5 Product Photography Tips for Beginners

As eCommerce takes over, so does the demand for high-quality photos of your product. Taking great photos of your product will help drive sales, project a professional image and build your brand’s credibility. Many businesses find it challenging to create images for social media and websites, but it’s the key to successfully selling and generating interest for your product online. 

Great product photography can:

• Increase sales.
• Grow your brand. 
• Increase product appeal.
• Differentiate your product from competitors. 
• Improve product visibility.

Product photography tips

At Burleigh Print & Design, our professional photographers have a wealth of knowledge and industry experience to capture beautiful images, whether it’s product shots or flat lay for your website or social media. 

If you’ve chosen to do a little photography in-house, but are unsure how to get the best shots, here are a few product photography tips from the photography team at Burleigh Print & Design.

Invest in a good camera

Taking photos with a good camera makes a world of difference. It enables you to capture more detail and the result is higher quality images. Whether it’s product only images, or in-context images, a good camera has the ability to show your product in the best light. 

If you’re purchasing a DSLR camera, it’s important to choose the right lens. Investing in a good macro lens will help you with those close up shots, while a 50mm lens is more suited to portrait or mid-range photography. 

You’ll also benefit from doing a little research on how to use the camera and its settings, which will ensure you get the most out of the camera. There are some great YouTube tutorials available, or jump onto the camera manufacturer’s website. 

Not ready to spend money on a great camera? Thankfully, smartphone cameras have come a long way in the past few years and you may get by with your phone until you can purchase a more suitable camera. 

Backdrop and lighting

When it comes to taking awesome product photos, the backdrop and lighting are key to capturing high quality images. 

For a backdrop, you can’t go wrong with a continuous neutral backdrop. It minimises distractions and allows your product to become the main focal point. 

A basic way to create a continuous backdrop is with a long roll of paper (a sweep) or material. You can roll it out and hang an end on the wall to create a slope where the floor meets the wall to minimise shadows. 

Professional photographers are savvy at utilising and harnessing light from all different angles to take the best photos. But, there’s no one size fits all solution for photography lighting, your requirements will differ depending on the product you want to shoot. 

For beginners, light tents can be useful, or there are some great basic lighting kits available online or in-store. When using artificial lights in a studio environment, to get the best shots you’ll need a key light (a light that points directly on the product) and a fill light or backlight, depending on the product. 

Tripods bring consistency and focus

Tripods can be super helpful for amateur photographers. It can be hard to keep a steady hand and a shaky camera can result in blurry, fuzzy images – not good for sales. 

Even if you decide to use a smartphone for product photography, a basic tripod will make taking photos much easier. Once you set up the tripod and the lighting, you’ll be ready to start taking photos. 

Use props

In the right circumstances, props can add more interest into your product photos. Decide on a theme which can be used throughout your social media, on your website or in other marketing collateral. 

Never use too many props as product shots should always be clean and clutter free. Only use props that will complement your product and won’t take focus away from the item you’re trying to sell. 

Always edit

Once you’ve taken the photos you’ll need to spend time editing and retouching. There are many different programs available to edit photos, from Photoshop to Adobe Lightroom, which will help you put the finishing touches on the images and help your product shine. 

Look for inspiration

Always keep your eye out for inspiration when you’re taking your own product photos. To ignite your imagination, keep track of images you love on social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest. 

Want a hand with your product photography?

Your products deserve to be showcased in the best way possible. The talented photographers at Burleigh Print & Design have years of experience with product photography and harness their creativity and imagination to take photos that will enhance the appeal of your product. 

At Burleigh Print & Design we know how to make your products look their best and with our experience, we’ll capture everything that makes your business unique. Through beautiful product photography we’ll elevate your brand and take professional photos you’ll be proud to show off. 

We’ve worked with international brands like Adidas, Puma and RM Williams, but are equally capable of helping small businesses make their products stand out from the rest and get noticed. 

Need product photos ASAP, we have packages for all budgets. Get in touch today!