Let’s talk about photos. You know…the ones that you have in your Etsy or Shopify listings. How do you feel about them? Do you want to post them all over social media and tell everyone about them? If not..you might be ready for a little product photography SOS.
I’ve been a photographer for over a decade. I LOVE to take photos of my client’s products and watch how that new set of photos launches the listing and gets new sales for my clients. Many product sellers have no idea that the photos that are in their listing are the reason that nobody is buying.
There are 3 things that every set of product photos you take needs:
- Make sure your photos are well lit and show the details of your products
- Show your product in use. Jewelry being worn, a card in someone’s hand etc.
- Keep the focus on your product. Avoid cluttering up your photo with lots of unrelated props.
If you’re unfamiliar with what a histogram is, don’t despair. Look at your photos and check to see if your whites are greyish or blueish. This is a good sign that your photos are underexposed…or too dark. In that case you’d need to add some artificial light or move into the sun.
It doesn’t matter how many times you list the physical dimensions of your products, someone is going to ask for a refund because they were bigger or smaller than they expected. A good way to prevent this is to showcase your product being used. If you can see a necklace being worn, it gives your buyers a good idea of how long or short it will be. If you have an eyeshadow palette and it is just a picture of peach powder in a tub..your buyers could wonder what on earth you’re selling and might pass your listing up.
I’ve seen some listings that are SOOO over done with props that I had no idea what was actually for sale. Keep your props clean and focused on your product. If you’re selling strawberry lip gloss, photograph your lip gloss surrounded by some fresh strawberries. If you are selling a tee…take photos of your shirt on a bed with pair of shoes nearby. Keep the focus on the tee and make it the main part of the photo. Use a model to show off your tee and make sure that she is wearing simple jewelry so it doesn’t detract for your shirt. Have her look away so people will focus in on the design.
Want some help with your photos?
I’m running a live workshop on August 27th at 12pm PST.
It’s going to be a 2 hour interactive class where you’ll figure out:
- Best equipment to get your photos done (hint..it’s not expensive)
- The shortcut to creating the perfect setup for only a few dollars
- The secret to using this tool to take perfect photos…even if your space is dark
- How to just use the phone you have to take your photos
- How to use natural light for great photos
- How to use artificial light the easy way…and which light to buy
- The secret to creative setups that are eye catching and stop the scroll
You can learn more at http://takeyourownphotos.com
