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ECOMMERCECURIOSITYGRAPHICS AND MARKETING

Product photos - how to take perfect photos for your e-commerce

By 15 September 2022No Comments
Foto prodotto - copertina

The product photo they are one of the most important (although unfortunately underestimated) aspects for your e-commerce. After all, your customers cannot see, touch or smell your products in person and to orient themselves in the purchase they can only look at the photos that are on the site. 

The product photo therefore they become the only way your customers can get an idea of the product they intend to buy. Below we will then see some useful tips for making product photo professional.

You know the camera

Although the technology of smartphones is constantly evolving, they have not yet reached the camera in terms of photo quality and the possibilities it offers. 

To fully exploit the potential of a camera (and not necessarily a professional camera), however, it is necessary to know the basics of photography: aperture, exposure time and ISO. 

Opening

The aperture determines how much light enters the lens. Inside the machine there is in fact a diaphragm that can be opened and closed, checking how bright ours will be product photo. The aperture, however, also determines the so-called depth of field, that is the portion of the photo that will be "in focus" and the portion "out of focus". 

For a professional product photo it is therefore essential that it has optimal light, not too much and not too little, and that the photographed product is completely in focus. 

Exposition time

The exposure time is a setting that allows us to decide how long the shutter of the camera remains open, before taking the picture. The longer it stays open, the brighter the product photo will be. 

Be careful though, leaving the shutter open for too long will make the photo blurry. 

ISO

This parameter determines the sensitivity of the camera sensor to light. Using high ISO allows you to take photos in low light conditions, but it will also make the photo more grainy.

For product photo professional it is important to know how to master these three aspects and combine them to find the optimal light, depending on the product we intend to photograph. 

The easel 

Even if you have the steadiest hands in the world, we still recommend using a tripod to stabilize the product photo. For maximum stability you can also set a timer on the camera to take the shot automatically. 

The white background

One of the secrets for product photo eye-catching is to use a white backdrop. In fact, white reflects the light on the product to be photographed, it is elegant and increases the contrast between product and background.

White also helps correct color balance, for photos produced with colors true to the original. 

Taking pictures near the window

Unless you know what you are doing, avoid using artificial lights. For an equally professional result, use the largest light source of all, the sun. 

Just mount the photo set next to a window, from the side. This is enough to ensure a diffused and natural light. 

Remove the background 

We talked about the white background earlier. As well as it may be done, in the product photo creases in the background, reflections and imperfections will probably be visible, even on a white background.

For photo perfect and reusable in any situation, the best idea would be to remove the background with photo editing tools. For those unfamiliar with Photoshop (which is still the best solution), there are many photo editing programs, even free, that are easier to use. 

Through these tools it is also possible to retouch the colors, to make them more brilliant and captivating, through the so-called color correction. But be careful not to overdo it, customers expect to receive something very similar to the photo they saw on the site. 

The composition of the image

There are also some rules for product photo, and not only. The photographed object must be in the center of the frame in its entirety and without too much empty space around it. 

If, for example, we are photographing a bottle, the camera should be held vertically, while for a pair of glasses the shot must be horizontal. 

The size of the file

If you are using a professional machine (but also pay attention to smartphones) the file size must be reduced before uploading them to the site. Product photo too heavy risk weighing down and slowing down the site, especially if we think about how many photo an e-commerce contains. 

Professional product photos 

By following the advice listed above you will greatly improve yours product photo. For professional photos, however, no one can do better than professionals specialized in the sector. 

Therefore, our last advice is to contact those who make product photos as a profession. Contact us to receive more information or for a quote.