DIYfef95db306e691610d95-3ed1f52be32f22eb7e811aa168ce557d.r9.cf3.rackcdn.co…Check out our handy,...
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If you're using artificial lights, it's important that you take steps to soften or 'diffuse' the light. Lightbulbs naturally produce a very harsh light – it's the same reason we use lampshades in our homes! The pros use umbrella-style devices to reduce harsh transitions, but you can improvise by positioning a sheer piece of fabric between the light source and your subject for an inexpensive and quick solution – simple baking or tracing paper will do the job! Diffusion Diffusion To give the most nuanced view of the product, it's best to put the camera at 'product level.' Your customers are going to want to have a thorough look at the product before buying it, so it's also a good idea to snap it from a few different angles – front, back and side at the very least. Shooting Shooting As awesome as your raw photos may be, it's always advisable to spend a little time editing them. For one thing, this can help you remove any dust, scratches or imperfections you missed before taking the shot. It can also help you remove backgrounds, shadows and more. Since product photos often have a solid background (generally white) this can be a really important step. In terms of software, we recommend GIMP for you guys who are on a budget or don't have access to Photoshop – it's easy to use, and it's totally free. Editing Editing You can get great GIMP photo editing tips from: docs.gimp.org/en Product Photography DIY 101 The better your products look, the more likely you are to sell them; in a nutshell, that's the importance of product photography. Contrary to what others might tell you, the equipment doesn't cost hundreds of dollars, and you don't need to hire professionals to get amazing results. Check out our handy, DIY guide to product photography and see how you can start getting phenomenal results – on your own – right now! www.americommerce.com Awesome product photography doesn't necessarily require an expensive, top-of-the-range camera. If you have a compact or DSLR camera, then all the better, but many eCommerce store owners achieve great results using a simple smartphone camera. Most smartphones have several different settings that you can experiment with – white balance, ISO and more – but most product photographers tend to have great success simply with the default settings. One important tip is to ensure you turn off your camera flash, since you'll be using external lighting... Camera/Smart phone Lighting is probably the most important factor in achieving great product photography. Wherever and however you shoot your product photos, make sure your product is and evenly lit, ideally from different angles to avoid long shadows. Some simple setup ideas can be found on page 2. Lighting The slightest movement when snapping your photos can result in blurred images, so you should always make sure your camera is stabilized. The obvious way to do this is with a tripod, but don't worry if you don't have one – you can improvise by simply mounting the camera on a solid surface. A pile of books will even do the job! The shot can also be disrupted simply by the movement of your finger pressing the capture button, so it's a good idea to use your camera's timer function to ensure maximum stability. Position
Transcript of DIYfef95db306e691610d95-3ed1f52be32f22eb7e811aa168ce557d.r9.cf3.rackcdn.co…Check out our handy,...
If you're using artificial lights, it's importantthat you take steps to soften or 'diffuse' thelight. Lightbulbs naturally produce a very harshlight – it's the same reason we use lampshadesin our homes!
The pros use umbrella-style devices to reduceharsh transitions, but you can improvise bypositioning a sheer piece of fabric between thelight source and your subject for an inexpensiveand quick solution – simple baking or tracingpaper will do the job!
Diffusion Diffusion
To give the most nuanced view of the product,it's best to put the camera at 'product level.'Your customers are going to want to have athorough look at the product before buying it,so it's also a good idea to snap it from a fewdifferent angles – front, back and side at thevery least.
Shooting Shooting
As awesome as your raw photos may be, it'salways advisable to spend a little time editingthem. For one thing, this can help you removeany dust, scratches or imperfections you missedbefore taking the shot. It can also help youremove backgrounds, shadows and more.Since product photos often have a solidbackground (generally white) this can be areally important step.
In terms of software, we recommend GIMP foryou guys who are on a budget or don't haveaccess to Photoshop – it's easy to use, andit's totally free.
Editing Editing
You can get greatGIMP photo editing
tips from:docs.gimp.org/en
P r o d u c t P h o t o g r a p h yD I Y1 0 1
The better your products look, the more likely you are to sell them;in a nutshell, that's the importance of product photography.Contrary to what others might tell you, the equipment doesn't costhundreds of dollars, and you don't need to hire professionals to getamazing results. Check out our handy, DIY guide to productphotography and see how you can start getting phenomenalresults – on your own – right now!
www.americommerce.com
Awesome product photography doesn't necessarily require anexpensive, top-of-the-range camera. If you have a compact orDSLR camera, then all the better, but many eCommerce storeowners achieve great results using a simple smartphone camera.Most smartphones have several different settings that you canexperiment with – white balance, ISO and more – but most productphotographers tend to have great success simply with the defaultsettings. One important tip is to ensure you turn off your cameraflash, since you'll be using external lighting...
Camera/Smart phone
Lighting is probably the most important factor in achievinggreat product photography. Wherever and however you shootyour product photos, make sure your product is and evenly lit,ideally from different angles to avoid long shadows.Some simple setup ideas can be found on page 2.
Lighting
The slightest movement when snapping your photos can resultin blurred images, so you should always make sure your camerais stabilized. The obvious way to do this is with a tripod, butdon't worry if you don't have one – you can improvise by simplymounting the camera on a solid surface. A pile of books will evendo the job!
The shot can also be disrupted simply by the movement of yourfinger pressing the capture button, so it's a good idea to use yourcamera's timer function to ensure maximum stability.
Position
Example Setups
Indoor With Artificial Light
Indoor Lightbox Setup
light 1 light 2
light 3 (optional)
Product
Camera/Smartphone
Outdoor Lightbox Setup
Camera/Smartphone
light
lightbox
light
Camera/Smartphone
The light sources in the above example can be replaced by simple desk lamps.
Light tents are quick, cheap and easy to setup.They diffuse light and create 'walls' for light tobounce off so light eflects back onto the product.
If you don't have the space to put together an
indoor setup, you could always take yourproduct shoot outdoors.
Backgrounds
If you're looking forsomething a bit different,there's much to be said forthe 'au naturale' backgroundwhich shows your product inan outdoor environment.
Au naturalewww.americommerce.com
Made by
The modern trend is to use product photographswhich are very clean with lots of white space andalmost look like the product is floating.
This kind of effect can be created fairly easilyusing paper or card and some sticky tape –just use the tape to mount the card, bendingslightly, to the wall.
