Jun 28, 2025

How To Shoot Product Photography: 17 Best Tips For Better Photos

person holding camera - How To Shoot Product Photography

Whether you’re selling on Etsy or your website, product photography is crucial for attracting customers. Think about the last purchase you made online. Did you buy from the seller with clear, well-lit photos that showed the item from multiple angles, or the one with dark, blurry images that only showed a fraction of what they were selling? Exactly. If you want to make sales, you need to up your game to figure out how to shoot product photography. This guide will help you achieve this with expert tips and tricks for capturing stunning photos of your products.

One of the best ways to learn how to shoot product photography is by studying different techniques and approaches. Caspa’s product photography solution can help you get the hang of it quickly, allowing you to take better photos of your products.

Table of Content

Why Does Product Photography Matter for Brands

camera on a table - How To Shoot Product Photography

Product photography plays a crucial role in the performance of e-commerce businesses. Studies show that visuals play a vital role in online shopping decisions. For example, 78% of online shoppers want product photos to bring items to life, while 90% say photo quality is the most crucial factor in making an online purchase.

A massive 75% of online shoppers rely on product photos when deciding what to buy. These statistics underscore why product photography is a valuable investment for brands seeking to thrive in the competitive e-commerce landscape.

The Key Benefits of Product Photography

Creates a Strong First Impression

Your product images are often the first interaction customers have with your brand. A high-quality, professional photo immediately signals that your products—and by extension, your business—are trustworthy and of high quality. The better the presentation, the more likely customers are to perceive your brand as credible and premium.

Establishes Your Brand Identity

Think of iconic brands like Apple or Nike. Their product photography isn’t just about the product, it’s about the feeling, vibe, and lifestyle their brand represents. By investing in professional images that reflect your style and values, you can create a cohesive brand identity.

High-quality photos, paired with thoughtful design elements such as logos or banners, strengthen brand recognition and loyalty.

Drives Sales Like Nothing Else

Let’s be honest, great photos sell. When your product photography captures attention and showcases every detail, customers are more likely to click "Add to Cart." High-quality images effectively highlight your product’s features, making customers feel confident about their purchase. The better the visuals, the higher the chances of converting browsers into buyers.

Builds Trust and Credibility

In the crowded e-commerce world, trust is everything. Customers are naturally skeptical, especially if your brand is new. Professional photos reassure shoppers that your products are genuine and that your business is legitimate. Websites with polished, accurate images feel more inviting and reliable, giving you an edge over competitors who might cut corners on visuals.

Reduces Returns and Increases Customer Satisfaction

Imagine ordering a product online, only to find it looks completely different in person. Frustrating, right? Accurate, high-quality photos reduce the likelihood of this happening, which means fewer returns for your business. Plus, when customers receive precisely what they expected, they’re more likely to leave positive reviews and become repeat buyers.

The Bigger Picture

Product photography isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s a powerful tool that influences buying decisions, builds brand trust, and drives business growth. Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your e-commerce strategy, investing in professional product photography is a surefire way to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

With the right images, your products won’t just sell—they’ll leave a lasting impression, turning first-time visitors into loyal customers. After all, in the world of e-commerce, a picture truly is worth a thousand sales!

How To Shoot Product Photography: 17 Best Tips

1. Start with the Right Camera Settings

Your camera doesn’t need to be expensive, it just needs to be set up correctly. Start with Auto White Balance for accurate color. Turn off the flash, especially when indoors, and opt for using natural light instead. Choose the RAW format for maximum editing flexibility, or opt for the highest-quality JPEG if the RAW format isn’t available.

Keep the ISO low (around 100) for clear, sharp shots. If you’re comfortable, use Manual or Aperture Priority mode to fine-tune focus and exposure.

2. Use Natural Light Whenever Possible

Natural light creates soft, even lighting that enhances the appearance of your product. Set up near a large window or an open garage door. Avoid direct sunlight, which causes harsh shadows. Position your product with the light coming from the side and turn off other light sources to prevent color distortion. This setup brings out true colors and textures without requiring a professional lighting kit.

3. Stick to a White Background for Standard Shots

A white background makes products stand out and eliminates distractions. Use a curved backdrop (like an infinity cove) to eliminate visible corners. If needed, remove the background during editing. White backdrops are particularly effective for marketplaces like Amazon or eCommerce product listings, as they offer a clean and consistent look.

4. Diffuse Your Flash to Soften Light

If you need artificial lighting, use a flash diffuser to spread the light evenly. This prevents harsh reflections or blown-out highlights. A good diffuser mimics natural lighting, keeping the product looking true to life. You can even DIY one with tracing paper or a white shower curtain in front of a lamp.

5. Add Bokeh Backgrounds for Lifestyle Shots

For lifestyle photos, use a bokeh background to add depth and visual interest to your images. Bokeh is the blurred light effect created by specific lenses. You can make a DIY bokeh wall using tinfoil and soft lighting. These shots are perfect for social media or promotional banners, adding a personal touch to your brand.

6. Show Every Style and Variant

Ensure that every color, size, and design variation has its corresponding image. Customers are more likely to buy when they can see exactly what they’re getting. It’s frustrating for buyers to read a product description for a blue variant, only to see a picture of it in a different color. Visual accuracy builds trust.

7. Plan Colors and Composition Ahead of Time

Don’t just point and shoot—think through your setup. Take test shots with your phone before the real session to plan your framing and styling. Use colors that align with your brand identity. For example, neutral backgrounds for tech gadgets or earthy tones for eco-friendly products. Consistent color and composition tell a cohesive brand story.

8. Use the Macro Setting for Detail Shots

Macro photography allows you to zoom in on intricate product features—ideal for showcasing jewelry, textiles, or electronics. Make sure the lighting is soft and even. Manually focus to highlight the most crucial detail, and adjust your aperture to slightly blur the background. These close-ups help customers appreciate the quality and craftsmanship of the product.

9. Pay Close Attention to Lighting Quality

Know the difference between soft and hard light. Soft light wraps around the subject, creating a smooth, flattering effect in photos. Hard light creates strong shadows and can highlight specific features. Determine which is best suited for your product’s mood. Nevertheless, avoid mixing light types (e.g., natural and fluorescent), as this can compromise color accuracy.

10. Include a Reference for Scale

Online shoppers frequently struggle to interpret measurements accurately. Display products alongside everyday objects, such as a pen, phone, or coffee mug, to give them a sense of scale. This is especially useful for small accessories, bags, or tech gadgets where dimensions alone don’t tell the whole story.

11. Organize Multi-Item Layouts Neatly

If you’re photographing bundles, collections, or kits, keep items evenly spaced. Don’t clutter or scatter the arrangement—this confuses the viewer. Use consistent spacing to allow each item to stand out while maintaining a cohesive composition.

12. Shoot Multiple Angles

Customers want to examine a product as if they were holding it in their hands. Capture your product from multiple angles: front, back, sides, top-down, and even tilted views. This provides a comprehensive view and fosters buyer confidence. Use a tripod to maintain consistent framing and rotate the product rather than the camera for greater efficiency.

13. Incorporate Different Photography Styles

Break away from white-background shots by experimenting with:

Lifestyle photos: show the product in use or context (e.g., a bag on someone’s shoulder).
Detail shots: zoom in on textures, zippers, engravings, and other details.
Group shots: show bundles or sets together to encourage upsells.

Each style appeals to a different kind of buyer, so diversifying your visuals helps attract a broader audience.

14. Edit and Retouch Your Images

Editing is just as important as the photo shoot. Crop, adjust brightness and contrast, correct colors, and remove dust or background clutter. You can also sharpen the image or remove distractions. Utilize tools such as Lightroom, Photoshop, or Canva. Clean, polished photos increase credibility and conversions.

15. Maintain Consistency in Presentation

Once you’ve found a visual style that works, stick to it. Consistency is key: use the same lighting, camera angle, and editing style across all products. This consistency makes your store look professional and helps customers easily compare products.

16. Use Props to Add Context

Props can bring your product to life. Selling mugs? Include a French press or an open book. Selling notebooks? Style them with pens or glasses. But don’t let props overpower the product; use them to support the story and guide the viewer’s eye.

17. Optimize Image Files for SEO and Speed

Large image files can slow down your site, hurting SEO and user experience. Resize your images based on the container size (1.5x is a good rule of thumb) and use compression tools like JPEGmini or Photoshop’s “Save for Web” function. Aim for an image size of under 200KB without compromising quality.

Equipment for Product Photography

equipment for photography - How To Shoot Product Photography

Cameras, Lenses, and Tripods for Product Photography

The equipment you use can help you take better pictures of your products. Since images play an essential role in on-page marketing, it is worthwhile to ensure you have the correct items in your camera bag.

Camera

When taking pictures of your products, the camera is the most critical tool. You will want a camera type with a high resolution that provides clear images in .jpeg or RAW formats. DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) cameras offer the highest level of control because they allow you to change lenses. You can adjust settings using the knobs and buttons on the camera body.

The Benefits of Advanced Camera Control

Mirrorless cameras are another option with interchangeable lenses. These products have the advantage of offering full-screen previews of images before you take a picture. Other cameras allow you to zoom in on the product, but do not permit lens changes. Small cameras often require the use of digital menus to adjust shutter speed and aperture, which can be a time-consuming and tedious process.

Lens

The lens is another essential part. It allows you to adjust the image's focal length and depth of field. A prime lens is ideal for capturing product images because it has a fixed focal length, allowing you to focus on settings and framing rather than adjusting the zoom to get a clear shot of the subject. If you sell small products, a macro or wide-angle lens can help capture fine details up close.

Tripod

A tripod prevents fuzzy product photos by steadying the camera. It keeps the camera steady at slow shutter speeds and helps with framing. If you invest in a good tripod, you may not need to spend as much on lighting.

Lighting for Product Photography: What You Need to Know

Lighting illuminates the product and avoids overexposure. Consider the type and color temperature of the lighting. Combining natural light with artificial light creates a balanced image without unsightly shadows. You can also invest in reflectors and diffusers. These fill shadows and create a soft glow that avoids sharp contrast, respectively.

Backgrounds in Product Photography: Why They Matter

Backgrounds not only set the scene but also provide context for products. For instance, you might have noticed that photographs taken against a white or black backdrop make the product stand out and look professional. Nevertheless, a more imaginative or colorful background may showcase distinctive features.

Enhancing Product Appeal

For example, a product intended for outdoor use might look more appealing in a grassy or forest setting, or near a stream. If you sell a range of products, flexibility is key. You will want solid white or black backgrounds, but you should also have a setup that allows you to shoot product photos and use more creative backdrops.

Revolutionizing Product Photography with AI

Caspa helps eCommerce brands create stunning product photography with AI, eliminating the need for multiple tools, photographers, and models that traditionally eat up to 20% of revenue. From creating ultrarealistic product shots with human models to editing existing photos, Caspa's all-in-one AI product photography platform handles everything, from background removal to upscaling, allowing brands to produce professional marketing visuals in seconds.

Whether you need custom stock photos or complete studio editing capabilities, Caspa streamlines the entire product visualization workflow into a single, cost-effective solution.

Get product photos that increase your sales today!

9 Product Photography Ideas To Try

person taking picture - How To Shoot Product Photography

1. Create a Pattern

Repeating the product across the photograph to form a pattern is an easy way to create a punchy, memorable shot. This method is simple to set up, visually appealing, and carries a strong rhythm. It works exceptionally well on social media, as small screens don’t accommodate complex product photographs, and this one manages to be both strong and minimalist.

2. Select Props Strategically

Your product images can stand out by using props to enhance them with fascinating details, colors, and textures. Nevertheless, they should be carefully chosen and appropriate for the subject of the photograph. Instead of drawing attention away from the product, they ought to accentuate it.

This picture employs fruits and plants as props to evoke summertime, tangy tastes, and Bombay Sapphire gin’s herbal infusion.

3. Use Complementary Colors

You may forego the props and make your product the focal point of the picture for a new strategy. For instance, a straightforward yellow-gold ball can be photographed on a royal purple backdrop to produce a captivating end image. Bold colors from opposing sides of the color wheel are used in complementary pairings. If you enjoy this concept, consider looking at the uniforms of various sports teams for color inspiration.

4. Make Texture the Focus

The importance of using photos to highlight a product’s distinctive features has increased as online shopping becomes more prevalent. Texture is often a key selling point in photographing cosmetics and skincare. By employing an unconventional method of texture photography, this image conveys a tactile impression of the goods to the viewer.

5. Bokeh Background

Bokeh style in photography involves focusing on the main subject of an image and making the surrounding area blurry. It’s also known as a shallow depth of field effect, which you can achieve by adjusting a camera’s aperture, distance, and focal length.

6. Use Smoke

This product photography idea is a good way to add a dramatic or even mysterious atmosphere to your shot. Use the colored smoke if it is suitable for your product design. To create smoke much faster, you can download Adobe Photoshop and install its overlays.

7. Color Blocking Background

Everyone is getting a bit bored with the classic white Amazon product photography backdrop, so you need to attract clients with something more interesting, such as color blocking. It is when two or more contrasting or complementary colors are combined. For example, if you’re working with a product with lilac packaging, I could opt for a mint green or light yellow backdrop.

8. Make a splash

Take a look at most product images, and you’ll soon notice that they’re mostly taken on dry ground. Why not experiment with water in your product photography? Click the shutter just as a water bottle meets the surface of the water; capture the moment as a small jar of lotion begins to sink; catch the bubbles floating from a bottle of sparkling water as it lands among ice cubes.

Those are just a few ideas of how powerful and evocative underwater product photography can be—the possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

9. Take it outside

Studio setups provide the photographer with more control over lighting and positioning. Nevertheless, the outdoors can add a layer of meaning, purpose, and intention to the product, encouraging interest and motivating action on behalf of the viewer.

For example, a glass of lemonade photographed indoors looks different than the same glass of lemonade placed on a patio table, with sunlight sparkling on the slice of lemon on the rim of the glass.

Plants as Product Windows

Try out these additional outdoor product photography ideas and see if natural light and surroundings can bring that much-needed “pop” to your next project. Place your product among plants, using them as a compositional window to draw the viewer’s attention to the product. Textures such as asphalt, concrete, and sand are perfect for footwear product photos.

Consider the product's intended use; hiking gear displayed on a trail or scenic overlook, or sunscreen artfully placed near a pool, lake, or ocean vista.

Get Product Photos that Increase Your Sales Today

Caspa helps eCommerce brands create stunning product photography with AI, eliminating the need for multiple tools, photographers, and models that traditionally eat up to 20% of revenue.

AI-Powered Product Visuals in Seconds

From creating ultrarealistic product shots with human models to editing existing photos, Caspa's all-in-one AI product photography platform handles everything, from background removal to upscaling, allowing brands to produce professional marketing visuals in seconds.

From Stock Photos to Studio Edits

Whether you need custom stock photos or complete studio editing capabilities, Caspa streamlines the entire product visualization workflow into a single, cost-effective solution.

Get product photos that increase your sales today!

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