They are to entice, convince, and trigger purchase decisions. If your product photographs contain errors, what happens? Is the overall marketing effectiveness compromised? You are in the right place to learn, as we present nine basic risks for product photographers.
Aim to present a product in its best light when shooting product photos. If you don’t set the light correctly, the resultant photograph will be subpar or even misleading. Spending time and effort on mastering your skills will help you avoid mistakes. For a good start, you might want to look at our articles on packshot photography and amazon photography china workshop.
Initially, we will look at the most common mistakes related to knowledge and equipment. Let’s examine the execution errors and formal errors that can occur when photographing products.
Do you commit mistakes when photographing products?
Product photography mistakes can happen to anyone, but there are several circumstances that increase the likelihood of them occurring. They fall into five categories:
- Budget-constrained
A low budget cannot prevent all mistakes. When lighting fluffy products, consider the lens quality or photography experience.
- Effortlessly
When working on a tight schedule, even the most experienced photographers are prone to making mistakes. Because of deadlines and time constraints, they are unable to focus and notice the smallest details that make up their work.
- Gaps in knowledge
One sure way to prevent many mistakes a beginner can make is by investing in photographic education. Product photographs may be worse due to poor camera settings, poor session planning, or even a gap in sales experience.
- Being aware of your goals
Is it better to follow traditional photography styles or maybe modern ones? By visiting the Google graphics search and having a business conversation, we can avoid goal unawareness.
- Communication between humans
Photographing products is usually an enterprise for many people. Communication is essential between those who set the goals and those who take the actual photos for seamless execution of tasks. Keeping track of the requirements in writing is also crucial, as is using a language of signs.
How do I take product photos?
Good product photography must meet three requirements. The studio, the equipment, and the knowledge. The last two grow with engagements and new projects, while investments may be necessary to ensure quality equipment.
You must also remember that going against convention can lead to mistakes. Product photography has two branches: still life and packshots. The complete guide to product photography and our quick guide to packshot photography discuss this difference in depth.
For now, it’s important to keep in mind that packshots present the product as it is, as close to reality as possible, often even packed. There is little space for artistic creativity when the background is uniform and white. By using still life photography, you can introduce comparison items, build compositions, and go more freely with background and frame choices
Let’s take a look at what product photography mistakes are most common. From the preparation of the product to the camera settings.
Close-up photographs and high resolution allow for this. The “risk of precise presentation” is the reason why preparing products carefully is just as important as taking photographs. It is important to remove lint or dust from the product and to avoid leaving fingerprints.
- If the product has a glossy surface, use a microfiber cloth to clean it and white cloth gloves to position it.
- Avoiding creases and stains is important when it comes to clothes. Try to photograph the product when it is still new by using a steam iron and lint remover roll.
- It might be better to tuck or present atypical products on mannequins (mostly clothes) for atypical products. Do not be afraid to use these external aids. When full, a backpack looks more attractive than a flat lay
2) Wrong product shape
A 360-degree photograph is the best way to show the shape of a product from every angle. Read our full guide to 360 photography to learn more about the methods, advantages, and costs of this branch of photography.
The most common mistake is not representing the shape adequately – by not including a 360-degree view or by producing a flat-looking series of packshots. Having the ability to see all sides of a product will encourage a customer to make a purchasing decision. In addition, the parcel unpacking process is also less likely to disappoint them after delivery.
Making a 360-degree spin available in the shop or taking a series of packshots showing the item from all sides is a great way to avoid presenting the wrong product shape. There are many examples to support this claim.
Product texture that is unfaithful
In e-commerce, it is crucial to offer a quasi-real life experience of the product to the customer. There are a number of tricks that can help you, but you will be worse off in this regard than street-retail.
The failure to do so is a common mistake we see in online shops. How can one create a quasi-sensory experience of a product with good texture presentation?
- Show the surface irregularities. A 3D experience is a must for products that are strangely shaped as well as for items that have a special shape. Your photos should clearly show that the pants are corduroy or the dress is velvet.
In order to achieve this, you will have to manipulate the lighting and angle of the photograph. You should experiment with different light angles, keeping in mind that frontal light (90 degrees) will render your product flat. Shadows add depth and plasticity to the product when viewed from other angles.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with the lighting.
Last Thoughts
It is not possible to draw a closed set of possible mistakes in product photography. Each challenge a photographer encounters brings new issues. Glossy or fluffy products, or perhaps a photo shoot outside the photo studio?
You will certainly experience a lot of surprises during your learning curve for product photography. Please let us know about them using our social media channels. Can automated photography solve a problem that is pinning your attention?
As you build awareness of your goal and gain experience, solutions will start to appear.
