Product Photography Tips and Process
Of course, for those of us who don't know the difference between Nikon and Kodak, product photography can seem a bit daunting. And for small businesses on a budget, investing in expensive photography equipment is not an option.
Fortunately, taking high-end photos is much more accessible today than it was 10 years ago. Considering that most of us have a 12-megapixel iPhone camera in our pocket and many high-end editing software has become more affordable, improving your e-commerce photography is probably easier than you think.
Here, we've highlighted some tips and practical steps for setting up your own DIY home photo studio.
1. Set your background.
Choosing the right background not only keeps the focus on the product you are photographing, but also helps to streamline the editing process when it comes time for post-production. Try using a white or light-colored background, as this will make it easier to remove unwanted objects and retouch photos.
Fortunately, you don't have to spend an arm and a leg on a fancy backdrop to get the perfect shot. There are several affordable options that will do the trick:
Shooting table
Eğer birkaç fotoğraf çekimi yapacaksanız, Amazon üzerinden beyaz bir geçiş alanı sipariş etmek isteyebilirsiniz. Ancak evde kendi geçiş alanınızı oluşturmak istiyorsanız, bir rulo beyaz el sanatları kağıdı kullanarak kendi sandalye montajlı geçiş alanınızı yapabilirsiniz.
Yapmanız gereken tek şey sandalyenin arka kısmını duvara itmek ve el sanatları kağıdını sandalyenin üzerindeki duvara bantlamaktır, böylece kağıt yere kadar düşer. Bu, ürününüzü sandalye üzerine yerleştirdiğinizde dikey ve yatay düzlemler arasında temiz bir geçiş oluşturacaktır.
Ya da başka bir seçenek olarak, geçişi sandalyenin üstüne kelepçeleyip kağıdın sandalyenin üzerine sarkmasına izin verebilirsiniz, bu da aynı dikişsiz etkiyi yaratacaktır.
Tent of light
Another affordable option is to build your own light tent, also called a light box. This is a box with translucent walls with a wireframe that helps to create an evenly distributed light around the object of focus.
To make your own light tent, you will need a horizontal plastic storage container with the lid closed.
Next, cover the bottom - and all the other sides if you want more evenly distributed light - with white paper.
Finally, place an artificial light on either side of the container, or use natural light from a nearby window if you're working on a tight budget.
2. Prepare your product.
Now it's time to make your product stand out.
It may seem simple, but setting up your product can take a few tries to get the angle, lighting and position right.
Place your product in front of the backdrop, making sure it is centered and on a flat, stable surface like a table or chair.
For things like jewelry and other accessories, you may want to use a bust that shows the product better, and for items with labels or custom designs, you may need to spend some time adjusting the product until it is exactly centered.
3. Adjust your lighting.
For those on a budget, using natural light is the best way to go. But just because it's a cheaper option doesn't mean it's of lower quality.
On the contrary, natural light is actually ideal if you're shooting outdoors or doing lifestyle photography with a model. To get the best light, make sure you shoot during the day when the sun is at its peak.
Natural light
If you're shooting a product shoot indoors, place your backdrop and shooting table near a window with plenty of natural sunlight, and if the light is too intense, you can try diffusing the light with a light sheet or paper draped over the window.
A great example of when to use natural light is in food photography.
Artificial light
If you have a budget for studio lights or want to shoot at different times of the day when the sunlight is not at its peak, artificial light may be a better option.
What you need is at least two softbox light setups to help soften shadows. You can find clip-on light clamps and powerful bulbs for around $30 on Amazon, or if you're on a budget, there are plenty of high-end options to choose from.
Once you have your studio lights, you can decide how you want to position them to get the look you want.
Regardless of how you set them up, one should serve as your key light placed in front of your product and the other should be your fill light placed on the opposite side, behind or above your product.
Although the job of the light boxes is to diffuse the light, if the shadows are still too intense, you can always use a sheet or white cardboard to soften the light even further.
Once you've got your light setup right, be sure to document the positioning and camera settings so you can create a consistent look from photo shoot to photo shoot.
4. Use a tripod.
To get a sharp-looking photo that captures every detail of your product, you'll want to achieve a high depth of field, which determines the sharpness of the image. To achieve this, you need to set your camera to a low aperture (high f/stop) and slow shutter speed.
However, when your camera is at a slow shutter speed, it's almost impossible to hold it steady enough with your hand to avoid ending up with a blurry photo - this is where a tripod saves the day.
5. Choose the right camera.
It may seem like a no-brainer, but choosing the right camera is crucial to successful product photography.
Of course, don't feel pressured to spend a hefty sum of money on a fancy DSLR camera if you don't plan on doing photo shoots on a regular basis or if you're on a tight budget.
Fortunately, smartphone technology has come a long way, so if you already have an iPhone in your back pocket, you'll be good to go. You can always embellish your photos with your backdrop or play with the light to get the perfect shot.
However, if you're thinking of investing in a DSLR, here are some recommended camera settings:
Set your white balance (WB) to the same Kelvin temperature as your studio lights.
Adjust your aperture according to the type of photo you are taking. If you want to leave parts of your product out of focus, set your camera to a wider aperture. Or if you want a sharp, focused look, set it to a smaller aperture for a wider depth of field.
Set your flash setting to Off - you won't need it as you'll already have it set for natural or artificial light.
Set your camera to the highest quality image setting - choose Raw if your camera has it, otherwise choose the largest JPG setting. You will usually see two setting options:
Size: Choose Large, which will give you the largest file size for the best image quality.
Quality: Choose Superfine, as this will use all the available pixels in your camera, giving you the highest quality image.
Once you have the settings you want, make sure to document them for easier setup next time.
6. Take and evaluate multiple photos.
Finally, it's time to see your product photography in action!
When you're ready to start taking photos, remember that the first few photos might be a bit rusty, so don't hesitate to take a few. Take shots from different angles, distances and positions to see what works best.
When you feel you have taken enough photos, upload them to a computer to see how they turned out, as the small screen on your camera probably won't give an accurate depiction. It can be helpful to use a program like Adobe Lightroom to organize your photos and start editing them.
7. Retouch your images.
Now it's time for post-production.
Even if you've taken a few photos you're happy with, retouching your photos is still a necessary step in the process. This will take your photos from average to professional and ensure that all product images on your site have consistent quality, lighting and positioning.
Retouching allows for color correction, removal of unwanted objects, and lighting adjustments.
Sure, it may seem tedious at first, but once you've messed around with the photo editing software a few times, you'll be able to complete post-production in no time.
8. Optimize images.
Unfortunately, the bigger the image on your e-commerce website, the slower the page loading speed. But on the other hand, if you boost your SEO, it can lower the quality of your image.
Time is money and many customers don't want to wait for an online store that doesn't load fast enough. That's why it's so important to optimize your images to get the best quality possible, while also keeping page loading speed in mind.
Fortunately, there are free downsizing tools to optimize your photos and help you find this balance.
Finally, make sure to name your product photos correctly and add metadata and keywords to help improve your search rankings.
Nur Oğuz