Product photos are a vital part of a store’s success. Even if you have an original idea and sell high-quality products, poor photos or lack thereof will drag your business down. The problem is that it’s hard for a store that just opened to find a substantial amount of money from the budget to pay for a pro photoshoot. Here are some valuable tips for advertising that will help you create professional looking images via your smartphone camera.
Thanks to technology, now you don’t need a fancy device. Instead, taking photos of products via a smartphone. And you can also order a photo retouching service from photoretouchingservices.net.
Of course, photos for marketing purposes made with your smartphone won’t be the same as if your products were taken with a DSLR in a studio. But you can take good photos with your phone that look professional enough to post on your website; all you have to do is spend your time and a bit of money on them. You just need to learn a few secrets of how to perform mobile photography, which we will tell you next.
Pick a Smartphone Camera
Almost any modern smartphone camera will do the job in good natural light, and you’ll get quality pictures. But if you’re shooting indoors, you need the latest model of the device, which should have:
● autofocus to shoot faster;
● optical Image stabilization (OIS) to prevent blurring;
● a smaller aperture number, like F/2.2, is good and better than F/2.8. It is needed for quality low-light shots;
● LED flash.
But more megapixels doesn’t mean better image quality. Instead, it determines the size of the picture: it means a bigger resolution of it. So if your camera has 8-16 megapixels, that’s enough, and if you want to crop the photos for advertising, they won’t lose clarity. Find a contrasting background. Preferably a light one, as a black one will make your photos too dark. For light-colored products, choose a darker background, but not black.
White Background
The easiest way to make a background is to attach a sheet of paper to a wall or frame. Then, press the bottom edges with books or something heavy to keep it in place.
Textures as Your Wallpaper
To take good photos with phone that is original and recognizable, use textured wallpaper. People remember bright colors and exciting compositions better. Plus, pictures with textured backgrounds are more likely to be shared on Instagram, Pinterest, and other social media.
Try, for example, making a wooden setting or using floor texture for that reason.
Or maybe you’d like to make a textile or crochet background. You won’t have to buy anything because you can utilize any sweater. Take a look at what you have at home. Maybe a scrap of fabric, a striped doormat, or scraps of paper can make a nice background for your photos.
Natural Backgrounds
It’s time to go for a walk, bringing a few items with you. Nature herself throws us unique settings: foliage, moss, sand, rocks, walls, and the list goes on and on.
Proper Illumination
You’ve probably heard that photographers are critical when they shoot outdoors because they want to catch the “right” light. The quality of the photo depends a lot on it. It is better to use the natural one, though sometimes direct natural light is too harsh: it distorts colors and casts shadows.
Shoot with Natural Light
For this type of photo shoot, you should make sure you have a large window to take your pictures. It will diffuse the light, softening it. Another option is to shoot in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is not as bright. The light should fall on the subject from the front or side.
Make a Lightbox
Get a lightbox if you are taking photos of products on a white background for a catalog. You can buy it or make it yourself. Buy all the materials, like a sheet of paper and a container, on Amazon or eBay. The bulbs in the lamps must be the same; otherwise, the lighting will be uneven and distorted. Ideally, the lamps should have a color temperature of 5000K.
Assemble the lightbox in several steps:
- Fix a sheet of paper in the container to cover the back wall and the bottom of the container.
- Install the lamps on different sides of the container.
- Think about the composition
- Tell as much as possible about the product with a photo. People do not buy things; they buy emotions.
To engage store visitors, you must experiment with accessories and product types. You won’t get the effect you want if you only have the product in profile and full-face.
Try Starting with the Following Options
The art of photography, even on a portable device, is currently a modern trend. So, here are some viable tips on creating excellent images with the smartphone.
Static Pictures
Show the product with its face. Try to convey its main qualities in the photo. For example, in the image below, you can feel what a soft and pleasant fabric-sewn sweatshirt is.
Ecommerce Merchandise in Action
Show how your product will fit into the customer’s life. Make him think that this thing will make his life more pleasant, more joyful, and more comfortable.
Checklist for the Novice Photographer
Inspired and reaching for your smartphone to take your first photo? Here’s a quick recap of what’s important to keep in mind:
- You’ll need a smartphone, a tripod, a plastic container, three lamps, a sheet of paper, and a background (or several backgrounds) to take your picture.
- Natural light is the best, but try to shoot in the morning or before sunset.
- Choose contrasting backgrounds.
Marketing photography with smartphone is possible and can bring significant results. You can make excellent pictures that bring the whole concept to life and use our tricks to save money or order some retouching as a bit of help.
About Our Guest Poster
Frank Hamilton is a blogger and translator from Manchester. He is a professional writing expert in such topics as blogging, digital marketing and photography. He also loves traveling and speaks Spanish, French, German and English. Meet him on Facebook and Twitter.
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