You are running a business that sells products so, naturally, you want to sell as much as possible. When it comes to selling online, you have to remember that your potential customers have no way of actually getting their hands on the product. You need to make sure you have some good photos that give them a good representation of what they can expect from the product. The Internet is the modern catalog, but it provides far more possibilities. Just make sure you know how to take quality photos for your products.
Tips for Taking Great Photos
First, you need to prepare your item and determine how you want to photograph it. If you are selling new items, you might want to consider having images of the product in the package as well as photos of the product out of the package so the buyers can get a better look at it. As a part of the preparation, make sure that you have a good background for the product, simple white or black backgrounds are generally a good option, but it is possible to get a bit more creative in some cases. For example, if you are selling dog collars, you could have images of a dog wearing them, as well as the typical product images on a plain background.
Something to keep in mind is that if you have a light colored item, it might be better to have it set against a dark background. Naturally, if it is a dark product, go with a lighter background.
Choose the right angle. For most products, you will want to have a straight on shot that gives the buyer a good look at the item. However, you can consider some alternative shots, as well. One of the nice things about the web is that you can generally put up quite a few different shots to give the best possible views of the product without worrying about taking up too much “real estate” on the page.
Also, consider your lighting. Natural lighting is generally the best, but you can buy actual photography lighting equipment, or even just some lamps, which can help you get some great shots. One of the issues that many sellers have is using flash on their photos. When they do this, it has a tendency to wash out the image simply because there is an infusion of too much light. Get nice and close to the product so you can take some great detailed shots. It’s better than zooming in on it.
Remember to try different angles and different types of shots. Working with digital cameras makes this easy. You have an unlimited number of chances to “get it right”, and you should practice until you get very good at taking these shots. Make sure that you are taking photos of any additional components that come with the item as well. For example, if you sell an electronic item that comes with a charger and other accessories, you should photograph these and add them to your listing, as well.
Always be sure to edit your photos, as well, and have others look at them before you choose them. You want the images to be as perfect and as enticing as possible. You may need to adjust the brightness or the colors just slightly to turn a decent photo into a great photo.
Do You Need a Professional?
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can’t take good photos. In those cases, you might want to have someone else take over the photography. You can find someone else in your company to work on the photos, or you can choose a professional for the job.