality.

We hope our article helped you decide whether you need to order professional photography or you can try to take a photo yourself.  You may also find the article "Selling Texts and How to Write Them" useful.  Order an online store from SoloMono, upload your photos, fill the site with good content and get high sales.