The Process of E-commerce Product Photography

Product photography for E-Commerce is an intelligent option amongst photographers the world over. It is a skill in high demand, and some of the highest-earning photographers belong to this category.

As with any branch of photography, preparation is the key. The photographer needs to prepare the items, get the lighting right and build a shot list before the actual shoot.

They are preparing the items before the shoot depends on the things themselves. Clothes or apparel need to be immaculate, like no broken buttons of shirts or threads dangling from clothing. Tea should be presented perfectly with no rough or visibly torn or open edges.

It’s always professional to have a complete shot list with product details, photography angles, and props ready. It ensures that the photographer on assignment creates the perfect portfolio.

Next is the lighting of the shoot. A versatile setting can capture the best product shots. It is vital to create an optimum light setting.

E-commerce product photography needs very little in terms of equipment. Essentials are:

• A DSLR or mirrorless camera.
• A few lights and reflectors.
• A stable base for shooting and a tripod.

However, e-commerce fashion photography needs a foundation for the product or model, a white acrylic sheet to cover this foundation surface, a foam board in white colour coupled with black material. A laptop/computer for tethered shooting, a matching cable and a large silver reflector are also required.

Many experts promote natural light for shooting. However, there is no alternative to studio lights for e-commerce product photography. Studio lights give more control than natural lighting, and you can shoot at any time of the day. Clean white backgrounds that feature bright, well-lit products are a necessary prerequisite for quality e-commerce product photography. A fully operational studio can easily create such an ambience.

White backgrounds are essential for this process, like gauging the light position correctly. The distance, height and angle of the light from the ground all affect the final output. A significant point to remember is to place the light at an optimum distance so that texture is maximum and there are no unwanted reflections. It is also essential to keep RGB values a little under 255 before lighting the products for the shoot. Finally, we should avoid flares as it makes the subject or surface appear flat and washed out. Other finer details include a two-light setup with a reflector and softbox and diffusion, mirrors with a black or white foam board. So it is imperative to create a flexible structure in the pre-shoot phase.

Once the shooting process starts, we must ensure that the tripod rests firmly on the ground and the subject looks the best possible. Smooth planning will provide excellent results here. Referring to the earlier prepared shot list or collaborating with a team of stylists during the shooting process will enhance the quality of work. More exemplary attention to detail creates the difference between an average or brilliant product photoshoot.

The icing on the cake determines its visual appeal(and often even the taste), as does post-production for a photoshoot. Standard post-production techniques include cropping photos, enhancing the exposures mildly or getting rid of the rough edges. Correcting these details make a huge difference in the outcome.

Online image sharing of such images need some final touches. It might include image resizing, photo sharpening, straightening or fine-tuning the exposure. Photoshop skills help in these techniques, and you should have this craft mastered for the best quality e-commerce product photography. Innovative techniques employed here include applying brand logo, overall contrast or resize images. It multiplies the rate of the entire portfolio immensely and has excellent creative value in the market.