Starting your online retail business is now easier than ever, thanks to Shopify. The online eCommerce platform makes it simple to manage your sales. One thing Shopify needs from you as a seller is a great Shopify product photo. Good product photography is an integral part of your sales, developing your brand and building trust with your consumers. If you’re unsure where to begin with your Shopify product photography, we are here to provide you with the details of Shopify product image requirements, as well as some advice on how to take a professional Shopify product photo.
In this post we will cover:
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- Shopify product photo size
- Format
- Image composition
- Quality
- Using your product
- Lighting
- White background for product photography
- Lifestyle product photography
- No watermarks
- Product photography equipment
- Product photography app
Shopify product photo size
Shopify allows you to upload images of up to 4472 x 4472 pixels with a file size of up to 20 MB. The Shopify software that makes the photo recommends using 2048 x 2048 pixels for square product photos.
Square photos are the industry standard and give your eCommerce page a more clean, balanced look. By using photos that are 2048 x 2048 your end will result will be high-resolution photos that not only look amazing and professional but have functional zoom capabilities which provide users with an optimal experience.
Format
The format of your photos should be PNG or JPG.
Image composition
First and foremost, always ensure that your product is within the frame. Make sure there is enough negative space around your product and the image is not too tightly cropped. It is best to have your product in the centre of the image with even white space around it on each side.
Quality
As we have suggested, high-quality images are incredibly important for your Shopify store. Your image should be well lit and do not use pixelated or blurry images.
Use your product
This may seem self-explanatory, but do use your actual product in the photo as opposed to 3D renderings. Transparency is important for eCommerce retailers so make sure your photographs feature your actual product.
Lighting
A well-lit image is essential, so either take your photograph near an abundant natural light source i.e. a window or use professional lighting for your product photo. Do not use underexposed images or images with heavy shadows. An ideal Shopify product photo will have good lighting which clearly shows the product with minimal shadows. Shopify recommends using soft or warm light against high-contrast backgrounds.
White background for product photography
Typically, photographers use a white background for product photos because this creates a clean, professional-looking image, and allows your product to stand out by creating contrast against your product.
It is possible to use a solid colour background for more flair, but avoid using dark backgrounds. However, as there are two types of product photography you can go down the lifestyle photography route for your additional images.
Lifestyle product photography
On Shopify, you can also take lifestyle product photos for your store. Lifestyle product photography shows your product in context, as part of a lifestyle complemented by related objects, as opposed to product-only images. Your main image should be product-only, but having lifestyle photos accompanying this can create more interest for your customers.
If you do decide to take lifestyle shots, make sure that your product is front and centre. Don’t confuse the customer by having too many objects in the image as it can be unclear what product you are selling. Make sure that your product is the star of the show and it doesn’t have to compete with other items. A photo that is too busy comes across as confusing. You should also refrain from using image collages.
No watermarks
On Shopify, your product photo should be free of watermarks, logos, and other graphics as it creates consistency with the site as a whole.
Product photography equipment
Making your product photography set up at home is relatively straightforward. You don’t have to go to a product photography studio to take a decent image for Shopify. If you’re looking to enhance your overall Shopify store, considering professional Shopify development company could further elevate your online presence and user experience. For your product photography setup you will need:
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- A camera: For product photography, you do not need to invest in an expensive DSLR camera when a point-and-shoot digital camera will do the job just fine. The camera is just one part of the photography – having good background and lighting are equally as important,
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- A tripod: We would recommend having a tripod for your product photography as it will allow you to execute the photo perfectly as you can achieve the right height and angle with precision. Especially if you are shooting using slow shutter speeds, it is necessary to use a tripod to reduce camera shake.
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- A sweep: A sweep or white paper background is necessary for your name image. You can find these at an inexpensive price online. You should place it on a table so it curves up behind your product against a wall, making a seamless backdrop for your product.
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- Tape: Use tape to secure your sweep to the wall during your session. You should use painter’s tape or poster tape to avoid damaging your walls.
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- Lighting: If you’re not using professional lighting, such as strobe lights or a softbox, make sure you take your photo in a room with an abundance of light; preferably by a window. Alternatively, Amazon sells a relatively affordable ‘photo studio’ which is a lightbox designed for product photography.
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- White bounce cards: A white bounce card made of foam board is essentially a cheap reflector – the white card reflects the light onto your product to reduce shadows and keep the image bright.
Product photography app
Many eCommerce merchants may not have a budget that extends to a product photography setup, so smartphone photography may be a convenient alternative for your product photos given that new smartphones have very sophisticated cameras. Some good apps for product photography are:
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- Lightroom
- Adobe Photoshop Express
- Snapseed
- VSCO
- Camera+
If you need a product photographer for Shopify to make the process easier, book with Splento today. Splento provides reliable, on-demand professional photographers at an affordable fixed rate. Don’t hesitate to contact a member of the Splento team if you have any questions.
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