The increased complexity of online selling and technical innovation has only made it more difficult for brands to stand out from the competition. Advancements such as animation, virtual reality, and live view, have upped the game for eCommerce and Amazon brands. While many of these new tactics to attract customers come with a hefty price and large learning curve, 360° product photography might be a great solution for any brand looking for an effective, but realistic, creative strategy.

What is it?

Trendy spin photography is taking over the typical photography business model. 360° product photography is a set of photos taken at various angles around a product, to create a video or GIF, displaying the rotating product.

The whole ordeal can be quite technical, which is why most brands typically seek out studios that are familiar with this type of deliverable. Not only does this technical media require conceptual knowledge, the equipment, software, and technical expertise might be much more than one person would want to take on themselves.

How is it Used?

360° videos are becoming more and more prevalent in a consumer’s life. Whether on a computer, phone, or TV screen, spin photography is now relativity mainstream. Online marketing and creative strategies are becoming increasingly strenuous for online brands, so the more complex might not make it to your shot list. However, 360° content might be more versatile than one may think.

One of the more basic types of spin photography is classic 360° videos, showing the product fully rotating on a flat display or on-white. These shots can be used as the main shot in social media posts, by adding some text or a caption, on a quick Amazon video, to highlight some of the product’s features, or as b-roll in a long-form advertisement.

A more automated approach to spin photography is one that allows for more consumer interaction, which is often used on product pages, allowing a viewer to move the product around with their mouse or finger, to rotate at their discretion. The interaction that 360° videos allow for, enables shoppers to digitally preview a product, giving them a better sense of what it would look like in person. No matter the need, this content can be used across platforms, in different formats, and for various goals.

What are the Benefits?

Most new and creative innovation is going to get your consumer’s attention. However, 360° has more benefits than it may seem. When it comes to increasing online engagement, client curiosity, and ROI, this type of product photography is the way to go.

Product Preview

Much of online marketing now revolves around bringing the “in-person shopping experience” online. The most detailed photos and accurate shots of a product can only do so much for a potential customer. Viewers have the ability to see the item all at once, while also allowing them to preview and interact with it, giving them a better grasp of the true physicality of the product. The more that a customer knows about a product before buying it, will decrease the chances of them making a return or being unhappy with their purchase. The better informed that a customer is, the less uncertainty there is, to be had, along the way.

Social Engagement

As previously mentioned, it is becoming increasingly challenging to capture the attention of an audience, especially when there is more competition for online brands, than ever before. 360° product photography is an easy way to create visually stimulating content for your consumers. These videos and GIFs are a great technique to use when there is a need for an increase in social engagement or content interaction.

Return on Investment

Not only do confident customers mean less money being spent on shipping and customer service amends, but 360° is usually worth it monetarily in many other aspects.

OmniVirt is spin photography and VR-focused company that has been committed to understanding the differences in value between 3D and 2D creatives. The results of their research have shown how valuable emerging technology can be to the eCommerce world. Their data collection was focused on ROI and the use of 3D and 360° in advertising and the results confirmed that 360° video and photo outperform 2D across all metrics.

While professional 360° product photography may require more resources, the efforts can really make a difference. The increase in exposure, engagement, and sales have the ability to pay off much quicker than normal 2D ads. The idea may seem out of the box at first, easy to push to the sidelines, or written at the bottom of a to-do list. However, companies hopping on board now are seeing real results and helping brands reach their goals quicker than ever before.

On-White images; the Holy Grail of Amazon product photography. White background photography makes the entire world of online shopping go ‘round. No matter the business, on-white photography is the core of online shopping. Amazon businesses, eCommerce brands, online consumer goods companies, on-white photos are some of the most basic, important parts of selling.

However, a quick iPhone picture taken in an office doesn’t cut it anymore- and more often than not, makes a business look unprofessional or amateur. The types of photos, the quantity of shots, and the quality all affect the success of your business, in more ways than someone might think. However, going about the design aspects and photography of your products can be overwhelming. That’s why we are here to help! Whether a brand looking to find some creative ideas for their website, a company trying to figure out the basics, or a business searching for a professional photography studio, just start scrolling already!

Quantity

When creating a shot list, or deciding what type of images you may need for your page’s photography, there are a few pretty basic shots to include. Beginning the selling process by getting these types of images of your products will immediately increase selling potential, but choosing how many images or what types of photos are needed for a product can be stressful.

The list below breaks down the basics of on-white photography that you could use in an upcoming product launch or collection. These types of images are versatile and can provide a range of your eCommerce images. The wider variety of shots and angles displayed on Amazon ultimately expands the possibility for a customer to learn more about the product and helps to make up for the lack of senses that are involved in the online shopping experience. The more that your target market can consume and understand your product or brand, the better chance you have of making a sale.

Front Shot

The foundation of product photography is what is called a front shot. These can include the front of the packaging, the product itself, the packaging with the product out of the box, etc. These images are often used as the first image in most product links. Front shot images allow a customer to subconsciously gather the most basic ideas about a product that will influence their interest in a matter of seconds…so these seconds matter. The quick nature of a consumer’s buying habits already demonstrates the necessity for quality photography- no matter how basic.

Group Shot

A group shot is just like a front shot but includes multiple products. These can enable a brand to show off a group of products in a kit or varieties of a product being sold. These shots are great for new collection launches, showing off different SKUs, or showing what will be included in a set they may purchase. If a customer doesn’t not like a certain color of a shirt or is uninterested in a feature on a phone case, they may automatically go look elsewhere for what they are looking to buy. However, when all colors are shown off at once, or your audience can see all of their options altogether, it could increase the chance that they might keep clicking through.

The greater the effort that a customer puts in, having to browse products online, the more time they have to double think their purchase also tends to increase. While some brands might use this opportunity to have a customer stay on their sites for longer, grouping all of the SKUs together can ensure that a customer can find what they are looking for and enables them to see all of their options all at once.

Back Shot

Back shots are helpful when trying to show an online Amazon shopper more detail. The more that a consumer sees ur product or brand, or understands about the product, can increase the chance that they make a purchase. Reducing any mystery behind a sale will create a better experience for both the company and the consumer.

When someone is shopping in person, it is rare that they go to buy something without turning it over or flipping it around to see all sides, before making a decision. For instance, food and beverage industries may use backshots to show off ingredients, shapes, labels, or any other packaging details that might be missed in a front shot. When it comes to fashion or beauty brands, it is always helpful for a customer to see the back of the article of clothing, accessory, or jewelry. In order for a customer to feel confident in a purchase-whether, they know it or not- want to know as much as they can about something before making the decision to hand over their money. So no matter the industry, these angles are important for audiences to fully grasp the idea, concept, or look of a product.

Close-Up Shots

Depending on the product and the industry, other add-on photos can be useful to add to a shot list. These types of close-up, bonus on-white images could include swatch shots, texture shots, close-up images, or a flat lay of ingredients. These shots have a wide array of possibilities such as more accurate color swatches for specific SKUs or detailed images displaying the different SKU options altogether. Abstract or realistic, these creatively styled images are fun and creative, and have a wide range of possibilities; they can be treated as filler shots for customers to see more of a product or as fully detailed, coordinated images that bring the entire photography project together.

These close-up images are a great way to bring the customer’s senses back into the online shopping experience. For instance, fragrance industries can demonstrate the scent and vibe of the product, by displaying all of the ingredients or elements of the brand. Makeup brands can easily display a crushed palette of colors or detailed textures of the products, while a skincare line may use swatch shots to give the customer a closer look into the product they are selling. So while these images are creative and intriguing for audiences, they do so much in making up for a consumer’s senses lost in the online shopping experience.

Quality

Many product photography studios use a “churn-and-burn” process when it comes to shooting on-white images. While any professional photographer might be able to shoot any basic variety of the white background images listed above, it is important to find a studio that will cater to their process exclusively for your brand.

Steer away from studios that advertise as “simplified photography” or have presets to place, shoot, and send over bland images of a product. While on-white images are a great foundation for a brand and are considered the “basics,” it doesn’t mean that they should be overlooked and easy to create; a foundation is important for any structure to stand, so if product photography is the foundation of online selling, it should be detailed oriented, carefully constructed, and crafted specifically to each brand.

Many eCommerce brands out there are not personally started by photographers, so it can be difficult to understand all that goes into the process and why the quality of professionals is significant. The photography itself requires a set, professional equipment, the perfect lighting color balancing, styling, props, and experience. Relying on lines, set, depth of field, lighting, shadows, and their retouching expertise, are required to create one image of a product. An experienced photographer, who understands the importance of their work, can ensure that a brand’s on-white images help craft a brand unique to its brand identity and its selling goals.

On the surface, quality matters for visual appeal and brand identity, however, return rates are greatly affected by the photographer and studio behind the work. Poor photo quality is one of the most frequent critiques of Etsy shops, Amazon companies, or eCommerce brands. Issues such as inconsistency of images, incorrect product colors, or underwhelming quality can lead to skepticism and disinterest from a potential customer.

70% of online shoppers surveyed in 2020, said that the quality and aesthetic of a product image greatly impact their buying decision (mdga Advertising, 2020)., and that number has been steadily increasing. With the rise of online shopping and technological advancements in the photo world, consumers rely on product photos and brand identity more than ever before. First impressions last, and knowing how significantly images grab attention, the photography that a company uses to sell their products is one of the largest influences in making a sale.

Studies across decades have shown that a customer is going to take in about 80% of what they see, compared to the 20% of what they read. So while companies may take an exuberant amount of time writing taglines, copy, or puns, photography will most likely be the most influential, deciding factor; with the increase of online-only boutiques and eCommerce brands, quality product photography catered to Amazon sellers will only continue to rise in importance.

When it comes to online selling, understanding the need for product photography can be extremely overwhelming. While there are many ways to go about a DIY photo project, a professional can take away much of that concern and effort. Allowing a professional photographer or studio to automatically create photo consistency, quantity, or variation, can help elevate a brand’s image, without bringing all of that time and pressure into a company.

When walking into a store, do you like to see the products up close? Do you touch the material just to see how it feels? What about smelling that new perfume you’ve been so curious about?

We use almost all of our senses right when we walk into a store. However, in this new era of excessive and exclusive online shopping, most of our senses are -no pun intended- out of the picture. We can only grasp the ideas of what something feels like, smells, like, or even really looks like from the limited online photos provided.

Senses lead to sales. So, if a consumer is only relying on their sense of sight, it puts that much more pressure on visuals. Lifestyle product photography is a great way to bring senses back into selling- and if this isn’t already convincing, we are going to break it down for all the skeptics.

Making Sense of Online Shopping

Compensating for the lack of sense involved in the buying process is a challenge for any brand. Capturing all 5 senses is difficult, even for the serial iPhone photographers out there. Crafting eye-catching lifestyle product photography, that captures a product in a natural environment or realistic scene, can give customers a better sense of what they are looking at online. Whether it helps an audience understand scale, uses, or potential routine changes, a professional studio is the best bet in creating images that positively impact sales.

In 2018, it was found that “75% of online shoppers rely on product photos when deciding on a potential purchase, so just imagine how high that number is now” (IIP, 2018). As the number of online stores continues to steadily rise, product photography will become even more essential to brands worldwide. Statistics like this show just how important product photography is and the large impact that they have on a buyer’s decisions.

Creative direction, extensive resources, and especially-the photography itself- can put some visual sense back into a consumer’s buying experience. Including models, realistic scenes, or demonstrating uses, are sure to increase buyers’ understanding of a product. Industries like apparel, cosmetics, fitness, and household goods are dominating the world of online shopping and are leading in visual experience through retail product photography. A large amount of competition means that a brand and its media should be carefully crafted to make the best first impression possible to potential buyers.

Accuracy

In a similar way, accurate images matter much more than one might think. Online businesses are constantly having to reinvent and innovate when it comes to customer service and communication. While these can be the most difficult factors to deal with as a brand, they are also some of the most important.

Research by TrueShip tells us that “22% of returns occur because the product looks different in person.” In order to prevent this, companies need to ensure that their product photography is as accurate and descriptive as possible. Lifestyle product photography can assist in demonstrating a realistic representation of a product. Having a model hold a product can show scale, putting it down next to foods that might be used with the product can show off utility, or setting it in a bathroom scene could show how it would fit into a customer’s lifestyle.

Customers need to understand all aspects of the product that are being sold in order to prevent losing energy (and even money) on returns, shipping, bad reviews, and unhappy customers. Not only does the color accuracy, ideal angles, and styling of a product matter, but accurate images can be the best way to avoid any unnecessary loss of resources.

Tricky Technicalities

The visual experience is one of the most important aspects of creative branding. There are many behind-the-scenes aspects of product photography in general that can seem like a mystery to many eCommerce brands. Apple itself might have convinced everyone that iPhone pictures are all that are needed to sell and promote products. However, when relying on visuals alone, the technical aspects of photography matter that much more, especially when it comes to the more complicated lifestyle photoshoots.

Research shows that “it takes 90 seconds of initial viewing before people make a subconscious judgment about a product” and over time, that number has begun to decline (Turo Law, 2011). There is an abundance of small, merely unrecognizable cues that we subconsciously consider when browsing online. A studio will be able to provide a company with the essentials that would be unavailable when doing an at-home shoot, such as sets, light stands, endless props, camera rigs, models, and of course, a professional photographer.

However, it is important to note that just because someone is a professional doesn’t mean that they’ll create professional-looking photography- just because a person has a good pair of scissors, doesn’t automatically make them a hairdresser. The key is to find a professional photographer with technical experience and a portfolio of photography that represents the desired creative goals. Working with the right studio can ensure that with just a quick glance, a potential buyer won’t scrutinize or question the image quality.

Content Credibility

Gaining the trust of a consumer is harder than it used to be and can be quite difficult.

Recent studies have shown that “around 75% of people base the credibility of business on how their website looks” (Standford, 2002). As we mentioned above, people know the difference between good and bad lighting, even if it is subconscious. While consumers may not always be able to describe it in technical photography terms, they know the difference between the quality of the visual representations of a product.

The modern informed online buyer looks much different than they might have 5 years ago. When shopping online, it’s usually quite easy for a consumer to recognize a professional photo over one that is amateur or shot in-house. Whether it is conscious or not, the quality of a website, social channel, or product photos greatly influences a buyer’s idea of how credible they are as a brand.

Unprofessional photography is a dead giveaway to an unprofessional website. Factors like model experience, location choice, technical choices, and product styling can all influence a consumer’s opinion of a brand. If photos seem basic or unprofessional, a customer may think that a company is unreliable or not trustworthy enough for them to consider buying.

Saving Time and Money

It’s better to take the time to do it right the first time, instead of rushing, and having to redo the work altogether- a testament that holds true in the world of product advertisement. A DIY approach may seem like the quickest and cheapest way to create visuals for a website or social media. However, hiring someone to take care of all aspects of the creation of any photography needs can allow a brand and its team to put more time and energy elsewhere.

Considering that high-quality retail product photography often requires pre-production, shooting, setup, post-production, editing, and retouching, it’s most likely not something that can be pulled off without a production team, studio, and professional software. Any growing business needs to use its resources wisely. Allocating profits and assets to the quality and versatile images can make for a quicker return on the investment.

In 2020, Vennage found that “marketers reached their goals with visual content: stock photography ranked at 13% while original photography & graphics ranked at 40%.” Working with a studio allows a brand to tailor the creative direction of the photoshoot specifically for its strategy. Stock images and amateur photography won’t do the trick. Everyone is looking for a quick return on their investment, and professional product photography can do just that.

The better the images that are sourced now, the less a company would need to keep working to create more and more subpar photos, just to fulfill some of what a customer is looking to see on a website. Quality AND quantity matter.

Help the Creatives

We’ve already covered how hiring a professional or studio can help save resources and help customers’ understanding of a product. However, we can’t forget about the time a creative team could save by working with a studio, instead of taking it all on themselves.

For instance, copywriting can take longer than one might think, and nowadays, consumers don’t want to sit and read product descriptions anyways.

Images of products, especially lifestyle images, are relied on heavily when consumers want to know what they are looking at before deciding to make a purchase. Curalate found that “76% of American consumers purchased a product after seeing a brand’s social post.” The more posts that a brand has and the more interaction that happens online, the better.

High-quality lifestyle product photography can help reduce the need for other creative resources that customers need to make informed purchase decisions. Realistic photos allow a customer to see many more aspects of a product than other photography would, especially if a professional studio is used. Allowing a studio to handle the content product, more time can be spent coming up with new ideas, creating campaigns, and communicating with clients online. Writing long paragraphs on a website and answering customers’ questions can be thrown out the window if the photography is that good.

The larger amount and variety of images at disposal, the faster conversion rates, and consumer engagement will grow. The higher quantity and quantity of product photography, the closer a company is to make a sale.

Standout with style

The product market is saturated with advertisements, commercials, and photos that are all competing to capture the attention of their potential customers.

In 2020, Hubspot found that “across social channels, photo and imagery posts are the most-used content type to increase audience engagement.” With the overwhelming amount of this media, it makes it much harder to stand out in the crowded world of online consumer brands.

Coming up with fresh new ideas for social media is difficult enough, so leave it to a professional! Keeping up with all the new TikTok trends, Instagram “rules”, and fashion fads is near impossible for an average brand already. However, using lifestyle shots can help keep things exciting.

While much of the product photography that we see on social media can be on-white photos of e-comm spreads, these types of images can help a brand stand out. Including scenery, models, or a product in use, not only gives consumers a better understanding of the product but can also encourage someone to stop their scroll and learn more. A professional studio should know just what to do with whatever ideas a brand may have for its website or socials.

Versatility Made Easy

As previously mentioned, we know new ideas for socials can be tricky. When campaign ideas finally start rolling out, chances are that there has already been loads of time invested in working to find something that most teams agree on, or that works for all channels. Using a studio to create successful images can help expand on the smallest ideas, to get as much out of that one idea as possible.

Most modern brands try to take advantage of any and all social media platforms that they can, in order to promote their products. Studies done by Statista Research, this year, found that “43% of global shoppers research products online via social networks,” and it’s shocking that this number isn’t even higher. The power of social media is rising, which means more campaigns, more posts, and more creative assets overall.

Mass media content creation can get confusing, especially when it comes to figuring out complex crop ratios, file types, unique content ideas, or even needing to tailor content for each channel. Especially with lifestyle shoots, an at-home shoot may create a few images that are relatively decent. However, a studio can take a few setups and turn them into dozens of versatile images. Taking photos of the scene or set-up, then including the product, and then adding in a hand, and then a model- these are all ways that a studio can create many images that can all be used in a variety of ways. A differentiating, yet coordinating spread, can take brands above and beyond, making promotion and advertising that much easier.

Increase Brand Awareness

While creating branding and finding company identity are some of the first tasks on the to-do list, brand awareness can be overlooked. It doesn’t matter who a brand is or what they stand for if no one is recognizing them for it. Identification of a brand includes obvious factors like its products, its name, and the logo, but every color, every font, and every shape all craft a brand’s image in the eye of consumers. Creating brand-specific images that an audience can recognize will ensure that a target audience really remembers a product.

People like to know what they expect, and having a familiar experience with a brand will help build trust with customers. When buying new products, it has been found that “90% of users expect to have a similar brand experience across all platforms/channels” (CrowdSpring, 2017). Having a succinct brand across a website and social platforms allows a company to create a satisfying consumer experience all around.

Replicating brand colors, using similar props, and angles are going to be easiest when using a professional studio. When creating lifestyle scenes, there are even more ways to create a recognizable brand. The set design, type of models, wardrobe, materials, and/or location call all add to the creation of an online brand. Realistic photography can help increase the potential for recognition while causing more engagement overall.

From the production, branding execution, and retouching, replication of the branding is going to matter when creating that identifiable content for all platforms. Not only will a studio be able to replicate a current brand identity, but they can also help develop a new and improved version, or even update current campaigns. After building a brand identity, consistency is going to be key, and a professional product photography studio will have the capacity to do just that.

Increase Brand Awareness

Many online brands that are looking to scale or grow, often have trouble deciding what photos to take or how to allocate their budgets for photography. Any great studio is familiar with these issues and can assist in creating creative, versatile, and high-quality photography. Whether it’s photography for a website banner or a future Instagram post, they’ve done it and they know what works. Production value, resources and contacts, photography quality, and retouching abilities all matter, and can be found in a professional product photography studio.

Invest in the brand, invest in the customers, and invest in professional product photography.

Getting someone’s attention is important…but it won’t matter if your creative product photography doesn’t represent your brand. Often, without clear brand representation in your photography, it is much more difficult to achieve brand awareness from your target market. In the height of eCommerce, getting someone to recognize your brand is practically a new form of currency. However, the real challenge can be creating eye-catching content that shows off your brand’s true identity.

Reflect On It

We love this reflective setup by photographer Leslie Grow. The simple mirror and single drink make this interesting shot, made easy. Any product photographer knows the utter dread when they see that they’ll be photographing anything reflective. So, major props to this photographer, Leslie Grow, for taking this creative direction head-on.

Playing with shadows and shapes is perfect for getting a classic, modern look that was portrayed in this series for The Girlfriend. While lacking a specific product, this project demonstrates how retail photography can have a wide range in terms of simple product shots, to loose, conceptual imagery.

Getting Au Natural

The image and branding seem simple at first glance. However, taking a simplistic approach can be more difficult than it seems. Focusing too much on the proportions and layout can lead to stressing and removing and replacing and switching props for way too long. Taking inspiration from simple setups and basic props can make it easier when figuring out these small elements of a shoot you might accidentally get you all wound up. A rock and a leaf- that might be all you need to make a product stand out on social media or your website.

The styling also demonstrates the true identity of the brand. To ensure that the image is in line with the client’s products, the photographer chose to emphasize the natural, organic nature of the brand. Warm colors and natural elements can be found all over their website. So, by using natural prop pieces and a simplistic set, the brand identity is well represented within the image.

Fresh Squeeze

“Squeeze” was taken quite literally when creating this product shot. We see versions of this image often, but the background and active “squeeze” help the image stand out. Taking the product out, the background of this image could easily be used for social media, website backgrounds, etc. A setup like this might be a great option if you’re looking to step away from the popular “pour” or “falling ingredient” images.

Right from the image, we see that the brand portrays itself as fresh, natural, and organic. Placing a product directly into nature gives a not-so-subtle hint to an audience that the product is not too far from nature itself. Not only do the bright colors and natural background help show what the Squeeze brand is selling, but it also gives their target market a sense of who they are, creating that ever-important brand identity.

Perfectly pointy photography for this matte lipstick line. Finding new ways to place and style products can be challenging, especially when trying to come up with new creative sets for similar types of products and brands. The unique art direction above finds a new take on product placement; sometimes, a new perspective is all you need!

Holiday shoots can be especially tricky when trying to craft content that maintains brand identity, while also remaining fun and festive. However, this image demonstrates a perfect blend of holiday colors and shapes and still keeps the branding front and center. The minimalist nature is on trend with the simplistic-focused consumerism that we are seeing in the makeup industry lately.

Create Colorful Cutouts

As I’m sure you can tell by now, cutouts are trendy. Lately, we are seeing fun, young brands using bright colors and bold shapes. HEMERA decided to hop on board and used colorful, 3D geometric forms to not only depict its product and its prickly ingredients, but also portray who they are as a brand- young, clean, and simplistic.

We have seen more and more brands hopping on board and using these eye-catching sets. The loud images and creative design that we see above might be a great option for your brand; it might even be a fresh, new way to capture the attention of your audience.

I’d be remiss to not mention that Transform design does a great job of breaking down their art direction behind this shoot. So, if you’re looking for more inspiration, make sure to check them out for a more detailed breakdown of their brand’s photography and strategy.

Create Colorful Cutouts

More creative shapes and styles! Boxes and stands are common in product photography, but the white boxes and green foam get boring. Finding new ways to use a technique you’re already familiar with is always exciting. Similar paper and wood cutouts, like these, can be found on craft websites and amazon, which makes it even more tempting to add to that idea board we all have.

These fun shapes add a unique texture to the packaging and help audiences spot the simple, natural, and modern elements of the Typology brand. Finding the perfect balance of texture and space is tricky. However, they seemed to nail it, combining a simplistic product with more eye-catching props. An idea like this could be replicated for any brand, it seems all you need are some fun columns and you’re all set!

Throw it all in

Flat lays of ingredients are another common ask for eCommerce brands. However, this shot here might just give you some new inspiration for your prop display. Flat lays are normally the go-to when it comes to showing ingredients or produce in a product. However, adding the ingredients all together into a bowl, a pitcher, or vase, might just be a new creative option to try out.

The founder of the Vintner’s Daughter shot here described her product as the “power of nature captured in a small glass bottle.” Perfectly capturing just that, the photographer seems to have taken that idea and ran with it. The glass pitcher is a fun way of displaying the natural ingredients in the product and conceptualizing the brand’s natural and fresh ideology.

Throw it all in

While the amount of spicy crumbs in this image is quite impressive, the words seem to really take the stage. Putting many elements into a shot, without it looking overwhelming, can be tricky. However, this image includes the product, a model, an ingredient, letting, and fun shapes, all without being too crowded. Sprinkling some cheese dust or flour over letter stencils like these could be a creative idea to test out on any food or kitchen products you have coming your way.

While it might get messy, any product styling like this will really capture the attention of someone scrolling through their socials. The bold flame calls attention to the image and then leads any eyes to the fun lettering and chips across the image. The styling may even assist with creating a recognizable brand image; a large shape-or giant flame in this case- is hard to miss. Overall, this spicy set could be a great way to capture the eyes of any interested consumer.

When You’re Stuck, Stack it Up

Similar to the Mac Cosmetic shoot above, this shoot finds a new orientation to display products with an experimental creative direction. Eggs and shiny shoes might not be the most obvious pairing. However, combining these two products together is certain to get some double-takes.

Finding unique ways to indirectly demonstrate a certain feature of a product can be super effective when you want engagement. In this case, we see the shoes impossibly balancing on eggshells, to portray the lightweight nature of the shoe. Bringing metaphors to life is not only effective but also a great way to show off your creative capacity to a client.

All About Aesthetic

Sometimes, building the perfect aesthetic can be just what you need to get someone to stop scrolling. Trendy, bold cutouts, bright and colorful content is popping up all over the internet. Instagram layouts and brand colors are very influential when it comes to social advertisement. Geometric shapes were not surpassed with this shoot either; we see multiple lines and designs that make the shot that much more interesting.

The image above is a part of a colorful collection of photos, all depicting a wide range of jelly products from bags to flip flops. Capturing the brand’s youthful essence, the creative direction allows the audience to reminisce on a beach day they may have had as a child. The bright, minimalistic approach also helps to demonstrate the fun, yet affordable, branding of Sun Jellies.

Whether you’re a photographer, creative director, or online brand, these photos are sure to get those wheels turning. It can be difficult to come up with new ways to capture the same product or fulfill unique creative requests. However, whether it’s mirrors, upside-down products, spicy flames, or shoes balancing on eggs-no one has tried it all. Hopefully, this collection of creative product photography can spark an idea or two that can truly help a brand get some recognition.

What’s the Cost?

Behind the most perfect marketing campaigns, there will still be someone asking “but what will it cost?” Hesitation still remains in marketing decisions when it comes to media planning and visual branding, even with the chokehold that visual content continues to have on society. One of the largest up-and-coming media formats for online brands is 360 product photography. These multimedia beasts are becoming some of the most versatile and innovative endeavors of the AR and VR marketing industry. While seemingly complex and untouchable, we made sure to unpack the basics of 360 media content in our article found here.

The benefits of 360 product photography certainly outweigh the drawbacks. However, as many companies remain on the brink of choosing this technology, we decided to break down the realistic options that brands may come across in their decision-making.

What Are the Options?

360 photography and video is spread across multiple different facets of the online world. Whether 360 media is needed to better serve customers, to help brands with social content, or to create a new AR platform, the possibilities are vast…but the prices are as well.

Software for Purchase

One route to creating 360 media is through automated software. The technology can be purchased by a company to be used to automate images or videos already taken for 360 formats. These types of software range in price and levels of technical difficulty. Unless a company is quite tech-savvy and is capable of creating its own 360 images for automation, this may not be the most realistic option. However, if interested in having complete control of the capabilities and imagery of a company, this could be a great option.

Some 360 Software to check out:

CloudPano

Price: $33/per month

The concept of “virtual tours” has been skyrocketing since 2020. These tours are used frequently in industries such as real estate, car sales, and construction. With full 360 and VR capabilities, CloudPano includes a multitude of features like customized branding, embedded links, and website domain, all with no coding required.

Fusion 360

Price: $495/year

Fusion 360 is a platform specialized in 3D product models but includes features such as 3D animation and design, which are great for bringing any object to life.

Cappasity

Price: $349.99 per month for businesses

With various products ranging from a 3D scanner to 3D app creation for businesses, Cappasity’s software seems to do it ALL. Their technology consists of their own SaaS platform, as well as a “client-based Easy 3D Scan software for 3D creation.” Their focus on e-comm brands and website development proves their commitment to easy and adaptable 360 creations.

Media Companies

Not looking to take on a hefty project? There are also companies that specialize in 360 that will do the work for their clients. These companies create 360 media with a variety of uses, including product virtualization, rotating product views, or 360 product videos. While VR and AR media is still relatively new in the grand scheme of technology, there are companies that can assist in the creation of 360 imagery.

Some 360 Software to check out:

Emersya

Price: (Ranges based on company need)

The 3D technology of Emersya has been used by several big-name companies such as Kitchen Aid, BIC, and Billabong. Whether you are looking for product design, advanced 3D product experiences, interactive AR, or complete 3D web customization, they have it covered. For brand-specific customization, Emersya can take the reigns and create a fully interactive experience for any brand and its customers.

ARsenal

Price: (Ranges based on company need)

Focused on 3D product visualization, ARsenal assists companies in switching over to interactive media. Their goals are to help brands reduce return rates, drive more sales, and to innovate through 3D and AR technology. They have also managed to streamline communication with brands in order to connect on creative direction and technological needs throughout the entire process.

Product Studios

While using 360 and 3D media platforms and software companies may seem like a no-brainer, there may be a better option. Most of these companies ONLY offer specific and streamlined content possibilities. The first thought of any brand manager might be to take a 3D project on as a DIY or to go with a 360 specialized company as a safer option. However, those options will not necessarily take a company’s brand into consideration and have a limited range in the type of content they can create.

After scoping a project, sending products to be specially shot for 3D and 60 motion, and then figuring out what types of videos are needed, there will only be a few types of deliverables that could come from all of that time and effort. If a brand is looking for a broader scoped project, including 360 videos, GIFs, and product photography, a photography studio may be a better option.

Not only are there vast media possibilities, but a product photography studio has the resources, knowledge, and experience to craft 3D and 360 creatives designed specifically for a brand’s vision.

Learn more about 360 capabilities through product photography here

Just as companies were hesitant about social media and email advertising at first, 360 media seems to be going through the same social process of acceptance. However, they work and it’s only a matter of time before they take the eCommerce world by storm. Find out more about 360 product photography here.

Everyone knows the dread of shopping online for hours, looking for the perfect purchase, only to end up having to base your buying decision off of a few, low-quality Amazon images. Product photography matters more now than ever before. The rise of online shopping and Amazon-exclusive companies has increased the impact that photography and marketing have on a brand and its lifetime. The sales and profits made by e-commerce and Amazon brands are greatly impacted by their photography. After covering how Amazon brand survival is linked to quality photography, we decided to break down the connection between Amazon brand’s photography and their sales.

Attracting Attention

The easy way out may be to DIY the images, go the photoshop route, or use the cheapest photographer in the area. However, if you’re looking to boost your sales, these are not the best ways to attract customers. Using personal experience, we can often relate to skipping over the low-quality product photos and clicking on the clean and crisp-looking images instead. Using a photography studio can boost any brand’s engagement, just by providing visuals that look professional and trustworthy.

Brand Recognition

One of the main reasons that quality commercial photography can increase sales is by automatically crafting a cohesive and consistent Amazon page. Brand recognition on this platform can be more difficult than it would be for a retail or e-comm brand, as you end up having to compete with the surrounding Amazon website design. Therefore, taking the steps to follow all branding guidelines, while ensuring that the photography realistically represents your products, can be a hefty project to take on or to trust an unspecialized photographer to pull off. However, handing off the work to an experienced product photography studio can be a game-changer.

A studio will be able to ensure that the images look professional, with the correct lighting, angles, and editing. However, they can also be a great help when needing to figure out a brand’s overall goals for gaining interest from their target audience, where to focus their photography efforts, and to figure out what visuals are missing from a product page. (If in need of any shot list inspiration, we made sure to break down on-white photography and you must have images, here.) When it comes to brand recognition, other options of photography will rarely get the job done. Handing off the project to a product photography studio will ensure that both the technical and creative aspects of your brand and products are highlighted and recognizable to any new or returning customers.

Buying Decisions

The world of media has only increased the need for increased stimulation and visualization when purchasing online. Only a few years ago, the average consumer need half of the images they currently expect from a product page, and this number continues to rise for all age groups.

We have previously discussed how product photography can close the gap between subconscious in-person buying decisions and the lack of senses used for online shopping. Quality photography will allow a customer to get a much better grasp on how large the product actually is, how it could smell, or what the color will look like in person. When shopping, customers want to uncover as much as they can about a product before they make that final decision to click “check out now.” Using a product photography studio can take the mystery out of potential customers’ shopping experience, inevitably leading to more frequent sales.

Answering Questions

As mentioned above, minimizing the mystery of a product is crucial to consumer buying decisions. Much of the confusion that an audience has about a product is often reflected in the most frequently asked questions. A clever tactic used by many e-comm brands is to provide answers to these questions by including more visuals on the Amazon product pages.

Quality product photography is the first step in minimizing customer concussion. However, adding in-image text, detailed imagery to a shot list, or photos of individual product parts can preemptively answer some of the more common consumer questions. Working with a product photography studio can allow for collaboration on what needs to be covered on a shot list and what elements of a product should be highlighted within the images.

Customer Satisfaction

Unlike in-person retail, it is much more difficult for online shoppers to grasp all elements of a product. As previously mentioned, most senses are removed from any online shopping experience. Therefore, by removing any confusion, misinformation, or hidden elements of a product through well-shot, professional photography, customer satisfaction is set to improve.

Similar to how answering FAQs can decrease the numbers of returns and exchanges, accurate images on PDPs and websites can help save companies’ resources across the board. On eCommerce sites, such as Amazon, comment sections are often filled with angry customers expressing that parts of a product were “in the photo but aren’t actually included” or that “the color is completely different than the picture.” These common complaints agave a large impact on seller ratings and brand trust, but can be avoided with photography that is accurate.

Customer Satisfaction

Now that it is clear why authentic images are so important for Amazon sellers, it brings up the question of “why do I need to invest in professional photography just to get successful photos?”

Without knowing the industry or having photography experience, it can be difficult to understand what goes into creating a single shot. To shoot a product in its most realistic form, multiple shots usually have to be taken to capture every highlight, bubble, or shadow needed to create a successful photograph. After the entire photography experience, retouching often includes piecing together these images, while also color-correcting the product to depict SKUs correctly and fixing any inaccuracies that may still be seen.

While that is an extremely watered-down version of the entire approach, it gives insight into the complicated process behind successful photos. Technology is more complicated every day and customers are more aware of their buying decisions. iPhone photos and outdated DSLRs don’t cut it anymore. Consumers will see right through any detours taken when it comes to digital media and online resources. Investing in quality retail photography is the right investment for any eCommerce brand- trust us, the numbers will prove it.

You’ve filled your product pages with on-white images, shown off the product using models, and started to fill up your company’s social media page….so what’s next? The smart answer would be creative product photography.

The obvious strategy, when needing to update a website or product page, is to get those classic on-white images or model shots. However, with the evolving eCommerce world constantly nipping at the heels of online sellers, the not-so-obvious photos are what motivate sales.

Much like lifestyle photography, product photography helps bring the experience of in-person browsing to online shopping. Before diving into the many advantages of these images, it is helpful to understand the basics of it all.

What is Creative Product Photography?

Media moves fast. Online selling and the retail space rapidly shift, as media fads, photography needs, and consumer trends evolve and diversify every day. While basic product photography, such as on-white images, has remained to be a relatively standard need for any successful brand, creative images are where the opportunity for variety lies.

In the industry, this type of photography is known to allow photographers, studios, or brands to leverage their creativity by including dynamic, outside elements within the photos. The goals of using this type of photography can be to capture audience indentation, create a brand identity, or improve plain product photos altogether.

There is more room to play and experiment with creative photography, as there is an opportunity to use any set, prop, background, or ingredient. The ability to craft images that are completely unique to a product and/or brand is what makes this photography so important to online brands and companies.

Elements of Creative Product Photography

The possibilities of creative product photography are endless- which can make creative direction decisions difficult. Especially with the competitive nature of online selling, the importance of each element and angle matters more than one might think. Whether the goal is to increase sales or encourage brand recognition, the strategy behind this type of photography has the ability to make or break a business. While these ideas can be frustrating to curate and execute there are a few tips below to help get those creative juices flowing.

Props, Sets, Models, Oh My!

Outside elements are what make the most eye-catching and effective imagery for brands successful. Props, sets, models, backgrounds- they all have the potential to make or break product photos or videos.

Props

One of the more obvious aspects of creative photography is props. The wide range of props includes everything from sneakers to fruit. While on-white images lack other objects, this type of photography allows creativity to be expressed through prop choices, based on color, texture, size, function, etc. While these choices may seem juvenile, the choice of what to include within an image is one of the most time-consuming aspects of photography.

For more prop ideas, check out some creative photography ideas here

Sets

Sets are quite similar to props, as they are mostly made up of props and other acquired objects. Examples of some frequent sets in product photography are bathroom countertops, living room coffee tables, or kitchen islands. These displays can “set” the scene and show where a product could realistically be found or give context to how a product could be used. Creating lifestyle photography through realistic props and scenes can assist customers in visualizing the product in their lives and how it can add value to their daily routine.

Models

Whether it’s a hand, a face, or an entire body, model use is one of the most beneficial approaches to media creation for any eCommerce brand. Similar to the way that props and sets help add some realism to the photography, models can give customers a better understanding of the product. Models are standard for most fashion product photography, but can also be helpful to many other industries such as beauty, food and beverage, and home goods.

Standard on-white images are often used as the base media on websites and PDPs. However, including models on PDPs and social media allows customers to visualize products better and are much more engaging to potential audiences. Since this type of photography allows for creativity and extra elements, it is likely to stand out amongst other online media. Stopping a scroll is difficult enough. Adding a “human touch” can take some of the pressure off and can make it easier to match an aesthetic or content direction, as there is much more to rely on outside of the product itself.

Creative product photography can be a bit difficult to differentiate, as it covers many realms within the industry, However, breaking it down, we can see that, for the most part, it involves including many outside elements into the product photography.

While props, sets, and models are some main elements involved in much of this photographic style, it would be remiss to not add that there are endless amounts of styles and options for creativity. The combination of shapes, colors, and textures all amount to what defines this direction of photography. No matter the goal, aesthetic, target audience, or industry, these images are sure to make anything work.

More Benefits

From fun flatlays to playful props, creative product photography has benefits all around. The ability to create content that makes a significant impact on engagement, brand recognition, or exposure is easier when there is more opportunity and ability to play around within the creative direction. It is not a new concept that the extensive amounts of media that audiences come in contact with every day continue to increase, while attention spans decrease. The more creative capability, the more chances to create images that align with a brand and its other marketing strategies.

Outsourcing Options

As trends quicken and fads move quicker, many brands are seeking out professional product photography studios in order to fulfill their marketing and social media needs. The technicalities alone can make content creation a beast to take on. However, these studios should have all the lighting, cameras, and retouching capabilities that a creative director or head of marketing could ever hope to find- without having to figure it all out themselves.

Another part of why many eCommerce brands choose to use professional studios can have a lot to do with those extra elements. Due to the effect that they can have on imagery or the aesthetic of the photo, these aspects such as props, sets, and models are carefully chosen by a professional during the pre-production process. Ensuring that the colors match the brand, the size of the set doesn’t overpower a product, or that the models posing makes sense within a scene is all a part of the creative decisions required to capture a successful shot.

The cost of photography can add up, but many studios have a large number of props, backgrounds, and contacts already at their disposal, which can often help reduce costs. Not to mention, without these resources, to begin with, finding the perfect elements can be extremely difficult to source. Most studios will have personnel that will find the best and most relevant items or people for the shoot, within budget, and in line with the photoshoot schedule.

The many elements of product photography make collaboration with professionals much easier and more cost-effective for everyone. Learn more about working with a The many elements of product photography makes collaboration with professionals much easier and more cost-effective for everyone. Learn more about working with a photography studio here to start your next creative shot list. studio here to start your next creative shot list.

Creating the perfect shot list that fulfills every campaign and marketing photography need can be difficult, especially when it comes to apparel product photography. While other types of photography may rely on props, backgrounds, and sets to complete a shoot, this type of photography often requires specific organization of some more complicated elements. For easy organization and reference, we have created an easy walkthrough of how to approach a modern product photography shot list.

1. What Products Need to be Photographed?

The creative capabilities differ depending on the products that need to be photographed. While shoes may be featured in a lifestyle floor shot, a sweater might be placed, folded in a closet. Sorting out which products are in a campaign or new product launch is a great way to begin developing a shot list. Knowing what different demographics look for when online shopping can direct the creative concepting in a more successful direction.

2. What type of photography are you looking for?

Most options of shots for apparel product photography are relatively straight forward. Some of the most common types include lifestyle photography with models, on-white images with ghost mannequins, or creative product photography with parts modeling. Choosing the type of photography, that will cover all of the formats and media needed, is a great start in deciding the other elements of a shot list.

From here, brands can decide the other aspects of the photoshoot that they wish to be featured in the final deliverables. Determining this can also help studios give an initial estimate for cost, capability, or amount of time that the shoot may take to deliver. Knowing the initial type of shoot, studios can offer more insight into cost, timing, and capability to create the images on the shot list.

3. What Type of Shots Do You Need?

Tequila….just kidding…The type of shots we are talking about here are the camera angles and shot perspectives. For apparel, some examples of these can include top down shots, close up images of textures, group shots of different SKU colors, back view of the clothing etc. These are important to note on any shot list to ensure that a studio or other professional photographer knows how to shoot for the images needed of different products. Including these directions into the shot list is extremely important and need-to-know for any photoshoot.

4. How many images do you need?

While this should be a given, after creating a shot list, it is necessary for all parties to be aware of how many deliverables are included in the contract. From a production standpoint, the amount of images needed affects pricing, scheduling, timing, retouching, and much more. The deliverable count will be included in the initial contract, so it should be thought through while working on the ins and outs of the shot list.

Aforementioned, some aspects that can affect the count can include how many products will need the same shot, which campaigns will be in the retainer/contract signed, and/or what types of images are needed. The costs can add up, so it is important to have internal conversations with all relevant departments to address which products need photography, what the photography will be used for, or what type of products are in the newest campaign.

5. Any Extra Details to Include?

While these “extra details” may seem like an afterthought, they often have a large impact on the final result of photoshoots. These details can involve the overall mood of the set, which props should be included, any technical details, or the color pallet. For apparel shoots, some of these details could be the type of models wanted, the way the fabric should be prepared, or how the product should be styled. Shot lists are a great place to explain these details in order for a photographer or studio to meet the expectations that a brand has in mind for the specific deliverables.

Shot lists can seem quite daunting when staring at a plain excel sheet, unsure of where to start. Whether a brand is just starting up or well-established, shot lists are one of the first humps to clear when beginning the photoshoot process. Following these steps can make the whole ordeal much easier to grasp and can assist any creative team in ensuring that they have not missed any details. Feel free to check out our blog here, for more shot list inspiration!