How Can I Improve My E-Commerce Photography Action Shots?

For those of us who work within e-commerce photography studios or as freelance packshot photographers, the idea of action shots is not something that frequently comes up. However, there will be times when you work with clients who sell products or services that have a connection with movement, speed and experience.

In light of this, it is a sensible idea to build the skills needed to effectively shoot action photography shots. By adding these skills to your box of tricks as an e-commerce photography service you can stand out from the crowd and really deliver exciting shots that your clients will love.

To start with, let’s just make it clear what we mean when talking about action shots. These are the shots where we capture a product or subject in motion, telling the story of them being used, travelling or being propelled in some way. Classic action shots from the world of e-commerce photography include drinks being poured, people running in new trainers or a new car travelling along a road.

Learn to anticipate the action

Put simply, if you don’t anticipate what is going to happen and where a subject is going to move then you will miss the shot. By anticipating the movement, whether that is up/down or left/right within the frame, an e-commerce photography professional will be able to ensure the shot is sharp and focuses on the right detail. If you fail to do this, you will be left with blurry action shots that don’t tell us anything about the product.

Try to avoid checking your screen

With the advent of digital cameras and digital screens, many of us working in e-commerce photography have developed the habit of checking the LCD screen after each shot. There is some logic to this, in that it helps us assess how the shot will look but there are some fundamental risks when doing this action.

Firstly, you should be confident in the way you’ve set up your shot as a packshot photographer or e-commerce photography studio so the lighting conditions won’t change between the two shots. During an action shot, you may end up missing something really interesting or useful that would have made a perfect product shot. You will want to check your screen periodically but don’t let it control you.

Be aware of what is going on around you

In the world of action shots and product photography, we always need to be aware of where we are, what is going on around us and the potential for unplanned opportunities. Perhaps during an action shot outdoors, something enters the frame that unexpectedly turns it into a great image. Likewise, action shoots require movement and you need to be aware of where the subject is moving from and to. You don’t want to lose a shot because the act of moving causes the composition to change in a negative way.

Connected with this concept is the requirement for every e-commerce photography studio and freelancer to be ready to go and ready to react to whatever happens. This is at the heart of what it means to capture action shots and will help you deliver great results.