How do ecommerce brands get professional product photos?
By Dan BartleyUpdated 4 minute read
The short answer
E-commerce brands get product photos in one of five ways: they take them themselves, hire a product photographer or studio, use the supplier’s photos, have 3D renders made from design files, or have frames made from phone photos with AI and finished by a person. The right route depends on the product, how many products you sell and what the photos have to show.
Which product photo options does an online store have?
There are five, and each suits a different stage of business and a different kind of product.
| Route | What you need | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | A phone, window light, a plain background and a tripod | First products, small items, tight budgets | The time it takes, keeping photos consistent, and room scenes |
| A product photographer or studio | Products sent to the studio, a shot list and a budget | Clothing on models, food, jewellery, campaigns | Freight, waiting for a booking, and the cost of styling and locations |
| Your supplier’s photos | Written permission from the supplier | Slow-selling products and quick launches | Other stockists can use the same photos, and they may not match what you ship |
| 3D renders | A 3D or design file of each product, and a 3D artist | Products made to order in many fabrics or sizes | The cost of building each model, and renders that look artificial when lit badly |
| Frames made from phone photos | A couple of phone photos of each product | Room scenes and full sets without a shoot | Every frame has to be checked against the real product |
Which product photos does an online store need?
At least one clean main image of every product. The products that sell best also need a photo in use or in a room, a close-up of the material and a photo that shows how big it is.
- The main image: the whole product on a plain, light background, used on collection pages and in shopping ads
- Other angles: the side, the back and the inside if it opens
- A close-up of the material, the stitching or the finish
- A size photo: in a hand, worn, or beside furniture people know the size of
- In use or in a room, so a buyer can picture it at home
The size photo is the easiest one to forget. Baymard Institute’s research found that 42% of users try to work out the size of a product from its images, and that 28% of the large e-commerce sites it reviewed gave them no image that showed the product in scale.
Which way of getting photos suits my products?
Match the route to what the photo has to prove. If buyers need to see the product on a real person, book a shoot; if they need to picture it in their home, room scenes do the job; if they only need a clear look at it, a simple setup may be enough.
| What you sell | What the photos have to show | A good first route |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing and shoes | Fit and drape on a body | A photographer with a model, plus flat lays |
| Furniture and homewares | Size and style in a real room | Room scenes made from phone photos, or a location shoot |
| Skincare and packaged goods | The pack, the label and the texture | A simple setup for the pack, and made scenes for settings |
| Food served on a plate | How it looks when it is poured, cut or eaten | A photographer with a food stylist |
| Jewellery | Tiny detail and sparkle | A photographer with macro lenses and controlled light |
How does AI product photography work?
You send photos of the real product, and a studio uses AI to place it in new scenes, then checks and corrects each frame by hand so the product matches the real one. The AI changes the setting; the product has to stay exactly as it is.
Bartley Studio works this way. You send a couple of phone photos of each product, taken in daylight: the front, one other angle and a close-up of the material, with a note on what it is made of and its size. Nothing needs to be posted. The first look arrives in 2 to 3 working days, and any final image that does not match your real product is re-edited until it does, with no cap and no extra fee.
The longer answer to whether this is good enough for your store is in are AI product photos good enough for my online store.
How much do professional product photos cost?
It depends on the route and the photos you need. A clean shot on a white background costs the least, and styled room scenes cost the most, because of props, locations and freight.
Bartley Studio’s smallest order is one product with six images for $350 plus GST, and the price per image falls as you order more. How much product photography costs explains how photographers price their work and how to compare quotes.
Other questions people ask about this
Can I take professional-looking product photos myself?
Yes, for simple products. A window, a plain background and a tripod get you most of the way. Room scenes and large products are where doing it yourself gets hard.
Read the full answerDo I need a model for product photos?
Only if the product is worn or held and fit matters, such as clothing, jewellery or bags. For homewares, furniture and packaged goods, the product on its own and in a room does the job.
How long does it take to get product photos?
A shoot depends on the studio’s calendar, plus freight and editing. Bartley Studio works from phone photos, so the first look arrives in 2 to 3 working days and delivery is usually within the week.
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