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Many moons ago, I was trying to sell my collection of Magic the Gathering cards online. After grabbing my Motorola Razr, I snapped photos under the dim light dangling from the ceiling with Dorito crumbs as the beautiful background.
The obvious result? I still own all my cards :<. I’m not naturally gifted in the way of photography.
In your shop, your product’s first impression is entirely visual. Poorly lit, badly composed images with distracting backgrounds can actively repel potential buyers.
Most online sellers underestimate the power of a good photo. Don’t be one of them.
Lighting
Improving your product photography doesn’t have to be expensive. There are simple, cheap things you can do to improve the quality of your images.
Using natural light, lightboxes, or ring lights can transform your product photos for the better.
Backgrounds
Choosing the right background is equally important. A simple, uncluttered backdrop focuses attention on your product. Materials like solid-colored papers or fabrics can work wonders without costing a fortune.
Composition
Composition matters. The Rule of Thirds is a fundamental principle of photography.
It involves dividing your image into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, and placing your product along these lines or at their intersections. The technique naturally draws the viewer’s eye to your product.
Post-processing
Post-processing is the cherry on top. Even basic editing software can adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation, improving your photo’s quality. Free or low-cost software options are plentiful, allowing even beginners to polish their product images like pros.
These days, even your phone has the software you require built-in!
Have a look at the following two very popular FREE photo editing apps.
- Pixlr: https://pixlr.com/
- VSCO: https://www.vsco.co/
Your Content Challenge
Together with powerful product descriptions, photography is one of the fundamental ways to getting across the story and feeling you want your customers to have when they view your products. Simple changes to the way you approach this may impact the amount of products you end up selling.
As marketers, the challenge is to take the time to apply these simple techniques to your products. Experiment with lighting, play with backgrounds, and tweak compositions. Measure the difference before and after applying changes to your products so you can understand more deeply what resonates with your customers.
