5 Product Photography Mistakes to Avoid for Sharing Photos on Social Media
Do you have a brick-and-mortar store or an online ecommerce business and want to market it on social media platforms? If so, we can help you attract your audience to your ecommerce business to increase sales, get more followers, and boost your reach through product photos. We are a small business that has taken years to understand the science behind the product photography session.
Our vast experience in the field has made us realize the common product photography mistakes that hinder clients from engaging with their audience on Facebook and Instagram. Here we have discussed some photography errors and common mistakes that can help you improve your photos.
Poor Lighting and Not Using Natural lighting
Lighting is essential for every type of photography. Whenever we take photos for our clients, we need to make sure we find and use the best lighting to match their brand. Lack of proper lighting will put an additional workload on the editing process. So, getting it right from the beginning is a good idea. Inconsistent lighting will affect the final result. People struggling to find the right light source for product photography can use natural light. It's free, and easily available (unless you live in Alaska during the winter 🥶).
One of the most common product image mistakes to avoid is mixing light sources, such as fluorescent lighting, with daylight. Different type of lighting requires you to adjust different white balance settings on the camera. So, if you mix them, you will only challenge yourself or end up with low-quality pictures. For artificial lighting, you can use a light box for small items and studio lights for larger products.
Not Showing Products Correctly
Whether it's food, fabric, furniture, or cosmetics, you need to capture it from every angle possible. Your target audience wants to see side views, close-up shots, color, context shots, texture, back views, etc. One way we make sure the colors are accurate is by using a simple gray card and making sure to match that in post so that the colors match as close as possible to the real thing. Customers want to check a product photo before making a decision. This means they want to study and admire all the images from different angles.
After viewing the photos, your potential customers should get a good idea of how the product will look in real life. It's crucial to incorporate dozens of pictures into your website that gives a 360 view of your item. Note that if you have only a few product photos, and one of them is pretty unattractive, your customers on social media will avoid purchasing your item if they don't feel confident that it will look the same in real life. Dealing with issues like this will hinder creating a good brand loyalty with your consumer base.
Underestimating the Power of White Background
Many people make the mistake of not clearing busy backgrounds and taking product images while there are several items in the background. Some people also choose colorful texture surfaces to take pictures that impact the appeal of the products. That's definitely what we like to do on the right photo.
When first starting out with photography, we struggled with the background. Over time, we learned that we could use a piece of white plastic or vinyl as a background. These thin sheets are easy to fix on the table and wall with clips, giving you a beautiful seamless background. Now, we use high quality paper or vinyl rolls to create those white seamless images.
You can use a colorful or black background for more creative shootings, but these backgrounds require more skills and experience. So, it's best to leave them to a professional photographer.
Reflections on Product Photos
We all have struggled with the reflections even when we chose the right lightning. Reflective surfaces can affect your photography results. One thing you can do is use a diffuser with your light source to eliminate reflective issues.
Of course, you will not get the perfect results in the beginning. But as you get experienced, you will learn to accurately use the diffuser, knowing where to place the lights in relation to the product and the camera. Keep in mind that social media is filled with an enormous number of products belonging to every industry. You need a way to stand out and not look like your brand is running out of your bedroom. If you avoid any of the mentioned product photography tips, your audience will pass on your product and move to another brand with better product images.
Not Preparing Your Product
One of the most important photography tips we have for you is to prepare your product before the photo session. For us, we take a good amount of time prior to the photoshoot to make sure the product looks as pristine as possible. It is as important as taking the right product images. You must ensure that your products look polished and pristine before clicking the shutter. For instance, if you want to take a picture of the dress for an online store, make sure to iron it. You must ensure that your product is in good condition before taking shots.
Besides caring for your product, you need to consider your background. Clean it carefully by dusting it off or wiping it down. Check whether the background is smooth and not damaged. Otherwise, you may spend hours editing the photo in post trying to remove all those imperfections and making them look natural. Once you prepare your product and background, you are ready to capture some amazing shots of your masterpiece. A white background is one of the options, but it depends on the product.
Bottom Line
If you don't have the budget to hire professional photographers, you can take pictures yourself by avoiding common photography mistakes. Using plain white background and studio lighting, focusing on product features, and taking enough photos to highlight every angle of the product can do the trick for you.
If you do need help, we are only a type and click away! We will make sure your product shines and look amazing. We just need to make sure of one more thing: have enough product in stock 😁
