Product photography is about so much more than just a few shots of your products with good lighting. There are many, many different types and styles that can be used strategically to make your business stand out. We could go on all day, but we both have businesses to run. So in this article we are going to focus on 8 essential product images we capture during product sessions that sell for your small business.
Hero
Consider these types of images your product’s glamour shots.
Most commonly seen in advertisements, a hero shot is an image where your product dominates the frame with some sort of creative element. It doesn’t have to be complicated, the scene could be minimal or highly styled. The goal to grab attention and evoke emotion while keeping the focus on your product.
These images do, however, require a high production value. Hero images should be high resolution, cleaned up of all dust and distractions, properly lit, and sharply focused.
Details & Scale
Clear and well-lit product images for your online shop or catalog. Typically captured in studio on a plain background, but they can also be shown in environmental context.
These images provide the visual information necessary for your customer to make a purchasing decision with confidence. This is extremely important for online storefronts as customers rely on them to inspect product details for themselves.
Appeal to the senses with detail images that zoom in close on your product to demonstrate quality and textures. Not only can these images be extremely eye catching, they give you a chance to highlight small details that may go unnoticed.
Scale images illustrate the sizing of your product by placing them in a scene, next to objects of recognizable size, or creating infographics with sizing details and measurements. This is vital information to a potential customer and helps them to envision your product in their space.
Environmental
Environmental images communicate your brand values & personality, the problems you solve, and how your product fits into your customers’ everyday life.
Also known as lifestyle images, environmental shots show your products in context. This context can be abstract or real life, but the goal is to put your product in a scene that tells a story your customers can relate to.
These images work well in many scenarios, such as advertisements, social media content, email marketing, websites, you name it!
Process
Images of the craftsmanship that goes into making your product.
Show the process of developing your product and what it takes to ensure quality. This could be you be you/your employees working, the tools of the trade, production line, materials/ingredients, how you test your products, etc.
Customers find the behind-the-scenes fascinating! They love to look behind the curtain and see what goes into making their favorite products. Seeing the effort and artistry also increases perceived value, making customers willing to pay more.
Product in Use
These are action shots that show the functionality of your products. Depending on what type of product you sell this could include models interacting with the product, instructions for use, the product itself in action, or results after use.
Showing your products being used a variety of ways can increase the practicality and perceived value. Customers are more likely to add to cart if you can solve multiple problems with one product!
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box- seeing a product used in unexpected ways will surprise and delight your customers, and also get them talking about your brand.
Group Shots
Group shots of products can be both deliberate and practical.
A product-based business may use group shots of their entire product line for branding purposes, catalogs and social media content.
Styling products together can encourage additional purchases by featuring entire collections or complimentary items. For example, a product listing for a pair of earrings may include an image of the earrings alongside a coordinating necklace or bracelet.
Group shots can also be practical for your marketing budget by including all color variations or styles of a product in one image. This saves money and time by not shooting, editing and uploading each variation individually.
Packaging
Product packaging communicates your brand voice and sets expectations for your customers. Images of your unique packaging design and convenient features are a must!
How will your products be protected in shipping? Show your customers what to expect when their product arrives with images of items packed up and ready to ship, unboxing, or the packaging only alongside a safe shipping guarantee.
User Generated Images
User generated images are created by your customers! These images are great for increasing social proof and authenticity. Customers generally have more trust for user generated images than highly styled studio images (everyone knows what Photoshop can do!)
However, they have to be used in appropriately in order to be effective. User generated images will not typically be high quality or strategically composed. You have no creative control and they are generally unsuitable for creating advertisements or sharing as your own social media content.
So how can you utilize user generated images?
Encourage happy customers to tag you on social media or upload reviews with images to Google, Facebook, Yelp, Amazon, etc. Repost these in your stories!
You can also run a marketing campaign encouraging customers to send their images directly to you to upload into a special section on your website. Before using any of these images, make sure to get clear permission from the creator (usually in the form of a usage contract.)
Do you have all of these images of your products?
Try incorporating all 8 of these into your next product shoot to create a gallery of images that sell. Keeping these ideas in mind will ensure you have a wide variety of photos that grab the attention of your ideal customers and successfully market your products.
When you’re ready to outsource these tasks and focus on other aspects of your business, we can take care of your product photography needs no matter where you’re located.
Simply book a package, send your products in to the studio & get back to business!
