Shopify product photography is the lifeblood of any online store hosted on the platform. It’s the visual language that speaks to your potential customers, shaping their perceptions and ultimately influencing their purchase decisions. Striking the perfect balance between aesthetics and optimization might seem tricky, but don’t worry.
We’re here to simplify Shopify product photography for you.
Think of your product photos as the virtual storefront in a sea of competitors. Just like in a brick-and-mortar setting, you wouldn’t leave your products scattered carelessly on dusty shelves with poor lighting, right? It’s important to recognize just how vital great visuals are for your potential shoppers because people can process visuals like product photos 60,000 times faster than text.
You need to put the same care into your online shop. This means investing in high-quality Shopify product photography to showcase your offerings in their best light, highlighting their features, and building a brand identity that resonates with your target audience.
Why Shopify Product Photography Matters?
This isn’t just about pretty pictures—it’s about driving sales, also through customer engagement. A recent study indicated that 90% of online shoppers rely heavily on product imagery when deciding to make a purchase.
And let’s not forget about returns. Did you know that 22% of returns happen because the item doesn’t match the photo? High-quality images reduce these mishaps, leading to happier customers and less hassle for you.
Compelling photos also translate to happier bank accounts. Great imagery on your site can help sales increase by up to 30%. The journey doesn’t end there. Think about it—the vast majority of shoppers start their online journey on platforms like Google, right?
Now, imagine scrolling through countless search results. Visuals are key in attracting clicks. Stand-out Shopify product photography could very well be what makes a potential buyer click on your product listing.
And in today’s visually driven world of social media, appealing Shopify product photography becomes even more critical. This is because it goes beyond your online store; it becomes shareable content across platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook, further amplifying your brand’s reach.
Speaking of Pinterest, did you know that over 80% of weekly Pinterest users made purchases based on Pins? Images sell.
Getting Started with Shopify Product Photography
It’s easier than you think to create an amazing Shopify product photography setup without spending a ton of money. Here’s a basic rundown of what you’ll need to elevate your product photography game.
The Essentials
- Camera
- Tripod
- Lighting
- Backdrops
- Props (optional)
- Photo Editing Software
Let’s dig deeper into some of these and find out which ones will be best for you.
Cameras
A common misconception about photography is that you need a super fancy, expensive camera for professional results, but the truth is that you probably have a great camera right in your pocket. Many people start their photography journey with smartphone product photography.
That being said, if you’re interested in experimenting and/or find yourself limited by your phone’s camera, DSLR cameras can help you capture high-quality Shopify product photography. Many brands produce more affordable cameras, too.
The key thing here is finding a camera that lets you shoot in RAW format, a file type that gives you more control over editing your images in post-production.
Tripods
No matter what camera you are working with, tripods are your best friend when it comes to clear, professional-looking Shopify product photos. A tripod is essential, especially if you’re shooting with a slow shutter speed in low light and want to achieve a larger depth of field—the area in focus in an image.
It prevents blurry photos and gives you more flexibility when framing your product. They are available in a wide price range.
Lighting
Good lighting is like the magic ingredient that can make or break your images. It’s important to learn how to control your lighting setup because it can determine so much. The debate of natural light vs. artificial light is a longstanding one.
As a starting point, embrace the power of window light because, hey, it’s free. It’s a great tool for capturing beautiful product shots when you’re just getting started.
Backdrops
This one might surprise you, but some of the most visually stunning product photography incorporates a plain white background. Ever notice how most product images on Amazon are set against a plain white background? There’s a reason—it works.
A white sweep helps achieve this by removing distractions and helping your products shine. It makes the post-processing a breeze, especially if you’re going for that clean, ecommerce look. Experiment with different backdrops, but keep a white backdrop in your arsenal.
Props
Props are a great way to tell stories. For example, you could style a coffee mug with coffee beans, a rustic book, and reading glasses to evoke that cozy morning feeling.
Props should complement, not overpower, the product and keep the overall aesthetic consistent with your brand’s visual language.
Editing Tools
After snapping your photos, you’ll want to perfect them with some editing magic. Adobe Lightroom is an industry-favorite option with powerful features.
Did you know they have a photography-specific plan?
The Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan for only $9.99 a month offers Lightroom and Photoshop, a potent one-two punch to elevate your photo-editing game. You can even get great results from using a phone app. Apps like Photoshop Express, Snapseed, and VSCO make it easy to achieve pro-level edits.
We’ll explore these tools a little further on.
Styling and Composition for Eye-Catching Photos
While we can geek out about the tech stuff, nailing the styling and composition of your photos is what really captivates potential buyers. The good news? It’s more approachable than it might sound, and there are resources available if you’d like help. Soona, for example, offers visual content creation, including product photography.
You can find inspiration in places you’d never imagine. For instance, leather retailer hardgraft goes all out using super detailed close-up shots. On their product pages, you’ll notice that every last buckle, stitch, and zipper shines.
That attention to detail creates an experience of the product, even through the screen, and builds customer confidence. Let’s unpack the techniques used by hardgraft and more.
Embrace Different Angles
Just like we humans experience things from various perspectives, let your Shopify product photos offer shoppers that visual diversity. You could even experiment with more dynamic angles for an edgy or contemporary vibe.
Here’s an example:
| Angle | Description |
|---|---|
| Eye-level shot | Straight-on, mimicking how we naturally see the world, fosters familiarity and a sense of connection. Perfect for items that need that classic product-on-display feel. |
| High-angle shot | Think overhead view, like you’re peering down at your product. It’s especially awesome for showing scale. For instance, showing a set of earrings neatly arranged against a minimalist backdrop? This is your go-to. It adds context, especially for items that benefit from showing their size relative to something familiar. |
| Low-angle shot | Add a bit more drama. Photographing a water bottle or gadget from a low angle evokes a sense of power. It highlights unique features and can add depth to your shots. |
Don’t forget that close-up shots showcase craftsmanship. Embrace those fine details. Zoom in on that luxurious texture. Showcase the meticulous stitching, the engraved logo—you get the idea. By strategically incorporating close-ups, you create an intimate experience.
It’s like inviting shoppers to run their hands over that soft cashmere sweater through the screen or get a better view of a new gaming console.
Experiment with Lifestyle Shots
Okay, we’ve talked a lot about clean, classic product-on-white backgrounds, but what about lifestyle photos? Imagine showing how that beautiful ceramic mug looks in a naturally lit kitchen. By grounding the image in reality and appealing to our need to connect emotionally with brands, your image suddenly becomes way more relatable and memorable for viewers.
Lifestyle photography makes products feel tangible and creates connections that encourage those coveted purchases. Look at brands like Allbirds. Not only do they feature their products on clean backgrounds on product pages, but they incorporate stunning photos showing how amazing their shoes look in real-life settings.
That smart strategy lets them hit multiple visual notes, engaging a broader spectrum of visual preferences. It also helps them demonstrate the versatility of their shoes, prompting shoppers to imagine themselves wearing Allbirds in their own everyday adventures.
This isn’t just about staging a photoshoot in a random location. Look for environments that genuinely complement your products. Selling artisanal candles? Think of creating a serene, spa-like vibe in a bathroom to elevate the candle’s allure.
Think backdrops with neutral tones that won’t overshadow your product. Soft textures—like linen tablecloths—add that visual interest without shouting for attention. Let your products be the star, remember?
Harness the Power of Storytelling
Storytelling? In photos? You bet. Visual storytelling is powerful for connecting emotionally with shoppers, creating lasting impressions, and elevating your brand above the competition. Your product photos become silent storytellers that spark interest and, ultimately, influence purchasing decisions. If you really want to drive this point home, consider adding bundles and kits to your shop.
Beardbrand does this very successfully by using storytelling in photos to showcase curated beard care sets designed to make men’s morning routines that much easier. This lets you get super creative.
Let’s say you’re showcasing a set of organic bath products—think handmade soaps, bath salts, and a scrub. Instead of just arranging them, weave in props. Imagine these items thoughtfully placed on a woven mat beside a bathtub with hints of steam billowing upwards.
Those details paint a scene, instantly transporting viewers into a realm of relaxation. The image is no longer just about buying bath products, it’s about indulging in an experience. And when you sell experiences, you form bonds that last way beyond that initial transaction.
Shopify Product Image Guidelines
Shopify has specific guidelines, so familiarize yourself with their technical requirements. This will ensure your images display beautifully across all devices and prevent those annoying upload errors. Let’s dive into what Shopify expects:
Image Format
The popular kids in Shopify land?
JPEG, PNG, and GIF. Think of them as the superheroes of web-friendly formats that provide that ideal blend of visual quality and smaller file sizes. They keep shoppers happy because those product pages load fast.
Shopify recommends product image files be under 20 MB. This helps ensure that product images load quickly on all devices and that your online storefront loads at a fast pace.
This doesn’t seem like it’s that big of a deal, but did you know that over half of web surfers will click away if your page takes longer than 15 seconds to load? Crazy, right?
Image Size
When you’re uploading your Shopify product photography, make sure to resize and optimize those image sizes, keeping your ideal page load time front-and-center.
Although you can upload images that are 4472 x 4472 px (20 megapixels) large, Shopify recommends a maximum width of 2048px for your images, striking that optimal balance between clarity and loading speed. You can use several apps for quick optimization.
Image File Naming
This one’s often overlooked. A meaningful and descriptive name does wonders for helping Google and other search engines understand your content. Ever seen product image file names like ‘IMG_0012.jpg’? While it gets the job done, naming that file ‘wooden-wick-candle-lavender.jpg’ not only tells us humans what’s in the image, it helps search engines index those images correctly.
The bottom line? Optimize everything.
Optimizing Your Images for SEO and Conversions
Once your images are prepped and uploaded, let’s optimize them for conversions and SEO. It’s crucial because just uploading pretty pictures is only half the battle. Optimizing helps you attract your target audience organically, drives engagement, and increases those all-important conversion rates.
Let’s break it down further:
Use Descriptive Alt Text
Remember earlier when we mentioned file naming conventions? The same principle applies to writing alt text (alternative text). These descriptive blurbs offer those behind-the-scenes insights that not only help make your content more accessible for all, but also make Google sit up and notice.
Include Images on Product Pages
Show off your beautiful photos everywhere you can. Don’t forget about thank-you pages, blog posts about new product releases, abandoned cart emails—if you can show the photo somewhere in an appropriate manner, consider doing so. It might just result in additional sales.
It also helps to showcase product variations whenever possible, like those available in a different size or color. This creates that “add to cart” allure for even more online shoppers. Think of those captivating photos on websites of online retailers as an irresistible call to action.
Editing and Retouching Shopify Product Photography
A common misunderstanding is that you have to outsource image retouching and editing and spend tons of money on fancy editing tools like Photoshop. But here’s a reality check: those fancy software options, while powerful, aren’t essential, especially for basic adjustments, and they often have subscription fees that eat into your hard-earned profits. But let’s explore both and see if that jives with what you are wanting.
Remember we spoke about Lightroom? Their $9.99 Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan might be the perfect starting place to try out before going full bore on more costly photo editing subscriptions, although Adobe products can be more complex. But they have tons of helpful tutorials available online.
Basic Editing
Don’t underestimate what a little image correction can do. You can often use built-in tools or popular apps like Preview, JPEGmini, or even apps your camera or phone uses.
Start by learning the fundamentals: cropping, resizing, adjusting the brightness, adjusting the contrast, tweaking the white balance, and sharpening blurry images to help refine your photos. Even though fancy software is nice, remember: quality over quantity when getting started. Great results don’t have to cost a fortune.
Advanced Retouching
What about retouching services like Pixelz or Path?
Advanced retouching can take your images even further. Think removing imperfections like a stray thread, smoothing out those backgrounds, or even enhancing product details. Outsource retouching to freelancers or consider specialized tools that take care of tedious tasks, such as removing those pesky backgrounds, automatically.
No matter where you are on the editing spectrum, there is an abundance of affordable, accessible tools at your fingertips. Whether it’s learning the fundamentals of brightness adjustments on Preview, embracing those user-friendly app editors, or perhaps diving into industry-standard software with affordable plans—don’t let budget limitations overshadow your quest for stunning images. Invest strategically, stay curious, and remember, practice makes perfect.
Mobile Product Photography: How to Wow Shoppers
Don’t get me wrong—DSLRs are a photographer’s best friend, but smartphone cameras have come a long way. So how do you compete in today’s visually driven digital marketplace? Use the power of your phone. Many modern smartphones boast some pretty darn amazing cameras, packing features that were once exclusive to professional setups.
You’ll want to familiarize yourself with the camera settings if using your phone and always, always use your phone’s highest resolution. Experiment and get familiar with features to get comfortable because every phone is different.
Here’s a pro tip – use the rule of thirds, an essential photography composition rule, to up your phone product photography game. This rule divides your image into nine equal sections—like a tic-tac-toe board—created by two horizontal and two vertical lines.
The secret? Instead of dead-centering your product in the frame, position those important elements along those intersecting lines or right at the intersection points to instantly create images that are more engaging, more dynamic, and more pleasing. Your composition will thank me later.
Editing On the Go: Apps You’ll Love
Remember that the real magic happens with edits, and happily for us, some insanely great apps make Shopify product photography editing crazy simple.
Check these out:
- Photon – exclusively for those with Apple devices, this option has excellent features. Photon can create images in RAW format if you are comfortable editing photos on your desktop.
- Manfrotto Pixi – want quality without dropping tons of cash? Manfrotto is a great tool, especially for phone product photography.
- Pixc – Pixc helps businesses scale by giving you back hours in your week that you would have been doing things manually. This is because they help enhance your photos using AI technology.
Dario`s Summary
Nailing your Shopify product photography doesn’t require being a tech wizard. What matters is your commitment to presenting your brand and products in the best light because captivating imagery helps you stand out from that digital crowd and can mean the difference between securing sales and blending in with your competitors.
Use the right tools, the tips here, get creative, and remember – consistency is king, my friend.
Frequently Asked Questions
