5 eCommerce Product Photography Rules for Stunning Shots

A picture can say a thousand words, but if your eCommerce product photography isn't up to snuff, none of your product descriptions will matter. Bad product photography can make your store look cheap and unprofessional. Keep these five product photography rules in mind as you prepare for the holiday season and update your store inventory.

Rule 1: Get Closer

Photos of products that are too far away make it difficult for the customer to appreciate the product details. These photos will seem even worse if they are out-of-focus. With a close-up shot, customers can see your product's features in detail, which can lead to conversions. A professional lens with a long focal length is what you want to use when taking close-up shots. A lens with a wide aperture or those that can go down to f/2.8 or lower should also do the trick. The shorter the distance between the camera and the subject, the more pronounced product details become.

Rule 2: Use Natural Light

When photographing your products, you'll want to take advantage of natural light. Natural light is easier on the eyes and has a softer feel than artificial lighting. It also creates a less flat look, which helps create depth in your images. The best natural light comes from the sun, so try to shoot outside or near windows during the day when you can. Alternatively, use artificial lights with a high CRI like these panel Aputure Lights.

If your product photos are outdoors, try to find areas with diffused sunlight. You should also avoid shooting directly into the sun, which will lead to harsh shadows and unflattering images. A side-on angle towards the sun works well here, creating interesting shapes and casting shadows that add detail and profile to an image without distracting glare. If shooting inside, make sure there is plenty of natural light coming through windows - especially north-facing ones that get all-day exposure without overheating - or use reflectors or artificial lights to provide extra lighting if needed.

Rule 3: Watch Your Background

If you want your product to look its best, take care to always watch the background. If the background is messy, distracting, or has too much going on, this will draw attention away from your product, and the customer won't see it. A clean background will show the product's features and make it more appealing. Keep an eye out for distracting details like dirt on a window, graffiti on a wall, or an ugly painting hanging on the wall behind your items. Clean backgrounds can be achieved by either shooting indoors with light coming through windows or outdoors where the background is relatively plain. When photographing outdoors, be sure that no people are walking by in the shot or any other objects, such as trees, birds, buildings, etc., obscuring parts of your background that might have been better left out of view.

Rule 4: Showcase All Aspects

Different perspectives make all the difference. Viewpoint is everything. Make sure to showcase your products from different angles; product photography can show off the size and scope of an object, while angles that include a product and a hand can be used to show how something should be held or fit on somebody's body. Ensure you take at least five photos from the front, back, and sides so that customers have plenty of choices when buying.

Rule 5: Format Photos for the Specific Platforms

The first and most important thing you can do when taking pictures of your products is to ensure they are formatted correctly. Instagram, Facebook, and social media platforms have different requirements and ratios. For example, Instagram has an ideal photo ratio of 4:5, while on Facebook, it's 16:9. You don't want to take an image that doesn't fit the ratio requirements and then have to crop it or try to turn it into a square shape later. This will not only look unprofessional but will also lead to fuzzier quality images. Instead, take photos using the appropriate formats beforehand so there won't be any cropping or distortion necessary.

In addition to Instagram and Facebook, other social media sites like Pinterest require specific ratios for posts to display correctly. When in doubt about which format your chosen site requires, check their guidelines for photos before beginning photography.