Having great product photography for e-commerce is a requirement for so many companies, yet so many also struggle to get photos that are good enough. A good product photo needs to show off features of your product, focus on details and special features, but also give the viewer the sense they would have if they were actually handling the product. The photos need to give a sense of what the product is made of, of how it would feel to touch it. And that’s not easy to achieve!
For many businesses, it’s not practical or economic to hire a professional photographer each time. You may sell one-off pieces for instance, or small value items, or low quantities. But the same rules of marketing apply – without great photos you’re going to struggle.
That was the problem Range Exchange found themselves facing. They refurbish and sell renovated Aga cookers – each one is a unique piece. They needed great photos to show the quality of what they did to each stove, but weren’t getting decent results. That’s why they contacted me to offer some training.
As you can see from the photos, they’re serious about getting it right. They turned a corner of the workshop into a photo studio in which each Aga can be placed when ready to be put up for sale. With some advice from me they purchased decent lighting, and we booked a morning session where I gave them training. First of all, we established what they were trying to achieve, then went through a series of steps to reach that goal. In just a couple of hours they learned the rudiments of studio lighting, worked out a series of shots they would take of each cooker, and started to experiment with lighting and angles to get the best results they could. We even managed to squeeze in a lightning-quick lesson on editing photos afterwards.
Now, not everybody learns so quickly, but with an open mind and willingness to learn, they proved what’s possible!
Great photography isn’t about having all the gear. Yes, sometimes you do need a specific bit of kit to make a job easier, but really it’s about having the knowledge to turn what you envisage in your mind into reality. Which is something that can be learned.
If you’re disappointed or frustrated with the results you’re getting with your smartphone, no matter the subject matter or area you work in, I can probably help.
Feel free to drop me a line or call for a chat about what you’d like to improve.
