Telling a good story is the best way to engage with your customers, especially when it comes to online marketing and social media marketing. People love good stories but they don’t want to spend their precious time to read long paragraphs. After talking with a friend who is a Melbourne web developer, I realize that people have very short attention span. Customers seek time-saving shortcuts all the time, and their attention naturally gravitates to the quickest way to gather information: pictures. Like the sayings “a picture is worth a thousand words”, with a good picture you tell a compelling story about your product.
However, not every new entrepreneur can afford to invest in a professional photography studio or hire a professional photographer. DIY product photography provides a great alternative, and as long as you know the proper tools and techniques, taking compelling product pictures is more than possible. Here are some tips you can use to up your game.
- Good lighting
Don’t have any professional lighting gear? No need to worry, use natural sunlight. Find a room with a big window and shoot there. - Use a tripod
To make sure your pictures are sharp and not blurry. You can also take flat lay photos using tripod. - Neutral Background
When shooting product photos you don’t want to use crazy background. Your product should be the center of attention. You can achieve it by using background that has neutral color. Most of the time white background can be a solid choice, but you must consider your products’ color too. - Use Props
Some small items can make your pictures pop. Get creative! But make sure the props match well with your product. - Take multiple shots from different angles
Taking multiple shots from a variety of angles will show your customers exactly what your product looks like. Plus, it will help give you options when it is time to edit. - Put your product in context
By putting your product in context, you’ll help your consumer to imagine themselves using your product. - Learn basic photo editing skill
To make your pictures look professional you need to do some editing. If your picture too bright, tone down the brightness. Make the colors pop a little more by tuning the saturation. As a beginner, you can start with simple apps like Adobe Lightroom or VSCO.
Apply those tips and your pictures will be so much better. Let me give your one more tip: practice. When you practice long enough, you’ll what works and what don’t.