There are countless websites, blogs and guides out there designed to help a product photographer deliver the very best results for their clients. Whether working in fashion or jewellery photography, there are some fundamental tips that translate across all genres of product photography. As a result, we’ve put together some of the favourites that we believe can elevate your product images to new levels.

Make the most of angles

Always remember that a customer is viewing the product online, sometimes on a very small screen. As a result, a product photographer should ensure that they take photos from all of the important angles, showing off the relevant features, textures and designs. This way you will know that the customer gets exactly what they are looking for and hopefully decides to buy.

Show items in context

One of the most important factors in the buying decision, particularly in clothing and jewellery photography is context. This means the customer wants to see the product in a real-world scenario so that it helps them imagine what it would be like to wear the item. If you can show the items in context then you will be telling a much more vivid, engaging story and this should be the aim of every product photographer.

Choose the right lighting

The first lighting decision will be is it natural or artificial? As a product photographer, you will probably be guided by the product and customer requirements but each has its own benefits. Then you need to consider shadows and reflections and other lighting techniques that can help you make the products stand out.

Follow the e-commerce rules

This is quite frankly, an annoying tip as it will restrict some of the creative ideas you have as a product photographer. However, it is absolutely vital that you follow the relevant rules and requirements set out by e-commerce sites. For example, some will require an image with a plain white background. Away from this, there are statistics that show the quality of product images far outweigh the text submitted with them on these sites so always take care with the rules.

Show off the detail

Whether you’re dealing with clothing or jewellery photography, or any other type of product photography then detail is king and you must ensure you show it off in all its glory. This includes specific designs, stitching or text on a product, as well as the brand logo and colours. Telling an effective story only happens if you show all of the relevant parts, so always consider what detail needs to be seen.

Choose the right background

If you’re an independent product photographer or a large packshot studio, having a selection of backgrounds or a portfolio of background locations is vital to delivering the expected results. Firstly, each product will suit a different type, texture and colour of background and having variety means you can find the most suitable one. From there, each brand will have its own tone and voice that needs to be reflected in the image and the background forms part of this.