product photography - part 1

IMAGE: Tanya Collier. FEATURING: Fabric by The Strawberry Thief, mini embroidery hoop necklace kit by Dandelyne

A picture is worth a thousand words and no place is this more true than in the fast-paced, online environment where you have mere seconds to capture the attention of your potential buyers.

The purpose of product photography is to help sell your product. Images tell a story, they help make your product a 'must have' for your target audience. Product images are part of your marketing collateral and should be approached as such.

IMAGE: Tanya Collier FEATURING: satchel by One Busy Sloth, number blocks by Games to Go, pencil holder by It's My Room

so... what defines a great product photo?

A great product shot is crisp and clear and draws attention to the product. It will also sit alongside your library of product images to give a cohesive look and feel to your brand as a whole.

IMAGE: Tanya Collier. FEATURING: Mr Sparrow

how do we achieve this?

+ eliminating camera shake
+ lighting
+ composition
+ styling

eliminating camera shake

One of the simplest things you can do to improve your images is to make them super crisp by eliminating camera shake.

This can be achieved by using something to support your camera or phone as you take the photo - a tripod is the obvious choice, but simply resting your camera on a table or stack of books can work just as well! A remote shutter release can further reduce camera movement.
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Great lighting will also help by allowing you to capture the image with a faster shutter speed - if you are taking using a DSLR camera on manual setting, ideally the shutter speed will be 1/80 or higher is you are taking hand held shots .

Check back in next week for lighting tips.