5 Tips To Differentiate Your Product Photography

Regardless of the type of product you sell, you need to put it in the best possible light — literally and figuratively. Great product photography can help you get your audience's attention, and convert that attention into actual, tangible sales.

But of course, being successful requires more than just taking pictures of your products on your smartphone. You need to make sure your product photography rises above your competition to draw audience attention and interest, which you can accomplish with these 5 tips.

1) Get the Light Right

Books have been written about the importance of lighting on good photography. With it, you can accomplish anything from a silhouette to a gorgeously lit feature shot of your product. And you don't even need a complicated set up; sometimes, natural light in just the right position is all you need to help your product stand out.

Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography.

That's Kodak founder George Eastman. Everything about your product photo should be influenced by the light.

2) Focus on the Angles

We've all seen them: photographs that don't just show a product, but present it in a unique way using a variety of unexpected angles. Apple's release of the new iPhone 7 last month was a perfect example, showcasing the phone in an angle that would never realistically occur during everyday use — but nonetheless attracted attention to its sleek design.

The simple use of angles can make even a convenience product seem intriguing. If you can find unique ways to capture your product, you will draw your audience's attention toward it both online and in physical promotions.

3) Don't Be Afraid of Close-Ups

Wanting to show your entire product is a natural instinct. But it's not always the best way to showcase it or highlight features. Granted, you will probably want at least some full-product shots that actually show your audience the entirety of what they'll get. But don't be afraid to mix it up with some close-ups that focus on specific, desirable features.

In addition to their functional purpose of showing product benefits, close-ups can also serve to draw in your audience's attention.This is a close up of an Nvidia graphics card. It's significantly more interesting, and draws more attention, than a picture of the entire thing.

4) Show Your Product in Context

Another potential route to take is the opposite of the close-up: show your product in use. With a person using it. Particularly if you are selling an item that's difficult to place in everyday life, it may make sense to highlight context clues that make it easier to understand just how the product will benefit its owner.

This picture, for example, is an ad for Square - a mobile payment system. But instead of simply showing the white block, it showcases exactly how the audience can use it to turn their smartphone into a credit card processing system.

5) Work With Professionals

Finally, you may want to consider getting professional help to truly set your product photography apart from your competition. All of the above can be accomplished by someone with a camera and basic skills, but require at least some expertise to accomplish a successful set up and make sure that the photo accomplishes the desired goal.

Light, angles, close-ups, and context images are just some of the variables that professional photographers will consider, and discuss with you, as they look to highlight your product. You will also be able to get a number of variations that allow you to pick the best version for your marketing and advertising needs. To learn more about how a professional photographer can get your product images to the next level, contact us.