Camera Settings
1. Make use of macro mode
If your camera has a macro mode, use it. The button usually has a tiny flower on it so it should be easy to locate. Macro mode is great for close-ups, allowing detailed focus from short distances. It will make it harder to focus in the first place, and will reduce your depth of field, but the detail can be incredible.
2. Use the timer and anti-shake option
This is going one step further than the tripod in keeping your camera still. Even the click of a button can jog the camera just enough that your shot is no longer perfect. Set the timer, make any necessary adjustments, and your shot is ready. Some phone apps, such as CameraSharp, have an anti-shake mode, which you can use if you don’t have a tripod, and can give better results in poor lighting.
The Scene
1. Choose your background carefully
Most items look their best against a white background, as it eliminates distractions and makes colours ‘pop’. You can buy specialist backdrops, tents or ‘sweeps’, which are specially curved to eliminate shadows caused by sharp angles. This will give a clean look.
Many products are shown in their ‘natural environment’, such as a sofas (the product) in the living room. This is a great way of demonstrating size, and can give a customer great visualisation of how the product might look in their home, but beware of distractions. The last thing you want to do is deflect from the product itself.
Background can even make something to look more expensive. Depending on your target audience and your product, the experience can differ a lot.
8. Draw attention to products
Your product needs to be the main or only focus of the image. If you’re using a stand, make sure it’s not too fussy. When photographing with other products, ensure the relevant one stands out.
Keep the image simple by keeping ‘background noise’ to a minimum – too many other items or too many colours can be confusing and take the emphasis away from the product you’re trying to sell.
9. Don’t be lazy with your lighting
This can be one of the trickiest parts of photography to get right, but it’s also one of the most important – it can really make or break your image quality. What kind of lighting you need depends on what kind of shot you want to take. Some ‘natural environment’ shots will work really well with natural daylight. For most white background shots, you’ll need specialist lighting; take a look online as there are some pretty affordable kits around. You may need to adjust the lighting to avoid sharp shadows, which can look harsh and distract from the product image.