5 Tips: How to Get Scroll-Stopping Product Photos That Sell
When was the last time you purchased something without seeing what it looked like first?
Having quality product photos not only highlights the features of your product, but it also allows the customer to see what they are getting before they actually click, ‘buy now’.
Ultimately, you want to give customers the confidence to buy from you.
Your product photos should be working for you, not against you.
Here are 5 tips for ensuring high-quality, scroll-stopping photos that sell.
TRACY NICHOLE, MICHIGAN FOOD & PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHER, WWW.TRACYNICHOLE.COM
Plan Your Product Shoot
Before you start taking photos of your products you should plan out the shots you need to ensure you don’t forget anything. Think about your website homepage, your product pages, social media, blog, ads, and anywhere else you market your products. Create your shot list and mood board. Consider who your ideal customer is and what story you want to tell. Once you have put your plan together, you are ready to execute the vision.
Lighting
Whether it is natural or artificial the number one thing you need to ensure you have is good light. It’s totally a style preference if you want hard light or soft light. Hard light is bold and vibrant, with hard shadows and lots of contrast, emulating high-noon sun. Soft light is natural, bright, and airy with soft shadows, emulating window light. You can't go wrong with whichever style you choose. Both options are beautiful. Light dictates the entire mood of the shoot so make sure it’s consistent and matches your brand. Just make sure your product is the main focus and you are good to go.
Pro tip: Artificial light allows you to get the best of both worlds–hard light & soft light. The best part is you can control it.
Product Styling
Styling is all about details and how you can enhance the story around a product to make it all come together cohesively.
Let's pretend you are selling a hydrating shampoo and conditioner. When you hear the word hydrating what is the first thing you think of? Why water of course! You could have the product lying in a pool of water, splash the product with water, or put it in a lifestyle scene sitting in a shower niche.
Incorporating props, different color or textured backdrops, and interesting shadow elements are other great ways to enhance your images and add to the story you are creating.
The point of styling should be not to distract, but only to enhance. Remember the product is the star of the show. When in doubt, less is more.
Composition
The goal of composition is to create an appealing image that guides the viewer's eyes to the subject. This helps tell the complete story of the image. Just like styling, you must remember that the product is the star of the show, so it should always be visible. Some of my go-to compositions are:
Rule of thirds, rule of odds, triangles, repetition, layering, golden ratio, and symmetry.
Post-Production
I know you think you’re done once you've uploaded your photos onto your computer, but I’m here to advise that you shouldn’t stop there. You need to give your photos some energy, a little bit of seasoning.
Say it with me: “I will not slap a filter on this photo and call it a day.”
Editing your photos will ensure top-notch results and will help you stand out from the next guy. Now, keep in mind that product photos need to be true to life so don’t go too crazy adding a bunch of colors or crazy contrast. You can make your photos pop with a few simple tweaks in the basic panel in Lightroom.
Think about what makes you stop in your tracks. What unique qualities do those campaigns have? What about their images made you stop scrolling to look?
Do you need help creating unique, scroll-stopping images that pop for your brand? I can help, click here to get your custom quote!
