When it comes to your brand, one of the most noticeable and important things is visual representation. Your photos will bring your products to life and influence a buyer's decision. Without something to captivate your potential consumer, the chances of them clicking the link to your website or reading the description box next to your photo is slim. If they never make it to your site or get a chance to learn about how awesome your product is- how will it ever make it into their cart? Well, it won't.
If you are a small business owner/artist like me, you may not have much disposable money on hand. Everything else is expensive enough... Am I right? But here's the thing- you do not need a professional photography studio on hand to add quality and flair to your brand.
*These are personal opinions and tips. I am not a photographer or a marketing and design specialist. BUT if you care about what some pretty cool girl on the internet has to say, then keep scrolling.
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Here are some of the most important things when it comes to your product photography:
1. Lighting
2. Product is the focus of the photo
3. Use of props
4. Consistent with your brand + message
Lighting
Through my experience, I can confidently say that the best lighting is natural light. Now- you still want to be careful with natural lighting because there is such a thing as too much. Taking your photos in direct sunlight can cause unwanted shadows and possibly distort the color of your product. This of course is something that works for some products and not for others. What I think is best is to take photos near a window when the sun is not directly beaming in, but light is still shining through. Find the best window in your home and set up there. You want to be sure to be taking photos from the window facing in, not the other way around.
- Tip #1: If you do not have natural light available often (you work during the hours in which sunlight is available, etc), invest in a light box. Or- make your own! There are plenty of youtube videos on this.
- Tip #2: Download Snapseed. It is a (free) app that allows you to tune up your image's brightness. It also has a "selective" tool to help you correct bad lighting without compromising the entire image. For example, it allows you to brighten up certain dark spots without brightening other areas that do not need it.
Product is the Focus of Your Photo
Look, we all love to use props to give our product photos flair. However, your product needs to be front and center. No questions asked. Try to avoid cluttered backgrounds or backgrounds with patterns. Remember this: props should solely enhance your photo, not overtake it.
- Tip #3: Take photos from various angles. It matters. Play around with what works! Sometimes you cannot get your product and props in the frame nicely unless you take the photo at an angle, or directly overhead. You will not know what works unless you commit to trial and error.
- Tip #4: Take 1-2 more photos of the DETAIL of your product! The initial photo should engage your consumer but the next few should show them the details of what they are considering buying. That will seal the deal.
Use of Props
I know, I know. I just said BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR PROPS. Well, now that you know that you need to be mindful, I am here to tell you to USE THEM!!
Now, you do not need to go out and buy a fancy jewelry holder or backdrop. Try to use what you have in the house. Be creative. If you can spare the money, by all means do so! But the point is that you do not have to if you cannot or do not want to. For my latest product photos, I just went looking through my home. I found a candle lid, old fake flowers I bought from Michael's ($2 each) and a curtain that fell because the bar holding it up broke and I have been far too lazy to fix it. Magic.
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Tip #5: I promise you there are things you already own that can help you stage the perfect set up for your photos. Use flowers, crystals, scarves or other fabrics, candle lids, wooden trays, copy paper (you can do cute geometric designs with these), and more.
- Tip #6: You can use one prop or five. Play around with your placement. Just make sure they are meaningful. Do they enhance your photo and do they really need to be there?
Consistency + Message
If you are still reading this, thank you. We have most definitely lost some along the way, but you stuck through this journey and for that- I applaud you.
Take everything you just learned and put it together and make sure it is consistent with your brand and the message that you want to send. Everything matters. From the colors you use, to the brightness level of your photos, to the way your products are laid out, to the props that you use and so forth. Visuals speak volumes and your photos will send a message whether you intend them to or not, so it is best to have your brand in your head and heart while you consider all of these tips.
I use flowers and crystals because my branding incorporates both. I like to make sure my photos are soft and bright, because I want to send that type of message. Everything has a purpose.
- Tip #7: The photos you use on your listings can be different from what you use for promotion on your website page or social media pages. Do not be afraid to be creative!
**All of my photos were taken with a Canon Rebel T6. However, you can use your smartphone and use editing apps to help make your photos crisper. You do not need a professional camera to get nice photos.
I hope that you found this information useful. If you like this blog post, let me know on twitter @SoularLife! I would love to hear your thoughts. What are some other topics you would like me to cover? Leave in the comments below.
Yours truly,
Arnela