Lifestyle, Modeled, e-commerce Product Photography. What's the difference?
Let me ask a question. Have you ordered something online lately? Did you purchase that item based on the appeal of the photograph? As a small business owner who sells their goods online, there are many different styles for photographing products to be sold on various platforms. On Etsy, for example, many items are photographed in a lifestyle or modeled theme. Often times, Amazon requires a plain white background for a single product without any distractions. How do you know which style to choose when hiring a product photographer? The answer to this question is based on your need as a business. I hope to answer a few of your questions here today and show you a behind the scenes of what an e-commerce product photo session looks like.
You already know how amazing your products are, but until a customer has your product in their hands, all they have to rely on are the pictures on your website. This is why a great photograph of your product is essential.
Product Photography Types
So what is the difference between lifestyle, modeled and e-commerce photography? You will see an example of each below. It is important to know what type of photography you are requiring when inquiring for a product photographer. Often times, businesses need a little bit of all types to update their online store front, social media or website. This is a great conversation to have right off the start and allows the photographer to work with you to provide a successful product photo session.
These are often featured in product catalogs and e-commerce product web stores and showcase individual products independently.
This type of photography is where you get to show your products in action. Lifestyle shots tell the story behind your product and show your customers how they can use them in their daily lives.
Like lifestyle photos, this type of photography shows your product in action and involves a model using the product.
Featuring e-commerce white background product photography
The purpose of this blog is to show you a behind the scenes of how I create product photos for products on a white background.
LIGHTING AND BACKDROP SETUP:
First, I set up my work space including backdrops, tables and lighting. In this scenario, I used two pieces of white foam core board and mounting brackets from my Replica Surfaces backdrops to hold them in place.
HELPFUL TIP! Sometimes, you may need a little extra support. Often times I will place a piece of painters tape along the seam of the boards to hold them together.
I am using a Godox 42 Inch Octa Softbox, two Godox AD-200 flashes for my off camera flash and a reflector to bounce the light to eliminate shadows.
EDITING:
All photos are initially editing in Lightroom and sometimes taken in to Photoshop for major edits. For the most part, with the new subject selection tool in Lightroom, the majority of the edits can be made in Lightroom. In the case of creating a pure white background, I take the following steps:
1. Select the subject and add a subject mask.
2. Invert that mask to select the backdrop. Often times, that selection is great but I will adjust as needed to add or remove sections.
3. On the background, I pull down on the saturation, shadows and up on the highlights and whites to create that pure white backdrop.
NOT JUST YOUR STANDARD STILL PHOTO
Want to wow your customers with eye-catching images? I believe that still photography is a necessity to sell your products or services online. However, with the addition of video, reels and stop-motion graphics, it is also possible to add those on to your product photography package. At Believe, Create, Inspire, we strive to provide the best photography services to help you successfully sell your products online.
Reach out today and let’s chat about how I can help you capture amazing, scroll-stopping images.
You BELIEVE in your product or cause, now let’s CREATE a solution to INSPIRE others to believe in it too!
This post is a part of a photography blog circle featuring photographers specializing in a variety of niches. To see what the next photographer is sharing for the weekly theme, “Behind the Scenes,” check out Jessica Wasik with Bark & Gold Photography, giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how she takes your pet portrait from RAW to the wall. Continue to click the link at the end of each post in the blog circle until you eventually find your way back here.