Product Photography for an Online Store
Good product photos are not primarily about having an expensive camera. They depend on a repeatable process: a stable camera, consistent lighting, a clean background, accurate editing and files that load quickly. You can start with a smartphone, but you need to shoot in a way that lets customers understand the colour, size, material and intended use without guessing.
Ивелин КириловChief Technology Officer (CTO)
Владислав БарковManaging Director
What should customers understand from a product photo?
A photo in an online store has more to do than simply attract attention. It should present the product accurately, help customers compare options and reduce questions before they place an order. If the image is dark, blurry or over-edited, the customer may postpone the purchase or order with the wrong expectations.
Start not with the question “What camera should I buy?”, but with “What does the customer need to see?”. For clothing, this could be the fabric, stitching and true-to-life size. For electronics, ports, accessories and the display are important. For furniture, customers need to understand the shape, scale and construction details.
- Main catalogue image for the first screen of the product page.
- Additional angle showing the back, side profile or shape.
- Close-up of the material, texture, mechanism, stitching or another important detail.
- Photo with a reference for scale when the size is not obvious from the product itself.
- In-use photo when the real-life setting explains the product better.
An in-use photo complements, but does not replace, the main product shot. A bag shown on a person conveys scale and use, but a separate photo of the bag must clearly show its colour, shape and fastening.
Can a smartphone replace a camera?
Yes, for many small and medium-sized catalogues. A modern smartphone with a good main camera is enough if you mount it on a tripod and provide consistent lighting. Stability, consistent positioning and a clean lens matter more than the specific model.
A camera with a separate lens makes sense for large batches, complex materials, products requiring a shallow depth of field or situations where colour control is critical. However, more expensive equipment will not fix poor lighting or inconsistent composition between individual products.
| Element | Practical choice | When it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | Smartphone with a good main camera or a mirrorless camera | For large volumes and difficult-to-photograph materials, control over focus and colour becomes more important. |
| Tripod | Stable tripod for a phone or camera | Keeps the height, distance and framing consistent. |
| Lighting | Two LED panels or continuous lights with diffusion | A continuous light source makes it easier to shoot an entire series consistently. |
| Background | White vinyl, paper or photo fabric | The choice depends on the catalogue and the brand’s visual identity. |
| Reflector | White board or ready-made reflector | Fills in shadows on the side opposite the light. |
| Accessories | Clips, tape, stands and cleaning supplies | Small details save time during setup and preparation. |
A window may be enough for test shots. However, daylight changes throughout the day and is difficult to replicate across a large catalogue. If you add products frequently, controllable lighting usually saves more time than it costs.
How should you arrange the background and lighting?
Place the product on a stable surface and shoot in the same location. The background can continue from the floor up onto the wall without a visible horizontal edge. This creates a clean shot and makes cropping easier.
A white background is practical for a catalogue because it places products in a consistent setting. It is not essential for every brand. A coloured or textured background can work for premium products, provided it does not compete with them.
Place the main light to the side and slightly in front. A diffuser softens shadows and reflections. On the opposite side, place a white board to bounce some of the light back onto the product. Do not mix cool and warm light, as different shots will have different colours.
Glass, metal and glossy packaging require more control. With these materials, you are also photographing the reflections on the surface. A larger diffused surface often works better than a small bright lamp. Rotate the product and the light until you remove unwanted spots while keeping the shape and material visible.
How do you photograph an entire product range consistently?
- 01Prepare the product
Remove dust, fingerprints and threads. Check that you have the correct colour and variant. Arrange the products in shooting order and prepare a clear file-naming scheme.
- 02Fix the camera position
Place the phone or camera on a tripod. Lock the focus and exposure if the device allows it. Do not use digital zoom or randomly change the distance from the product.
- 03Set up the lighting
Choose one setup for the entire range. Take a test shot with a white or grey object to check the white balance, shadows and reflections.
- 04Capture the required views
Take the main shot first, followed by additional angles and detail shots. Keep the product in the same place and do not change the background between colours and variants.
- 05Check the photos immediately
Zoom in on the shot and look for blur, specks of dust, cropped parts and unwanted reflections. Reshooting on the spot is easier than having to bring the product back because the image is unclear.
How do you edit photos without misleading the customer?
Editing should fix technical problems, not change the product. Correct the white balance and exposure, and adjust the contrast slightly. Remove dust and small marks from the background. Do not change the colour of a garment, finish or material just because it makes the shot look more impressive.
Crop photos consistently. A square format is convenient for many catalogues, but it is not essential. Leave enough room for different screens and check how the shop’s automatic cropping works on a phone.
When the platform supports it, export in WebP. JPEG can remain as a compatible option. Keep the original files separate from the uploaded versions and do not compress the same photo repeatedly.
Tools such as Squoosh and TinyPNG can reduce file sizes. Do not apply the same limit to every image. Check the actual quality on a phone, when zoomed in, and the speed of the product page. A large file is useful for detailed viewing, but an unnecessarily heavy image slows down the shop.
How should you name files and write alt text?
The filename should help your team find the image. Do not leave the random number assigned by the phone. Use a consistent scheme, for example “ranica-kozhena-chervena-otpred.webp”, and apply it to all products and variants.
Alt text describes the image for people who use a screen reader and provides context for search engines. Write “Black leather bag with a metal clasp, front view”, not “IMG_2345”. Do not stuff it with keywords or describe details that are not visible.
When should you shoot the products yourself and when should you hire a photographer?
Shooting the products yourself makes sense for a small catalogue, standard products and someone who can follow the process. It is also convenient when you add new items frequently, because you do not depend on an external team’s availability.
A professional photographer is worthwhile for a large range, complex materials, food, jewellery, models or photos for advertising campaigns. In that case, you are paying not just for a camera, but for preparation, lighting, colour control, retouching and consistent results.
Before requesting a quote, prepare a list of the products, dimensions, required views, file format and channels where you will use the photos. Images for the product page, Google ads and social media may require different aspect ratios.
How do photos fit into an online shop?
Good images do not make up for an inconvenient product page. Customers should be able to zoom in on the photo, see all variants and understand the availability, delivery, payment and return terms.
With a large catalogue, it is important to upload and organise images without manual work for every item. With online shop development, you can plan for a gallery, zoom, filters, variants and a connection to a warehouse or ERP system.
This is especially important with many SKU, different warehouses and frequent catalogue changes. In the Labimex case study, the product structure and large B2B catalogue are part of a complete e-commerce operation. At this scale, the correct image, variant and filename are also linked to order accuracy.
How can you check whether your photos are working?
Open your product pages on a phone, not just on a work monitor. Check that the main image loads quickly, that zoom works and that the photos show the correct variant. Track visits, add-to-cart actions and orders, but don’t attribute every change to the photography alone.
Compare similar products under the same conditions. If you change the photos, price, description and delivery at the same time, you won’t know what made the difference. Sometimes the most useful change isn’t a new background, but a photo showing an important detail, size or the product in use.
If your catalogue changes frequently, include photography in the overall product process: who prepares the item, who checks the variant, who edits the file and who uploads it to the store. This keeps images from being scattered across emails and folders and makes them part of an organised workflow.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I photograph products with a phone?
- Yes, if the phone has a good main camera and you use it on a tripod. Lighting, stability and a consistent setup matter more than the specific model.
- What background is best for online store photos?
- A white background is practical for a catalogue and makes it easier to present products consistently. For lifestyle photos, you can use an environment or texture, as long as the background doesn’t distract from the product.
- What format should product images be in?
- There is no single format that is right for every store. WebP is a good choice when the platform supports it, while JPEG remains a compatible option; check the quality and loading time on a phone.
- Should every photo have alt text?
- Yes, when the image conveys information. Describe specifically what is shown, without keyword stuffing and without using the file name as the description.
- When is it better to hire a professional photographer?
- For large batches, complex materials, food, jewellery, models or advertising campaigns, a professional saves preparation time and ensures consistent results. For a small catalogue of standard products, taking the photos yourself may be entirely sufficient.
