Woman taking product pictures

It only takes the brain a few milliseconds to process the images brought in by the eye. Considering how quickly pictures can flash into and out of customers’ awareness, it is vital for you as an ecommerce seller to make the most of every piece of content you feature. 

The following tips will help you to optimize your images so that you can capitalize on them to make sales.

1. Understand the different product photograph types

There are six major photograph types. Individual shots capture a single product, usually on a clean background for best highlighting of a single piece of merchandise. 

By contrast, group shots highlight several items at once, giving you a chance to reflect your brand as a whole on places such as social media forums.

Often taken with a model, lifestyle shots are the perfect way to showcase your products in action in the real world. Often seen in email campaigns and on social media ads, lifestyle shots give a pictorial view of your merchandise in action.

Scale shots make it easier for customers to gauge the size of a particular product as it relates to the dimensions of other everyday items. Since your ecommerce site by its very nature requires that shoppers buy merchandise without encountering it in person, this type of picture increases their trust level and smooths ecommerce payment processing for your business.

Smaller products like jewelry often require a closer look that is usually not captured by a conventional photograph. To take these detail shots, you will probably require special equipment such as a macro lens. 

As with scale shots, including this type of photo on your site can overcome buyer reluctance to buy online by providing the additional details that increase customer knowledge and enhance a product’s appeal.

Finally, packaging shots give you a way to show how your brand presents itself and its merchandise. These pictures showcase not just the product but also the box, bag or basket in which it is sent.

2. Set your background

Even if you’re on a budget, you should be able to take great shots with a little editing software and your mobile phone’s 12-megapixel camera. A good background allows the focus to remain on the product and makes editing easier.

Order an inexpensive white sweep table if you plan to take a number of shots. You can also make your own chair-mounted sweep. Place the chair against a wall, mounting a roll of white craft paper above the chair on the wall so that it falls to the ground. 

Then just position the product on the chair for a clean shot. Create optimal lighting around the product by purchasing a light tent or making one yourself using a plastic storage container on its side with the lid cut off that is covered with white paper.

3. Feature your products

Put your product in front of the backdrop, making sure that it is on a flat surface and centered. Jewelry can be shown to maximum effect on a bust, and mannequins are great ways to display clothing. 

Putting things on hangers gives you another way to provide images at different angles.

4. Illuminate your products

Good lighting is essential for showing your products optimally. Natural light is perfect for outdoor photos or shots with a model. Artificial light works best if you don’t have the natural option or wish to take pictures at different times of the day.

Whichever you use, consistency from shoot to shoot is key. To that end, document your camera settings so that you can replicate them next time.

5. Optimize your images for your ecommerce site

The larger the image, the longer your site takes to load. While images should be optimized for quality, they should not hamper the loading process to a great extent. Fortunately, a quick online search will help you to find free minifying tools to optimize your photos and keep download speeds quick. Also, don’t forget to name your photos correctly, including metadata and keywords that will raise you in the online search rankings.

6. Set up your ecommerce site for product photo success

Your site should contain a mix of two main types of product images. Product-only shots should be clean-cut and shot on a light or white background. Shoot at multiple angles and distances to show off your merchandise to the best possible effect.

Augment these staples with contextual lifestyle photos that demonstrate your wares in action. Increase the benefits by showcasing the product with a model or in concert with complementary items. 

These strategies will help your customers envision your products in their own daily lives.

Although the time span between seeing an appealing product and purchasing it can often be short, a lot happens between first perceiving an image and completing the purchase in your payment gateway

Getting a grasp on all aspects of product photography gives you the best way to capture your merchandise and bring it to life. With today’s technology, you don’t even need a fat wallet to make it happen.

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