If you spend enough time browsing ecommerce stores, you’ll realize how much importance visual merchandising can play in a company’s success. When it comes to online shopping, visuals are a shopper’s first point of interaction with your brand — and the images that you choose can either compel your customers to buy or drive them away.
Creative product photography is one of the most effective ways for ecommerce brands to stand out from the pack. For new and established brands, product photos are among the most essential elements in creating an online store. Whether you have plans to sell your products on another site or launch your own ecommerce store, these images are what will catch shoppers’ attention when they look through pages of search results. The visual appeal of your inventory directly influences sales, which is why implementing creative photography techniques is so important.
Creative Product Photography Tips and Tricks for Ecommerce
If you’re a retailer and you want your products to stand out in the marketplace, you have to make sure that your product photography is on point. The visual elements of your photography have a direct impact on your sales, so it’s important to produce images that are high quality. Focus on these three areas to create product images that will drive sales:
Lighting
Lighting is everything when it comes to photography. It creates the ambience for the shoot and will also create the look for your products. Natural light is always best, but if you are using artificial light, make sure that it’s consistent throughout your shoot.
Composition
Your product photography can have the best lighting in the world, but if the composition of the photo isn’t up to par, it won’t create the impact that you want. Make sure that your products are the main focus of the image.
Editing
There are many apps that you can use to edit your images, or you can hire a photographer who has the skills to do it for you. When it comes to editing images, don’t be afraid to experiment with different filters and effects.
Show Realistic Representations of Products
The first thing to keep in mind is that your images need to show realistic representations of your products. If you mislead your customers and they are unhappy with what they receive, it can cost you many future sales. This is why companies like Amazon have implemented strict policies to make sure that their sellers don’t deceive their customers. Keep in mind that even if you are using professional models, the images will still have to reflect how your products actually look. If you want to get really creative, you can also try using 360-degree photography to give the customer a full view of the product.
Utilize Props to Create Atmosphere and Context
Beyond visual elements like colour, composition and lighting, product photography is also an opportunity to add context to your products. Props can be helpful in creating a scene that your customers can easily picture themselves in, so it’s a good idea to incorporate them into your photography. You can incorporate any aspect of your product’s functionality to give your customers a full-on experience. Take a look at how Wayfair uses photography props to showcase how their furniture can fit into various home settings. When setting up a shoot, think about the story you want to tell with your pictures. How would you like your products to be perceived? What environments would you like to showcase them in? Adding props to your photography can help you answer these questions and create a more cohesive theme.
Incorporate Motion to Highlight Product Features
Another thing to consider is if any of your products have specific features that you’d like to draw attention to. If so, try incorporating motion into your photography. You can use this to increase the product’s visual appeal while also informing your customers of its best features without having to write a paragraph about it. This is especially important if you are shooting small products like jewelry and accessories that are not easy to photograph. You can also use animation to showcase the functionality of your products. This is a great way to showcase complicated features and make them easier to understand. Before incorporating motion into your shoot, make sure that you are not breaking any laws. Depending on where you are, certain types of product photography can be illegal.
Use Natural Light to Boost Product Quality
Natural light photography is an excellent way to boost the quality of your product photos. Artificial light can often create a yellow or orange cast to the image, whereas natural light is much more neutral. Additionally, natural light can help you reduce your overall shooting time which can come in handy for those who don’t have unlimited hours to spend shooting. When shooting with natural light, try to position your products in the direction of the light source. If you are indoors, open up your blinds and shoot towards the nearest window. If you are outdoors, find a shaded area that still receives a fair amount of sunlight. The last thing you want is an image that is overexposed and blown out.
Also Read, 11 Underwater Product Photography Ideas
Add Labeling to Help Consumers Understand Your Products
Another thing to think about when creating product photography is whether or not your images include labels and descriptions. If you have a product that requires specific instructions, it’s a good idea to include them in the image. This will help ensure that your customers use the item correctly, which will also increase its lifespan. For example, if you are selling a new type of water bottle, it’s helpful to include instructions for use. This way, your customers know exactly how to use the bottle and can easily find the information they need. You can also use this opportunity to make your product photography more engaging by including fun facts about your product or its design. If you are selling a product that does not require any sort of special instructions, you can still use labels to your advantage. Including the product’s name, item number, and price tag can help your customers navigate your website more easily.
Conclusion
Photography is one of the most important components of product design, marketing, and sales. It can make a good product look even better, and it can make a bad product look passable. Good photography takes time and skill, but fortunately, many of the techniques used by professional photographers can be applied at home. From lighting to composition, there are many elements that go into creating a visually appealing product photo. Luckily, there are many tips and tricks that can help make your images as creative as possible. Whether you’re selling your products online or in-person, having appealing product photography can make a big difference in your sales.
