As the world continues to be consumed with various social media platforms–visual appeal today basically equals visual merchandising. Flat lays and product shots not only bring followers these days, they also attract potential customers. So becoming your own product photographer is very much a learning experience as you grow your own business and brand.
I started a candle company about a year and a half ago Jipse Co. and while I don’t have a wealth of a budget for photography equipment– so while I’m building my brand and business I had to start with what I had. So I’m here to share a couple of tips and tricks to take a good product shot which might be helpful even to those of you just looking to take a good photo.
When I first started my Instagram account for @jipseco I didn’t know how I was going to take such an ordinary product like a candle and turn it into something that appeals to people visually on its own. Suddenly I had all these different ideas in my head that I wanted to figure out how to execute them. Let me just say my picture taking skills have come a long way from when I started and I looked at diy lightbox tutorials to learn some tips on styling and taking a product shot.
1. Lighting
What I use is an umbrella type of tabletop lamp, but a lamp that you can manipulate to light directly onto or over your product is a good cheap piece of lighting equipment and should be easy to find. Also if you can take a shot using natural day light, that’s ideal but if not don’t fret there’s always a way!
2. Setting
In lieu of social media, particularly YouTube and Instagram–people have gotten really good at manipulating the photos and settings. When it comes to my photo setting, background, backdrop–i like to start with my imagination. I always think about what it is that I’d like to convey visually and then I think of the best way to capture that to the best of my abilities in the entire frame of the photo. I also think about what time of textures and props I’d like to use to create the vision in my head. Make sure you work with your angles to ensure that your photo not only looks visually symmetrical but also clean. Don’t be afraid to take tons of shots because you’re almost never going to be happy with your first take. Explore different angles it’ll give you more option. When in doubt white is a great backdrop/background.
3. Photo Editing
The last helpful tip I would suggest is using an app to edit your photo slightly. You don’t want to change the photo you took but you may want to defocus on certain parts of the photo or add more detail. You can also add a filter that doesn’t take away from the photo. Facetune is amazing for whitening a white background. It seems to brighten the photo as well. Remember you want the focus to be your product.
