Online shopping is becoming more and more popular, especially in a time where physical shopping is limited. Consumers will be drawn to an image before they read the text describing the image. The quality of your product photography could be the difference between making a sale or losing a customer.  You may be worried that your lack of photography knowledge will ruin the image of your products used for your site, social media, ads, etc. But don’t stress, you don’t need to be a professional photographer for good photos. There are multiple sources out there with tons of tips on how to produce pleasing product photos, but here are some that we think are really helpful.

1.DON’T FORGET YOUR TRIPOD

Tripods make a huge difference in the quality of your photos. They provide stability to reduce blurriness in your photos, while also providing consistency if you need to stage multiple shots. You can find decent quality tripods for inexpensive prices, you can also find ones made for your smartphone if you don’t own a high-quality camera.

Pix’s Ultimate Guide to DIY Product Photography

 

2.FIND THE RIGHT LIGHTING

For lighting, you can choose natural or artificial lighting. When positioning your product, your main goal is to use both the lighting and product to create an attractive image. For skincare/personal care type products, natural lighting works very well. Different hours of days will give you different natural lighting. Golden Hour is a very popular time because of how dramatic the lighting can be on its subject. If shooting outside isn’t an option, you can always position your products near a window. The quality of your photo will enhance if you position your product on a sweep, in order to remove that awkward horizon line.

Photography Tips for Shooting During Different Times a Day

You can also shoot in a studio or controlled setting, especially if consistency is a key element to your photography. In a studio, you can control all aspects of the environment to your advantage. Artificial lighting is a big element in this setting, requires more effort, and is a little more expensive; you will need to purchase lamps, bulbs, lightboxes, reflectors, etc. Luckily most of these items can be found for fairly inexpensive prices.

 

3. LET YOUR PHOTO TELL THE STORY

Your photos are what is going to sell your product. Great product photography should inspire your consumers. Not just to purchase your product, but to get the desired results of your product. To be a part of your brand. In the health and beauty industry, people want to feel connected to the brands they purchase from. If your product is an all-natural or vegan you should consider shooting your product in nature or having nature-like products in the shot such as flowers, sprigs, fruit, etc. This will convey a message of natural beauty and will elicit an emotional response to your consumers.

How To Tell a Story with Product Photography

 

4. TAKE MULTIPLE SHOTS OF EACH PRODUCT

Potential buyers want to see your product, so getting multiple shots of your product will really help out. Get images of all sides of your product showing the packaging and label information. You will want straight-on images of just your product and then lifestyle images to showcase the benefits of using your product and to express your brand message. These images will help you connect with your consumer on a deeper level, it will also provide more content to use across your social media and ads.

You don’t have to be a professional photographer, or even hire one, to get great photos. There are many ways to capture great shots of your products working with what you have in your space and your phone. Elevate your brand by producing beautiful images

As one of Utah’s leading cosmetic manufacturers, we want to provide you with the information and tools to develop the perfect product. Whether you choose the route of innovating a whole new product or revitalizing an existing product, our R&D team has the expertise and ability to do so. Contact us to see how we can help you!