Product Photography – Why a Professional Photographer Can Help You

The growth in online shopping and e-commerce means that the modern product photograph is the closest many shoppers get to touching, feeling or even trying on the product they are interested in. So, it’s essential that any images capture the essence of the product and entice potential buyers to part with their cash.

Lee Hayes specialises in product photography for clients across Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk. Here he highlights some of the most important ways in which hiring a professional photographer can help boost product sales – whether the image is destined for a website, a brochure or any form of marketing campaign.

Backgrounds and Props

Professional photographers instinctively know what works when it comes to promoting your product. The generally accepted wisdom is that less is more, so there is nothing to distract the eye from the product itself. Some of the major online sales sites insist on a plain white background for this reason.

However, in some cases it may be preferable to have a coloured backdrop – such as when the product contains a lot of pale or light colours - to provide a contrast.  I can provide different coloured backgrounds, or I can make your images ‘free-floating’ with a white background.

It is often a good idea to use props and to take a number of ‘context shots’ as these can show the product being used and give a good idea of the product’s size. I can source props for you or I am also happy to use any that you supply.

The Lighting

One of the key factors in getting a product picture right is to take account of the lighting. Professional studio lighting will provide the most consistent results, and it is easy to adjust and control. Natural sunlight is a reasonable second best, but you are at the mercy of the elements.

The key point is to avoid mixing the two different light sources. This will require different white balance settings on the camera and you will be making the job unnecessarily difficult.

Some products, such as perfumes and anything in a bottle, present particular challenges because of their reflective surfaces. A professional photographer will be able to use specialist equipment, such as a diffused backlight which provides an eye-catching glow effect from behind together with a front light source to pick out any labels and lettering.

Avoiding Blurred Images

For product photography, you should always have access to a tripod to avoid any issues such as camera shake and the resulting blurring of the image. Even if you do use a tripod, it still not be possible to get all elements of the product in perfect focus – for example, on some intricate pieces of jewellery - so concentrate on its key elements or selling points.

Post-Production Perfection

Another reason why it’s always worth employing a professional photographer to help promote your products is because they will be able to make some alterations after the shutter has been pressed. Any minor blemishes and colour adjustments can be made, within limits, with the appropriate software.

As part of my service, I offer full post post-processing facilities for any minor digital adjustments which I think are required.

Product Photography from Lee Hayes

If you need product photography and are based in Suffolk, Essex or Norfolk, you can call me on either 07809 431944. You can also follow this link to our contacts page and fill in the online form. I can take your images in a variety of formats, depending on what you need them for – a website, a social media account or some marketing literature.