How to take your own product photos in 5 steps
Need to know how to DIY your product photos in a hurry? Follow these 5 simple steps.
What do you do when you’ve run out of time for a product photography shoot but you really need to post in time for Christmas?
You’re ready to launch a new range but your photos have let you down. I can feel you scratching your head in desperation, pulling at your hair because it’s so far from the perfect image you want to maintain.
It is far from ideal, and this article is not even close to a complete photography guide. But when time and money is tight, there has to be another way! So if you’re in that position right now, I feel your pain – and I’ve put this short 5-step guide together to help you DIY your product photography.
How to Take Your Own Product Photos in 5 steps
SEEK OUT NATURAL LIGHT
Seek out natural light – also known as a window. You ideally want to be about a metre or two from the window, and pick a south or east facing one. If you’ve got bright sunlight streaming through, either use the shadows creatively to your advantage, or pick a spot in the shade. You can draw a thin gauze / curtain over the window to diffuse the light. If you work from somewhere that’s more akin to a darkened cave, then I’d suggest taking yourself outdoors and looking for a spot with even light.
SET UP YOUR BACKGROUND
Set up your background. This can be a seamless curved piece of large white card, a marble table top, a white tablecloth. Fabrics look great crumpled to effect if you can’t get a creaseless background. Some small businesses like to use a light box, but you can create one using white card or walls on either side to reflect the light back in and reduce the shadows.
TRY OUT DIFFERENT ANGLES
Try out all the angles. From above, sideways on, at product level and eye level, and then walk around your product. If in doubt, keep trying out so you find an angle that works best for your product. Whatever you do, don’t stand in your own light! You can always rotate photos afterwards, so standing sideways on if the light is behind you works well.
STYLING YOUR PRODUCT PHOTOS
Styling: For when you have the time and you’re really enjoying the creativity. Take a more lifestyle aesthetic to your pictures to connect emotionally with your audience. Pick settings and props that would naturally go with the aesthetic. A coffee cup for example goes well on a coffee table next to a sofa, or with a book and a cosy blanket.
You could also consider the season and any upcoming holidays. For example, during the winter months, you might incorporate cosy elements like pine cones, fairy lights, or a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Lifestyle elements add visual interest but also helps your audience imagine them in their own home.
EDIT YOUR OWN PRODUCT PHOTOS
Using either your phone’s editing software or Lightroom mobile to edit your photos. But what should you be editing?
Here are the main three options I’d suggest working on.
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