Jan 13, 2025
The Ultimate Guide To eCommerce Photography
You want to attract and inspire customers to purchase as an online seller. But how do you grab their attention? Imagine a customer lands on your eCommerce site. They are searching for a product like yours, but there are stunning photos of your and a competitor's products. Ecommerce photography is what makes that stunning product photo possible. In short, it’s taking and editing professional images of products for online sales to help eCommerce stores attract buyers and boost sales. This article will explore why eCommerce photography is so important, give tips for taking stunning product photos, and explain how Caspah's AI product photography platform can help you get there faster.
Ecommerce photography may sound technical, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, with the right tools, you can streamline the process and make it easier than ever to produce stunning product images for your online store. Caspah’s AI product photography platform can help you achieve your eCommerce photography goals faster.
Table of Contents
What are the Benefits of Photography for eCommerce Businesses
Traditional photography vs. computer-generated imagery in eCommerce
Get AI Product Photos that Increase Your Sales for Free Today
What is eCommerce Photography?
Ecommerce photography refers to the practice of capturing and presenting images of products for online stores. Unlike traditional photography, which often focuses on artistic expression, ecommerce photography prioritizes:
Clarity
Accuracy
Consistency
The primary goal is to provide potential buyers with a visual representation that accurately reflects the product’s appearance, features, and quality.
Typically, eCommerce photos are taken against plain backgrounds, using specific lighting techniques and angles to showcase the product in the best possible way. Whether it’s a simple white background image, a 360-degree view, or a lifestyle shot, each ecommerce photograph serves a unique purpose in the buyer’s journey.
Mastering eCommerce Photography for Higher Sales
The challenge is, in eCommerce, you have fewer ways to get your products in front of the right people—let alone prove the value of your wares. This is why having high-quality, intentionally shot product photos is vital to your online store’s success. With a growing number of sellers competing for buyers’ attention, you must nail first impressions right from the first product photo.
Showcasing high-quality products on your site's homepage is considered an eCommerce merchandising strategy that can keep shoppers on your site longer and guide them toward a purchase.
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What are the Benefits of Photography for eCommerce Businesses
A solid product photography strategy will do wonders for your eCommerce business. High-quality product images help establish your:
Brand
Boost sales
Build customer trust
The better your product photos, the more likely you attract shoppers, encourage them to buy, and keep them returning for more.
Product Photography Boosts Sales by Improving Presentations
When it comes to online shopping, customers can’t physically touch or try on products before buying them. In turn, they rely heavily on online information to make informed decisions. So, the better your product photos, the more likely you are to catch a shopper’s attention and improve their overall buying experience. Good product photography helps improve sales by creating better presentations for your items.
Product Images Help Establish Your Brand Identity
Every eCommerce business has a unique brand that reflects its values, goals, and culture. Product photos can help establish your identity to shoppers and build their trust over time. For instance, if you sell eco-friendly home goods, showcasing your items using natural lighting and outdoor settings can help communicate your brand’s sustainable values. Product photography can also help improve your eCommerce store’s visual appeal and attract more customers.
Quality Product Photos Enhance Your Website’s Credibility
Imagine visiting two different eCommerce websites to find the exact product you want. One site has clear, high-quality images of the item from multiple angles and even shows the product in use. The other feature is a blurry, low-quality photo. Which site would you trust more? Most people choose the first site for a good reason.
Quality product photos enhance your website’s credibility, while poor images hurt it. If you’re just starting in eCommerce, improving your image can help you build your reputation and establish trust with potential customers.
Product Photography Improves Customer Satisfaction
The ultimate goal of eCommerce is to sell products. However, there’s more to running a successful online store than simply making a sale. Customer satisfaction should be your top priority. Happy customers are likelier to leave positive reviews, make repeat purchases, and reduce your business’s overall operating costs.
Practical product photography can help improve customer satisfaction rates. When customers receive their orders, they want the items to look like what they saw in the photos online. Meeting their expectations will boost their satisfaction and improve your odds of getting repeat business.
Caspa: AI-Powered Product Photography to Boost eCommerce Sales
Caspa helps eCommerce brands create stunning product photography with AI, eliminating the need for multiple tools, photographers, and models that traditionally eat up to 20% of revenue. From creating ultrarealistic product shots with human models to editing existing photos, Caspa's all-in-one AI product photography platform handles everything from background removal to upscaling, letting brands produce professional marketing visuals in seconds.
Whether you need custom stock photos or complete studio editing capabilities, Caspa streamlines the entire product visualization workflow into a single, cost-effective solution. Get AI product photos that increase your sales for free today!
8 Types of eCommerce Photography
1. Lifestyle Photography
Lifestyle photography reflects a company’s brand by showing how a product fits into potential customers' lives. These images help buyers envision how a particular item will impact and enhance their lives. For example, a lifestyle photo of a garden tool might show the tool used in a backyard garden.
The observer can easily understand and imagine what using a particular product will look and feel like in real-world situations. Lifestyle shots that look or feel too staged or cheesy won’t help you connect with your audience. So shoot for authenticity!
2. Studio Image Shots
If you want to present your product simply and attractively to the outside world, then studio photography is often the way to go. These product photos are about clarity and are typically used for product and catalog pages. There’s no hiding the truth in simple studio product shots: what you see should be exactly what you get.
Typically, backgrounds are plain and do not detract from the product on display, although some daring brands incorporate their brand identity with more creative backgrounds.
3. Scale and Detail Shots
In the online world, it’s not always easy to appreciate how big or small a product is from its description or dimensions. For this reason, a scale shot helps the customer to get a better sense of this. How big will it look on my table? Will it fit my niece? Scale shots should clarify these concerns. A detail shot shows the finer details or specific features, helping the potential end-user fully understand what that product looks like up close.
4. Group Shots
With many products sold in multiples, in combination with other products, or variations such as:
Different colors
Sizes
Finishes
Group photography can help the customer to fully appreciate all these factors in a way that is practically impossible from a technical description or review.
5. Process Shots
Premium products require high-quality workmanship, which sets them apart from cheap imitations. Any brand selling high-quality items should consider using social media process shots to help customers understand the workmanship behind their goods. Professional images of qualified tradespeople creating products can be priceless for your brand and customer relationships.
6. Packaging Shots
Product packaging is an essential aspect of eCommerce. Since products are delivered to customers’ homes, it’s necessary that the packaging fully protects the contents. Ideally, the packaging will also sell the brand. Well-done packaging shots will convey the company’s branding and reinforce the customer’s sense that they will receive exactly what they ordered in complete working order.
7. Flat Lays
A flat lay is a product image shot directly from above. Flat-lay images are especially popular when it comes to fashion and accessory photography. This minimalist staging is eye-catching, and it’s also particularly well-suited to websites. Flat lays are also widely used in food photography, where natural lighting can create dramatic effects and enhance the visual appeal of the food.
8. Individual Shots
As the name suggests, an individual shot will only have one object being photographed (or one individual wearing an item). You’ll often see this kind of photograph used for banner images. Individual shots are also used for catalogs and on website product pages.
Traditional photography vs. computer-generated imagery in eCommerce
Traditional photography relies on real-world setups. You need:
The product itself
A location or studio
Lighting
Props
Sometimes, models to shoot a product
This involves shipping products to the set, arranging logistics, and coordinating a team of photographers, stylists, and designers. Everything is physically captured and then edited to create the final image.
CGI, on the other hand, skips the real-world setup entirely. Using 3D modeling and rendering software, products and environments are created digitally. Designers can generate lifelike images of a product based on CAD files or sketches, which can then be placed in various virtual settings—no physical product or location is required.
Cost and Logistics: Photography vs. CGI
Photography involves multiple cost points:
Transporting products
Renting locations
Hiring teams
Managing post-production editing
Expenses can quickly climb for complex shoots, like room setups or lifestyle shots.
CGI significantly reduces these costs. Once a 3D model is created, it can be reused and customized without additional shipping, set-building, or large teams. Need to showcase a product in multiple colors or environments? With CGI, it’s as simple as a few clicks, avoiding the cost of a complete reshoot.
Flexibility: CGI vs. Traditional Photography
In photography, the final output depends on what’s captured during the shoot. If you need a significant change—like adding a new feature or showcasing a different product version—you often have to start from scratch with another session.
Flexibility is a core feature of CGI. A single model can be adjusted endlessly, changing colors, materials, angles, or environments without redoing the process. This makes CGI ideal for product updates or expanding your catalog.
Speed: Traditional Photography vs. CGI
Traditional photography has a longer turnaround time, especially for large-scale shoots. The planning, shooting, editing, and final delivery timelines can stretch over weeks.
CGI can be much faster. Once a model is created, generating new images or variations is efficient and doesn’t require re-coordinating logistics. This speed is particularly valuable in fast-moving industries like fashion or tech.
Sustainability: Photography vs. CGI
Photography often requires physical prototypes, which can generate waste, especially if multiple iterations are needed. Transportation and location shoots also have a carbon footprint.
CGI is more sustainable. It eliminates the need for physical prototypes during early marketing stages and reduces transportation emissions. By operating entirely digitally, CGI aligns better with eco-conscious practices.
Realism vs. Creativity: The Benefits of Photography and CGI
While photography provides natural realism, it’s limited to what can be physically achieved. CGI, on the other hand, can push creative boundaries. From creating futuristic environments to imagining products in scenarios that don’t yet exist, CGI offers infinite possibilities while still achieving photorealistic results.
The bottom line is that traditional photography and CGI have their place in eCommerce. Photography may remain the go-to if you aim for authenticity and have physical products. But if you’re looking to cut costs, scale quickly, and showcase a range of variations with unlimited flexibility, CGI is a game-changer. As technology advances, CGI continues to blur the line between virtual and real, making it a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes.
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How to Shoot Your eCommerce Photography
Preparing for Your eCommerce Photography Shoot: Setting Up for Success
Before you start shooting your eCommerce photos, take the time to set everything up correctly. This approach will help you get the best results and save time and effort in the long run.
Choosing the Right Camera and Equipment
You don't need the most expensive camera to get great results when shooting eCommerce photos. Many smartphone cameras these days are more than capable of capturing high-quality product photos. Suppose you're serious about eCommerce photography and want to take your business to the next level. In that case, you may invest in a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) or mirrorless camera, which offers more advanced features and control.
Regardless of what type of camera you use, it's essential to have the right equipment to support your photoshoot concept. This might include a tripod to keep the camera steady, a remote shutter release to reduce camera shake, and a variety of lenses to give you more flexibility in your shots. Consider investing in a lightbox or a lighting kit to help you get the best lighting for your photos.
Setting Up the Shooting Space
The next step in preparing for your photoshoot is to set up your shooting space. Some people prefer to work in product or eCommerce photography studios with professional photo studio equipment, while others prefer a small corner of their own home or office. Wherever you choose to shoot your photos, it's essential to have a clean, well-lit space that is free of distractions.
When setting up your shooting space, consider the type of background you'll be using. For most eCommerce photos, a simple, solid-colored background is best, as it helps to make the product the star of the show. You can use various materials for your background, such as:
Paper
Fabric
Foam board
Just make sure that the background is smooth and wrinkle-free and that it complements the color of your products.
Gathering and Styling Props and Background Materials
In addition to background, you may also want to include props and other elements in your eCommerce photos to give them more context and visual interest. Props can help customers better understand how the product works or what it looks like. Some standard props for eCommerce photos include:
Packaging
Models
Other items that are relevant to the product
When gathering and styling props and background materials, it's essential to focus on the product and avoid overcrowding the shot or making it feel too busy. Choose props that complement the product and add visual interest but don't distract from it. Arrange your props and background materials pleasingly and cohesively, using the principles of composition to create a visually appealing image.
Shooting the Photos: Getting to the Good Stuff
Now that you've prepared for your photoshoot, it's time to start shooting your eCommerce photos. Here are some key considerations for getting the best results.
Choosing the Right Lighting
Lighting is one of the most essential elements in eCommerce photography. It can dramatically affect the look and feel of your photos. The best lighting for eCommerce photos is soft, even, and diffuse, as it helps minimize shadows and highlight the features of your products.
Depending on your needs and the type of products you're shooting, you can use several lighting setups for eCommerce photography. For example, you might use a lightbox or a softbox to create soft, even lighting or a combination of natural and artificial light to create a more natural look. No matter what lighting setup you choose, be sure to pay attention to the direction and intensity of the light and adjust your camera settings accordingly.
Setting Up the Camera and Framing the Shot
Once you set up your lighting, it's time to set up your camera and frame the shot. This involves positioning the camera at the right angle and distance from the product and composing the shot visually appealingly.
When setting up your camera, use a tripod to keep the camera steady and eliminate the camera shake. You'll also want to choose the following to get the best results for your product photos.
Shutter speed
ISO settings
Capturing a Variety of Angles and Shots
One key to creating great eCommerce photos is capturing various angles and shots of your products. This helps customers fully understand the product and what it looks like from different perspectives.
Try moving the camera around the product and shooting from different heights and distances to capture various angles and shots. Try using different lenses to get different looks. For example, a wide-angle lens can help you capture more of the product in a single shot, while a telephoto lens can help you create a more detailed, close-up shot.
Shooting Close-Ups and Detail Shots
In addition to capturing various angles and shots, including close-ups and detail shots in your eCommerce photos is essential. Close-ups and detail shots help to highlight the features and quality of your products and can be especially useful for products with intricate details or textures.
To capture close-ups and detail shots, use a lens with a longer focal length and get as close to the product as possible. Macro lenses are specifically designed for these purposes. Focus on the product and avoid including distracting elements in the shot.
Editing the Photos: Putting on the Finishing Touches
Once you've finished shooting your eCommerce photos, it's time to edit them to get the best possible results. A few key steps are involved in editing eCommerce photos, including:
Choosing the right software
Adjusting the color, lighting, and contrast
Removing blemishes and distractions
Adding text and other design elements
Here's a closer look at each of these steps:
1. Choosing the Right Photo Editing Software
Many photo editing software options range from simple, free tools to advanced, professional-grade programs. When choosing photo editing software for your eCommerce photos, it's essential to consider your needs and budget—some popular options for eCommerce photographers include:
Caspa
Adobe Photoshop
Lightroom
GIMP
Picsart
2. Adjusting Colour, Lighting, and Contrast
After choosing your photo editing software, the next step is to adjust your photos' color, lighting, and contrast. To get the best possible results, this involves fine-tuning your:
Images' exposure
White balance
Color settings
Adjusting the exposure of your photos involves setting the right balance of light and dark areas in the image. You can do this by changing the exposure slider in your photo editing software or by using the levels or curves tools.
You can adjust the white balance in your photo editing software using the white balance tool or changing the temperature and tint sliders. You can adjust the contrast of your photos by setting the right balance of light and dark areas in the image. You can do this by changing the contrast slider in your photo editing software or by using the levels or curves tools.
3. Removing Blemishes and Distractions
In addition to adjusting the color, lighting, and contrast of your photos, you'll also want to remove any blemishes or distractions that might be present in the image that can diminish the product's overall appeal, and these might include:
Dust
Scratches
Reflections
To remove blemishes and distractions from your eCommerce photos, use the clone stamp, spot healing brush, or other retouching tools in your photo editing software. Pay attention to the details and blend the retouched areas seamlessly with the rest of the image—Zoom in on the image to examine any blemishes or distractions more closely.
4. Adding Text and Other Design Elements
Once you've adjusted your photos' color, lighting, and contrast and removed any blemishes or distractions, consider adding text or other design elements to your images. These could include:
Product names
Descriptions
Use the text and design tools in your photo editing software to add text or other design elements to your eCommerce photos. Choose a font and color that complement the look and feel of your photos, and keep the text and design elements to a minimum to avoid overwhelming the image.
Get AI Product Photos that Increase Your Sales for Free Today
Caspa is an AI tool that helps eCommerce brands boost sales by creating stunning product photography, like removing backgrounds or upscaling images.
Caspa's eCommerce photography software enables you to produce professional product images in seconds instead of days or weeks. The tool has multiple features that help business owners create custom product visuals that increase conversions and cut costs.
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