Product photography might seem simple at first. Just grab your product, plop it against a white background, and snap a few shots. What can be so hard?
But if you’re serious about impressing your potential customers and getting as much sales as possible, it’s a bit more complicated than that.
Images that pop can grab the attention of even the most disinterested person, and creative product photography paints your brand as professional, leading to more trust and sales.
But where do you start?
More info: Flat lay product photography | Custom frames
Image credits: Anna Shvets
White backgrounds are the most common setup for product photography, but here’s how you can change it up!
Creative Product Photography Ideas You Can Go For
Product photography is one of the most straightforward types of photography there is. Nobody puts their product shots in custom frames and hangs them in their homes.
Despite this, there are still ways you can get very creative with them. You’re not stuck with just your product and a white screen.
Here’s what you can do!
1. Use Different Colors
Let’s start simple.
Instead of using a white backdrop for all your product shots, try mixing in different colors.
You can start by experimenting with other solid colors to see which brings out your product the most. Neutral colors work well with any product (which is why white is the default option), while vibrant colors stand out.
You can even try mixing and matching colors and patterns to see which makes your product look more interesting.
However, just make sure your background color doesn’t steal the spotlight from your product!
2. Experiment with Textures
After changing up the colors, you can then try experimenting with different textures.
Ditch the paper, and use a fabric background instead. Or go for a more bold look by using wood or stone backgrounds.
Just a tip with textures, make sure they match your product!
For example, jewelry works well on fabric but seems a little off with a wooden backdrop. Things like soap, on the other hand, will feel weird on cloth (are you soaping the cloth?).
Image credits: Harper Sunday
Pro tip: try not to make everything so straight and organized in flat lays. A bit of a mess creates a more interesting photo from this angle.
3. Go for Flat Lays
One of the coolest product photography tricks is to try flat lay product photography.
A flat lay is when you place your product on a table and take a photo from above. This unique perspective not only looks good but also shows your product in a different light.
Flat lays also typically have more than one item on the frame. Since this is a product shoot, you’ll want to use neutral items. Remember, the product should always be the star of the show.
4. Use Mirrors
Reflections are cool.
That’s why nature photographers always try to use lakes to reflect the mountains in the distance. And that’s why one of the simplest ways to wow your potential buyers is to use mirror effects.
Placing your product on top of a reflective surface creates intrigue. It not only allows you to fill the frame with your product, but it does so in a way that’ll make people stop and look.
5. Bring Things Outside
Depending on your product, going for a nature shoot can be a great idea.
If you have an outdoor product, then doing this is a must. But even if it isn’t, the natural lighting and elements of the great outdoors make for wonderful photos.
Plop your product on grass, a wooden stump, or even just a table outside, and you’ll elicit feelings of summertime from your photos.
If it’s cold outside, you can bring out festive, cozy, or even cold feelings from your photos, depending on what you’re going for.
6. Take Advantage of Golden Hour
Golden hour happens twice: right after sunrise and right before sunset. It paints the world with a beautiful orange glow that photographers go crazy over.
Well, why not utilize this natural phenomenon for your photos? Placing your product by a window during golden hour will give your images a lovely glow.
However, it’s very important not to get carried away. Remember, you’re photographing a product, not trying to take artistic photos.
So, use the golden hour to give your product a nice warm light, but don’t make the sunrise or sunset the focus of the shot!
Image credits: Godisable Jacob
Show, don’t tell! Show your potential customers what they’ll look like with the product, and they’re far more likely to purchase.
7. Show Your Product in Use
This might seem obvious, but many product listings still don’t have this image.
If you have jewelry, show what it looks like on someone’s hands, ears, or neck. If you have cosmetics, show what the cream or gel looks like right before it’s applied. If you have something completely different, like an ax, show what it looks like cutting into a tree.
People in sales know all about selling the benefit rather than the feature. When it comes to product photography, the same rule applies⏤people like it when they see the benefit they’ll get.
8. In The Bag
Another creative idea is to show your product in a bag.
Not exactly inside, but right outside of it, alongside other essentials that typically go into bags. Done properly, this type of shot also shows potential customers that your product is for them.
If the bag is the same type of bag they use, and if the other things lying around beside your product are things they use, this will send a signal that your product belongs in their bags, too!
Again, make sure the bag and the props don’t take away from your product. One trick is to use the same color for everything other than your product so that it stands out.
9. Make Your Product Fly
Last but not least, you can make your product fly!
It’s as simple as throwing your product up (or using a fishing line), and freezing it up there through the lens of your camera.
This style has less to do with how the product looks and more to do with grabbing attention.
It’s especially effective with products that have strings, such as shoes. You’ll notice that almost every major shoe brand uses this shot.
But you can use it for whatever product you have because it looks super cool. So cool, you might even want to get personalized frames for pictures!
Ready to Change Up Your Background?
Look, you don’t have to go into crazily imaginative product photos. And at the end of the day, you’re probably going to need a few shots with white backgrounds. That’s the standard for product photography for a reason.
But with these nine ideas, you can spice up your pictures, build brand recognition, gain more attention from potential customers, and ultimately make more sales!
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