Photos and imagery can make or break an eCommerce site
In an online store, photos are important not only for communicating details about your products—like features, colors, and textures—but also for demonstrating the look and feel of your brand.
Online shoppers want to know exactly what they are getting if they’re going to purchase your product, and a flattering photo will definitely help them make an informed decision. That’s why it literally pays to have your product photos optimized to look great. Creating beautiful, optimized photos for your online store doesn’t have to break the bank—here’s how.
#1. Take photos of your products on a white background
Shooting your product photos on a white background is usually the simplest, most cost-effective way to produce high-quality images. The easiest way to do this is to go out and get a big piece of white paper or cardstock and drape it from the wall to the floor as a backdrop. The idea is to hide the crease where the wall meets the floor, and create a nice clean background. If you want more detailed instructions on setting up for a product photoshoot, this is a great article.
Once your backdrop is ready to go, take each photo from a set distance away from the product. This ensures that the products are all at the same scale and look consistent throughout your online store.
#2. Optimize your online store photos to look amazing
If you want your product photos to really pop, the next step is to remove the background from the photo, leaving just the floating product. After that, some basic photo editing will really give it that professional look. If you’re not already a photo editing wiz, we highly recommend using Pixc for this step. Pixc will remove the background from your photos and professionally edit them to look clean and consistent. As a bonus, you can give your web designer access to your Pixc account. This makes it really easy for us to download your beautifully optimized photos and get them up on your online store. We like Pixc because it’s a fast, easy and inexpensive way to get your online store photos optimized.
#3. Consider adding photos of your products in context
Using a white background for product photos is pretty much an industry standard, because it’s consistent, emphasizes your product, and is the simplest option. However, shooting your products in context (such as showing your clothing on a model, outside) has its perks. Showing your product on a real person, or in use, can help tell the story of your product and speak to your target audience. So instead of just selling a product, you’re selling a lifestyle, concept, or vibe. Online store photos that are shot in context can be a lot more expensive to set up, shoot, and edit, but they can make a great addition to your standard white-background images.
Creating beautiful, high-quality images for your online store doesn’t have to be crazy expensive. All you need to get started is a camera and a big white piece of paper!
Need some help setting up an online store for your business? We offer a range of web design services and would love to assist you with your eCommerce site.
In the spirit of full disclosure, the links to Pixc are affiliate links, which means that Technology Aloha may receive a commission if you decide to purchase something through the links provided. We only recommend products and systems that we use and love, so we know you’ll be in good hands.
Sources:
eCommerce Photography: White Backgrounds vs. Photographing Products in Context
Product Photography Tutorials — Master Ecommerce Images with These 6 Post-Production Techniques
