Your online store is undoubtedly one of the most vital aspects of your business. In today’s world, a business without an online shop is as good as invisible. Being able to provide your customers with everything they need in one place, quickly and efficiently, is a great advantage. But creating an online store isn’t as easy as it seems. In fact, a lot of practice and trial and error are required before you can say you’re an expert. And when it comes to taking high-quality photos for your shop, it can be hard to find the right equipment and know how to use it effectively. We’ve put together a short guide that will hopefully help you out.
The Different Kinds Of Lighting
One of the first things you’ll need to decide is what kind of lighting to use. Nowadays, there are tons of different lighting styles and options available so you can choose exactly what you want for your photo shoot. The most common types of lighting are:
- Ambient light
- Studio light
- Flash
- Fluorescent light
- Tungsten light
- Artificial light
- Sunlight
Each one of these light sources has its perks and downsides. For example, fluorescent lighting is great because it provides you with a nice even light. However, it doesn’t hold up well to movement and can be a little harsh on the camera’s sensor. Tungsten light is the opposite, it’s very soft yet has a brilliant quality which makes it perfect for shooting landscapes and fashion shots where you want to keep the focus on the subject.
The Biggest No-No’s
When it comes to taking high-quality photos, it’s important to avoid certain things that can potentially ruin the shot. These include:
- Overprocessing images
- Overusing digital effects
- Overlighting
- Too many shadows
- Fiddling with the focus while shooting
- Not cropping the image correctly
The first two no-nos are pretty self-explanatory, however, there are some scenarios that might come up where you don’t want to be overusing digital effects or overprocessing your photos. For example, if you’re shooting a landscape shot and don’t want to make it look like a computer graphic, you don’t want to overuse digital effects like the blurring that happens when you apply a vignette filter. The same goes for overprocessing your images. If you go through each step of a shoot carefully, you can ensure that your photos don’t end up looking like something from a computer graphic suite. In these situations, it might be best to simply leave well-enough alone.
What Kind Of Lenses To Use
Another vital decision you’ll need to make is which lenses to use for the photo shoot. There are several perks to using different lenses, but it’s important to keep in mind their respective downsides. For example, if you have short-focus lenses, they’ll give you a close-up of your subject, however, there might be some parts of the background that are blurred. Using longer lenses will give you the ability to take a wider landscape shot and include more of the surroundings, however, you might end up with some blurry edges.
The best way to avoid these issues is by using a combination of both short- and long-focus lenses. For example, if you’re taking a landscape shot and want to include a bit of the cityscape as well, you could use a 100mm lens for the sky and a 25mm lens for the ground.
How To Use Your Photo Booth
Your photo booth is a vital part of the photo shoot because it allows you to get some great shots of your customers using your products or services. However, setting up and using a photo booth isn’t as easy as it seems. There are several different types of photo booths available so you can choose exactly what you want for your business. But if you’re looking for something which is high-quality but doesn’t cost a lot, consider looking into a web-based photo booth. These types of booths are usually equipped with a good-quality webcam so you can actually see your customers as they pose with your products. It’s a great way to see how the pieces fit together and whether or not they work for the customer.
Where To Shoot
Now that you have your subject(s), the environment, and the equipment, you can start to look for the perfect places to shoot. There are some simple guidelines to follow so you can make sure you get the best possible photos. Just make sure not to shoot in any areas where there’s a lot of foot traffic as this could potentially ruin your shots.
Shoot At A Close-To Suitable Distance
When taking photos of objects or people, you always want to be at a suitable distance so you can get the entire frame in focus. This means that if you’re going to be using a long lens, you may need to stand a little farther away from your subject. In some cases, this could mean going up to several meters.
Be Careful With The Sun
Always make sure to shield the sun from your subject when taking photos. This especially applies to landscapes and cityscape shots where the sun is at a high point. If you don’t want the sun to be the main source of light, you could always ask someone to help you diffuse the sunlight before taking the shot. Just don’t forget about the bright side of the sun! If you can, get a reflection off some water to add some extra sparkle to the scene.
Avoid Shooting Directly Into The Sun
As much as we want to embrace the sun and all it’s glittering possibilities, we don’t always want to experience it first-hand when taking photos. This is why it’s critical to always look for ways to avoid shooting directly into the sun. If this is unavoidable, make sure to use a filter to cut down on the brightness.
Keep All The Light Sources Equal
When taking photos of objects or people, it’s important to ensure that all the light sources are equal in brightness. This means making sure that none of the light sources are brighter than the others. If you’re using multiple light sources, make sure that they’re of equal brightness before you snap the photo.
Check The Background
When taking a photo, it’s important to consider the background as well as the subject matter. In some cases, a simple background can add a lot to a photo. For example, if you have a plain black wall behind your subject, it will make them pop out more clearly. You can also consider adding a touch of yellow or blue to give it more of a glow.
Being able to take high-quality photos for your online store is truly within your reach thanks to this guide. As long as you remember a few golden rules, you’ll be able to pull off amazing shots which will help your business shine.