Product photographs. How to showcase your goods?

Visual impression has a considerable impact on shopping decisions. This is where the common saying „people judge a product by its appearance” comes from. Contrary to appearances, the way of presenting the product plays a crucial role not only in traditional sales. Images sell on the Internet too. This key role is played by product pictures. See how to take them to convince customers to make a purchase.

What is the role of a product photograph?

Photographs of goods available in the online store are actually an integral part of marketing. Product photographs are required both when preparing traditional advertising materials and the ones for the e-store website. This is because such pictures:

• present real products to be purchased by the customer – sometimes buyers, especially doing the online shopping, are not sure whether the product text description corresponds to the item they intend to buy. The photograph dispels any doubts;
• provide basic information on the product – its shape, colors and size,
• are used for marketing purposes – their task is to present the item in a realistic but positive light.

This is why you should make sure you are in possession of photographs of all your goods. A manufacturer can supply them or you can take them on your own.

A good product photograph, what is it?

It may seem that one simple picture, taken with a smartphone, is enough to create „photographs” for the product sheet in the online store. In theory it is. The experience shows however that product photograph must satisfy specific aesthetic and functional requirements.

Here are the main issues:

• suitable preparation of the product for a photo session – you need to make sure there are no traces of fingerprints or other imperfections. It must look as good as possible,
• optimal background – you need to exclude any random wall or piece of furniture. In this task it is advisable to use the so-called shadowless tent, that is a square box with a suitable illumination. It will provide monochromatic background able to make pictures more aesthetic and professional. Note! If pictures are to be edited afterwards, you’d better take them in the so-called green screen which can help you create expert materials to be used also in large-format advertisements,  
• suitable lighting – a casual day light may not be enough for products to look attractive. Instead, you ought to make use of professional lamps and special blends which can let you emphasize the most important features of the product;
• high-class photographic equipment – think about the camera equipped with the lens with aperture f/4.5 and zoom 35 or 50 mm. It is important that you take advantage of a tripod stand too.

There is no doubt that you need to frame pictures properly. Remember: the item in question must be in the center of attention, and further shots must present its features as precisely and reliably as possible. It is all about keeping a balance between reality and „marketing”.

What to do if you are not in possession of suitable equipment or lack photographing skills? You can entrust photo session to a company which can handle the entire logistic process related to collection of goods from the supplier, completing orders and delivering products to the final customer. Here comes OEX E-business as a potential service provider in this respect. Contact professionals and get support which can help you optimize e-store running costs and raise your selling likelihood.