Did you know there are several types of product photography? Understanding the difference between them is essential to choose the perfect way to showcase your products.
Specially now that foot traffic is decreasing and online shopping is at an all-times high, the right type of photography can make all the difference when marketing your products. The truth is, as much as reviews and descriptions have a role to play, nothing beats the impact photos have on your listing.
Let’s take a look at what makes each type of professional product photography unique. You’ll also learn when to use them and things to keep an eye for when selecting your final photos.
1. White Background
When you first think about the words “product photography”, we bet the classic white background layout is the first thing to come to mind. This layout, absolutely essential to e-Commerce, allows for high-quality and detailed photos that make your products pop. The clean, consistent background avoids distractions, helping your customer focus on what matters.
White background photos are also great because they can be used across different marketing channels. Of course, they are essential for your online store, but not only! If you want to run Google Shopping campaigns or sell your products in third-party marketplaces, you can use the same images.
Do you prefer adding a splash of colour to your product photos? That’s easy to do once you have the white background photos. It takes simple editing to transform your photos, giving you even more versatility and options.
One thing to keep in mind with this type of photography is that post-editing matters a lot. As we said, it is easy – but it should never be overlooked. And when shooting, it is important that your products look sharp and at their best! After all, there is nothing else to distract your customer. Make sure the product looks realistic and that the photos show different angles.
2. Lifestyle Photos
Think of lifestyle photos as storytelling tools. They allow you to convey how and why to use your product, going so far as evoking a certain mood, values or lifestyle. How? By capturing your product in real life scenarios, creating relatable visuals that speak to your audience.
These product photos are perfect for social media and marketing campaigns, as they make it easier for people to connect with your brand and product.
Normally, this kind of photo includes models interacting with the products. Here, it is essential that you have a clear idea of your target audience. This will allow you to identify the right model, props and location for your lifestyle shoot.
With this being said, there is a lot you can do with lifestyle photos! You are not limited by e-commerce requirements and guidelines. In fact, they can even be starting points to launch User-generated content campaigns, inviting your audience to share their own photos of your products.
3. Flat-lay & Tabletop
Technically another kind of lifestyle photos, as they also convey complementary information to your product, such as the kind of mood it evokes. The difference is that flat-lay and tabletop photographies bring together your product and other items that relate with it or that help tell a story.
Take a look at the photo below. This is an example of a tabletop composition that highlights the main product (Nivea’s soap), but that also paints a scene: when one looks at that photo, they can almost imagine getting in the shower, the sensation of the smooth soap on their skin, and getting dry with a fluffy towel feeling refreshed and hydrated.
This is the power of tabletop photography. It appeals to the imagination of your audience, creating a memorable impression on them.
Now, check the flat-lay image below. The combination of the product and the items immediately brings to mind a certain kind of person with a certain lifestyle. It pieces together important elements that identify the target audience. In this way, your customers and followers can complete the image by themselves, identifying with the idea conveyed in the photo on a personal level.
When working with these types of product photography, it’s important to have a professional that know how to stylize the items in an optimal, non-crowded way – as well as capturing the mood, resulting in a relatable and striking composition.
4. Close-up
Certain products are all about their details. If that’s the case, close-up photography is necessary to showcase what is unique about it. Perhaps it is the texture, the decorative details or the materials used.
Close-up product photography is a great tool to use in context: after introducing your product, using some white background or lifestyle photos, you can then present a close-up shot. By itself (on social media, for example), this kind of photography lacks context and important information. Unless, of course, you are trying to engage your audience in a “Guess what” contest of sorts!
Another advantage of including close-up product photos is communicating confidence in your products and in their quality. After all, you don’t shy away from showing that, even from up-close, your products are excellent.
5. Grouped products
If you want to display the range of similar products you offer, as well as help your customers compare options, colors and sizes, this is a great kind of product photography.
You can group products to show the different colours available of the same product, or to compare different types of similar products. For example, if you sell different styles of shoes, you can display those different types in one shot – making it easier for your customers to understand the differences between them.
Grouped product photos can also be used as an attention-grabber on social media or on your website. They offer a snapshot of the kind of products you offer. This way, in one quick glance, your audience can understand what your brand is about.
Product photos are a must in the era of e-Commerce. 75% of online shoppers rely on product photography to decide on purchases. So in order to close that deal and sell your products, you can’t afford to not use professional product photography.
Luckily, arranging a photoshoot, finding the right photographer and making sure the photos are edited according to your needs can all be done with one simple step. Visit Klaud9.com and discover our photo packages! We take care of coordinating everything you need to have high quality and high conversion product photos.
Simple, affordable and with a quick 24 hours turnaround!