How to Get Into Product Photography – Everything You Need to Get Started

There is no denying that photography is a lot of fun and when you are taking pictures of products for a living, it becomes a lot more fun than you might think, in the first place. Needless to say, product photography has become a genre in itself and while people do want to get into it, a lot of times, people do not really know how to get into photography, to begin with.

We previously talked about how to go ahead and turn photography into a career but right now, we are going to focus on how to go ahead and get into product photography and potentially make a career out of it.

I do understand that it might be difficult for some to understand at first but do not worry as we are going to make it much simpler in every way possible so you do not have to spend time being confused about how to get into product photography, to begin with.

Understanding What Product Photography Is?

Before we go ahead and talk about product photography in detail, we have to understand what product photography is, in the first place. Now, the good news is that understanding this type of photography is not going to be difficult for anyone, in the first place.

As the name suggests, product photography involves taking pictures of various products. Now, this could be done for various reasons, at the same time. You could be taking the pictures of products purely for using it by yourself or you could be going ahead and using them for commercial purposes.

The best thing about product photography is that you do not really need to have specific, high-end equipment to take pictures of your products but the more you invest in it, the better it would get.

What Do I Need for Basic Product Photography?

Now that we are done talking about the basic essence of product photography, the next thing that you need to understand is just what exactly you need for basic product photography. Now, this is something that is highly varied from person to person. Everyone could go ahead and deliver something else in terms of the equipment that they want.

So, with that said, we are going to start looking at everything basic that you are going to need for product photography. It is not confusing at all, so you will have a much easier time figuring out whether you are going to get into product photography or not. Let’s not waste more time and start figuring it out.

Before we proceed, however, it is also worth noting that having all of these items is not necessary as you can always improvise and do something else that will help you still in your venture to get some stunning product photography shots. We are still going to help you get there.

1- A Shooting Table

I would highly advise starting with a shooting table as that is going to be of much greater assistance. A good table is required so you can go ahead and place the product on the table. Now, it is crucial for your experience to go right if the table is just the right size. This means that you should not be going for something that is either too big or too small because that will just ruin the whole experience and we do not want that.

A good, affordable, and sturdy shooting table will be more than enough to get the job done and not hinder your overall experience either. Just be sure you know what you are looking for.

2- A light Tent

Another thing that you are going to need is a light tent, this is something that will help you a lot in terms of the experience you are going to get, to be honest. I do understand that this is not for everyone and some people might have some confusion as well but the best thing is that you can get a lot of flexibility just going for a light tent as it acts as an excellent backdrop and allows you to truly capture your product the way you want to.

3- A Tripod

Next up, we are looking for a tripod, now I do understand that you might think why you need a tripod, in the first place but the good thing is that a tripod is going to let you go ahead and put a camera or your phone in a way that it will not move and that means that the picture you are about to take is not going to be blurred, either. This is perhaps one of the best ways of taking a picture and it always works, which is even better, to be honest.

Tripods are not that expensive, to begin with. However, if you do want something that is better in terms of the build quality and functionality, then you are likely to spend more money, and that is one thing that you have to keep in mind.

4- A Good Lens and Camera Combination

I do not think any product photography venture would be complete without going for a good lens and camera combination. Now sure, we all know the fact that smartphone photography has come a long, long way, and in most cases, it can serve as a great way for taking pictures but if you want to be certain that you are taking good shots, I would highly advise that you invest in a camera/lens combination.

You can head over and look into our roundups of the best cameras for product photography as that would help you a lot in determining what you should be spending money on.

5- Appropriate Lighting Setup

It needs to be established that good product photography can never become a reality without really good lighting and if you do not have good lighting, then getting the experience right is not going to cut it for you.

Thankfully, we have just the guide for you that will help you ensure that the best lights for product photography are on par and you are not messing up your photography, either. For a complete understanding of how you should be lighting up your scenes when going for product photography, you can look into this guide as that will help you a lot.

What are the Benefits of Good Product Photography and How You Can Nail It Every Time?

There is no denying that product photography is something that can be overwhelming for most people but the thing that you must understand is that it is not at all hard or difficult to understand. Once you have gotten your hands on the right equipment or understood how things can be done, you are good to go and in most cases, you are on the path to get things done.

So, what is next? Well, that is what is interesting. A lot of people have asked us about how product photography can be beneficial, in the first place. Well, that is what we are going to focus on in this part as for us, this is a very important factor that is simply not something that you can overlook.

Let’s not waste more time and start exploring all the ways you can benefit from product photography because we have come to realize just how important it has become.

1- Helps Boost the Sales

The first thing that you need to understand is that good photography is going to help boost sales. Now, I do understand that most people will talk about how the products should speak for themselves but to be honest, that is not always the case. The thing is that you need to be understanding of the fact that if your photos are not speaking for your product, then the product itself will not be doing much, to begin with.

Therefore, if you are trying to be certain that everything is in order, make sure that you are making your pictures stand out and your products are getting the highlight and the attention that they deserve.

Rest assured, once your pictures are turning out the way you want them to, they’ll start helping you boost the sales without any issues, I can assure you.

2- Assists in Establishing a Brand

I know this might not sound like a common occurrence but a lot of brands would not have started if they had bad product photography. I mean, photography as a whole can make anything into a brand. Just take Peter McKinnon as an example, the fact that his signature style of taking photos is now associated with his name is more than enough to let you know that photography is sometimes the only thing standing between you and what can be considered a brand.

Therefore, if you are going ahead and trying to understand product photography, just remember that if you do want to go ahead and establish your brand, this is the way to do it, and the more consistent you are with it, the better it becomes as time goes on, allowing a better image of your brand in general.

3- Makes People Buy the Product

I know this might sound like something that you have heard already but your product photography is sometimes the way that makes people buy your products, in the first place. If the photos you are posting are good, that will be more than enough of a reason for people to actually go and get the products.

However, this does not mean that you are using your skill as a photographer to mislead the customers. You have to be certain that what you are showing in pictures is what the customers get when they buy your products.

4- A Great Way to Stand Out from The Competition

Another great thing about going with product photography is that if you are looking to stand out from the competition, this is a good way. Even if you both are selling things that are of the same nature, good photography is a great way to ensure that your product is capturing the attention that you want it to capture. Trust me, it is not going to take a lot of effort, so you will be good to go.

The same approach can be used when you are trying to stand out to the customers. You would want to be in such a situation where your customers are looking at your product photography and immediately clicking on the product.

Last but not least, good-quality product photos are a great way to boost your online presence and your credibility. Everyone will trust a business that has very clearly defined pictures rather than something that is a blurry mess.

How to Get Into Product Photography

Now that are done looking into all the basics of product photography, the next step is to look into how to get into this type of photography since that seems to be the one thing that a lot of people are interested in knowing, as well.

The answer to this is a lot simpler than you might think and we are going to explain things to you even further. So, let’s not waste time and have a look, shall we?

1- Practicing Your Craft

When you are in the world of product photography, you will really need to practice your craft and get better at product photography. Otherwise, you might not even get the experience you are looking for.

Take as many photos as many times as you want of the most random objects that you can think of and soon, you will realize that it is actually a lot easier than you might think.

2- Start Building Your Portfolio

Another tip that always works is that you should start building your portfolio. Now, this is not really something that is going to be difficult but the more you focus on this, the better it would become for you. So, be sure that you are taking as many product photos as possible and in order to build a portfolio, you might have to do some free shots which are also called portfolio shoots. Just know that it is okay to go through that because, in the end, it is only going to help you hone your craft.

3- Believe in Your Skills

Since you are trying to get better at product photography, you have to understand that believing in your skills is very important. During your time learning and getting into product photography, you will feel a lot of times that what you are doing is not good enough but you have to understand that it must not get in your way because if that ends up becoming the case, things might not work for you.

4- Improve Not Copy

I see a lot of people looking at the works of other people and instead of improving on their work, they start copying someone else’s work. While it might work in the short term and bag you a few clients. The more name you’ll make for yourself, the more prominent they will become and that is not what you want.

5- Start Small and Look for Clients

The next thing that you need to know is that you have to start small and look for clients. The purpose here is simple, you have to be certain that you are able to get as many clients as possible and at whatever time you possibly can. The goal here is to ensure that you are not putting yourself in a situation where things go wrong.

Just put yourself out on the map and you will soon realize how good it can be when you are into product photography.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

If you have been trying to figure out how to get into product photography and that too, successfully, then this entire article is going to help you figure out what needs to be done and what needs to be avoided. As it will be a lot more helpful than you might think.