Take High-Quality Product Photos with your Smartphone
Quick access to everything is key and although expensive photographic equipment is a good investment, you can also take some professional product photos by using your smartphone and a few tips from the pros. Smartphone photography is big in the creative world. Many music videos and movies have been shot entirely on smartphones and that is because they are easily available and pretty good at what they do too. There are even international photography competitions honouring the skills many have acquired to make their smartphones as multidisciplinary as possible. A photoshoot with professional equipment may not be on your radar yet, but should not be a problem with a smartphone and some great advice to help you take the best product photos for your business.
The Smartphone
It is vital to choose a high-quality smartphone. Luckily smartphones are made with great technology and most of them can get the job done. We don’t want to be picky, but Samsung and Apple both offer smartphones whose photography abilities are excellent. You can use any smartphone with a good camera but aim to get your hands on a newer model with a 12-megapixel camera or more, such as:
- Apple iPhone 8 or newer
- Samsung Galaxy S8 or newer
- Huawei P20 Pro or newer
- Google Pixel 2 or newer
Lighting
We have said it before and we will say it again. Lighting is going to be your best friend or worst enemy if you don’t learn to manipulate light the right way. Shopify, a well-known eCommerce platform, shares a few great tips for online product photography when using a smartphone.
Shoot in a well-lit room. “Natural light through a window is a great option versus a photo studio or artificial light. First, you probably have access to a window (and it’s free). Second, it comes from a single direction, which generates a natural look and adds texture to your products”.
Place your setup close to the window. “Aim for 90 degrees to the right or left of your setup. Aim to start your photoshoot at the brightest time of day. If it turns out that the sun is too bright, you can always use a diffuser sheet to soften the light”.
Control natural light with foam boards and reflectors. “Sometimes the sun will suddenly disappear behind the clouds mid-shoot. If that happens, don’t worry, use your foam boards to bounce and intensify the light to fill shadows”.
Angle It Right
Showing your product in detail is important if you have an eCommerce site. If you have an online store already you will be well aware of the technicalities involved when it comes to presenting your product to the online visitor. You may want to consider getting a smartphone-friendly tripod or mini tripod to get the best angles for your product. Wordstream shares “Tripods will help stabilise your camera from your shaky hand. Using a tripod will ensure a reduction of blur, which is critical if you want your product photographs to look professional and high-quality”.
Various angles are popular for eCommerce sites. The most popular angles are:
- The front angle – shot in front of the product
- The profile angle – shot to the side of the product
- The 45-degree angle – shot at a 45-degree angle
- The back angle – shot behind the product
- The top shot – shot above the product
- The macro shot – a highly detailed zoom in on a product’s features
Get Creative
Take inspiration from the brands you follow online. The key is to take bits of inspiration from a variety of other brands and not infringe on other’s creative copyrights. Take care and always credit those you are copying if doing so directly. Recreating posts is a fun way to draw attention to your brand while getting a nod from other leaders in the industry.
Easy tips for better images:
- Get a backdrop (a white, well ironed sheet will work fine to start)
- Use white bounce walls
- Make use of simple props
- Learn some editing software (next month we discover the best photo editing software)
