LEARNING A NEW SKILL

I've always had a good eye and dabbled with photography on and off. I've been teaching myself product photography(something completely out of my realm) and so far its amazing! I've gotten some great tips from a relatively old post from Practical Ecommerce; but the concepts still hold true today. Jason Lawrence gives 8 tips on taking a better photo of a product for the web that are pretty easy to put into practice.

First is use a good camera. If you have access to a DSLR or even a top of the line smartphone camera(one that have wide-angle features). I've found that some of the images I've shot with my DSLR are similar to those I've taken with my iPhone. Next is lighting. Whenever possible I love to use natural light. Since my studio is in a basement I have to get more creative with how and even where I take product pictures. Having a tripod handy to produce sharper images without blurry backgrounds can also prove ideal. One of my favorite things to do when shooting was to experiment with blurring out. For products the focus should only be on the product itself without any additional back ground noise. Photo set up is also essential. Lawrence suggests using a continuous backdrop that is neutral so that the product is front and center. He also suggests using a wide aperture to narrow the depth of field so your photos turn out richer and more professional. No that details matter! Pay attention to shadows and make sure your products appear clean free of smudge marks and fingerprints. Lastly don't be afraid, the unknown and/or trying something new can be terrifying at first. Remember practice makes perfect.

Check out some of my practice shots below!

#Photography #Ecommerce #camerawomen #productphotography #productart