Types of Product Photography

 

The human brain can process images in only 13 milliseconds — which means you don’t have much time to make a good first impression on your customers. What shoppers see is often a deciding factor in whether they will stay on your site or lose interest, so it’s crucial that you invest in building an online store that catches their eye and keeps them intrigued.

One of the best ways to do this is through great product photography.  

If you’re running an ecommerce business, you probably already know how amazing your products are, but until a customer has your product in-hand, all they have to rely on are the pictures on your website. This is why the best ecommerce websites not only have great products, but also great photos of their products. These images testify to the quality and value of your products and establish transparency into your ecommerce business.

Types of Product Photography

Product photography isn’t one size fits all. Just as your ecommerce store likely features a variety of products and services, product photos also come in a variety of styles and purposes. Some are for everyday use, while others are more unique and only used in special cases. 

Whether you want to maintain a consistent look across your product photos or tastefully mix and match them, it’s important to understand the difference between each type of product photography and how to best capture them.  Below we’ve compiled a list of the six most common types of product shots, when to use them and what they look like in practice:

1. Individual shots. 

One of the most common types of product photos, the individual shot contains only one object in the frame. These are often featured in product catalogs, banner images and throughout product pages to showcase individual products independently from the full collection. 

2. Group shots.

You guessed it — group shots showcase more than one product together. 

Often used for product kits and collections, group photography displays the range and variety of your products and gives the customer a more complete view of your offering. These types of images are perfect for social media posts and advertisements, as they give shoppers a taste of your brand as a whole, rather than just one product. 

3. Lifestyle shots.

This type of photography is where you get to show your products in action. 

Often taken with a model, lifestyle shots tell the story behind your product and show your customers how they can use them in their daily lives. 

While lifestyle photos can complement individual shots on your product page, they’re also perfect for social media, emails, ads and other visual channels, because they catch the eye and make your products feel more personal. 

4. Scale shots.

A common issue with shopping online is not being able to gauge the actual size of a product. While product descriptions may list the dimensions of an item, product photos can be deceiving. 

But with scale shots, you can help your customers get a better idea of the actual size of a product by comparing it with other everyday items, similar to this example . This will help your customers visualize your products in their everyday lives and increase their confidence when purchasing online.  

5. Detailed shots.

For products with small intricacies that require a close-up, including jewelry and other small items, detailed shots help highlight specific product features that a traditional photo might not catch. 

This type of photography often requires specific light and camera settings, such as a macro lens, to capture those delicate shots.  

6. Packaging shots.

Believe it or not, customers care about packaging. 

From browsing your website to making a purchase and receiving their product in the mail, customers seek a shopping experience that is consistent from start to finish. So, even though you may have an amazing product, if your presentation isn’t up to par, your customers might take note. 

And if your products come with beautiful, branded packaging, why not feature it on your product page to give your customers a taste of what to expect?

Packaging shots, feature not only the product itself, but also the product packaging, whether it be a box, bag or label.