Are you looking to start a career in photography? With the increasing popularity of eCommerce shops, there’s a great demand for photographers specializing in product photography. In fact, the latest numbers show product photography dominates 45% of the market.
With great demand comes tighter competition. If you’re a beginner, it’s time to invest in learning the basics. So how do you become the best? Read on.
Best Practices for Product Photo Editing
First, it’s important to understand the best practices for achieving the highest quality results. Here are some tips to keep in mind.
Choosing the Right Software and Tools
The software and tools you choose for editing your product images can significantly impact the final outcome. Think about the features you need, your level of experience, and your budget when selecting your software and tools. For beginners, there are many free or low-cost options available that can still produce impressive results.
Understanding Basic Photo Editing Terminology
Before diving into the technical aspects of editing your product photos, understand basic photo editing terminology. These terms can help you communicate more effectively with other designers and photographers and improve your editing skills.
Some essential terms to know include aperture and depth of field. You need to understand what these terms mean in photography.
Shooting and Editing in Raw Format
Shooting in RAW format allows you to capture a greater range of colors and tones, giving you more flexibility when editing your images. However, RAW files can also be larger and more challenging than JPEGs.
If you’re shooting in RAW format, use software that supports it and familiarize yourself with the specific features and settings needed to work with these files.
Using Product-Specific Editing Techniques
Different products may require specific editing techniques to showcase their unique features and qualities. For example, jewelry may require a macro lens and specific lighting techniques to capture intricate details. Clothing, on the other hand, may require additional retouching to ensure accurate colors and textures.
Research the best editing techniques for your specific products to achieve the best results.
Saving and Exporting Your Final Product
Once you’ve completed your editing, save and export your final product in the appropriate format and resolution. Be sure to consider the resolution and size of your final image, as this can impact the loading time and overall user experience on your website or social media profiles.
More Tips and Tricks
In addition to the best practices outlined above, several tips and tricks can help take your product photo editing to the next level.
Creating Consistent Branding Across All Product Images
Consistent branding is crucial for building trust and recognition among your audience. Branding consistency is also responsible for bringing in 23% of revenue. Consider using a consistent color palette and font when editing your product photos. The layout is critical for creating a cohesive and recognizable brand.
For example, if shooting handmade jewelry, use a simple, elegant font and soft pastel colors. These branding tones evoke a sense of sophistication and craftsmanship.
Using Templates and Presets To Streamline Your Editing Process
Templates and presets can save you time and ensure consistency across all your product images. For example, you may create a template with the brand logo, product name, and a consistent color scheme for all your images.
Similarly, presets can apply specific editing adjustments to multiple images simultaneously. This saves time and effort. Some photo editing software offers a range of presets you can customize to suit your needs.
Incorporating Lifestyle and Contextual Images
While product images are essential for showcasing the features and benefits of your products, lifestyle, and contextual images can help create a more emotional connection. Use images that show your products in use or a real-life context. This helps customers envision how they might use or benefit from your products.
For example, if you work for a company selling kitchen appliances, include images of your products in a kitchen setting, with people cooking or entertaining.
Optimizing Your Images for Web and Social Media
Optimize your product images for web use when uploading your website or social media profiles. This means compressing your images to reduce their file size and improve loading times without sacrificing quality. For highly compressed images, use an image upscaler to retain quality.
Key Takeaways
Once you understand how to do product photography editing, don’t hesitate to continue improving your skills. Experiment and play with a different color palette. Also, think outside the box and learn to leverage different tools to make editing easier. You’ll need this once you’ve booked many gigs for eCommerce stores.
Remember to:
- Choose the right software and tools
- Understand basic photo editing terminology
- Shoot and edit in RAW format
- Use product-specific editing techniques
- Save and export your final product in the appropriate format and resolution
- Create consistent branding across all product images
- Use templates and presets to streamline your editing process
- Incorporate lifestyle and contextual images
- Optimize your images for web and social media
