As a photographer you already should know that one of the fastest growing photography niches is obviously product photography niche. Many ecommerce businesses and offline businesses dealing with products advertise it on various ways in various places online and offline. They always need an attractive image of their product for designing huge banners and posts and advertise them to generate revenue.
So product photography is getting more popular among the photographers and many photographers are either shifting or starting a new career in this niche. But to start a career in this photography niche you will need to have the necessary equipment for product photography. To help you choose the right gears and equipments for your photography business I have listed the names of them in this article. So just read them out and check which one you should buy and what you shouldn’t.
You can check these product photography tips for capturing better product images that will surely attract clients –
E-commerce Product Photography Tips | 10 Essential E-commerce Photography Tips
Photography hacks for product photography
Major Product Photography Equipment –
A Good Product photography camera
Yes the camera is the first basic gear you should have for capturing product images. It is obvious that without a camera you can’t actually take a picture. There are lots of cameras available in the market to choose from. The issue is which one should you buy? Well for a product photo shoot you can buy any of these three cameras because these cameras will give you the best results and more options to work with. Canon EOS70D, Canon EOS 5D MK III and Nikon D7100 are one of the best cameras for capturing sharp product images and almost every type of lens can be mounted with them.
Lenses for product photography
A camera is worthless without a lens. The lens helps to control the light entering the camera and focus of the object. In the case of product photography you can use various types of lenses depending on the size of the product and the portion of the product you want to highlight. Still here are one of most useful lenses for product photography suggested by professional level photographers.
- Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro
- Canon EF50MM F/1.8 STM Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras
- Tamron A001-C SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di LD [IF] Macro Fast Telephoto Zoom Lens
- Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED Lens
- Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro Lens for Nikon F
Product photography lighting
For any kind of photography you do light plays a great role in it. Light is considered to be the game changer for many professional photographers. Light decides the quality and sharpness of the product image. So for capturing product images you will need some effective lighting equipment that will help you to focus the details of the products in the image. The basic lighting equipments you may need is a flash, Softbox, lightbox, Umbrella Softbox, Flash diffuser, Reflector and Luminous fill light. If you can manage these equipments then you can easily control the amount of light falling on the product while you’re shooting images of it.
Attractive Background
A background is as much necessary as the product itself. A background helps you to separate the product and helps people to focus on the product only. Every product needs a suitable background for it. The best background for capturing product image is white color. It helps to focus on every detail of the product. You can also change the background of the image afterwards using Photoshop by using techniques to remove background of ecommerce product image. So buy some white solid paper and white cloths to use as a background for product photo shoot.
Tripod for stability
You will always need to keep your camera stable while capturing product photos. Even a small shake of your hands can destroy the photo completely. You may have to capture multiple photos of multiple products without rest sometimes. You cannot always hold the camera in your hands right. So a tripod will help you keep the camera at a stable position as well as it will give your hands some rest. Therefore, buy a tripod for more flexibility.
In-House Studio
While doing product photography, you need to know some tricks of product photography. One of the best equipment of the best product photography is an in-house studio. You can make an in-house studio with very low cost. You do not even have to hire additional space for that. You can make it at your house within a short space. You just need few things which are required for product photography. Buy a solid color material which will work as a background. It is solid color background which works best while shooting product photography. You also need to have lighting, camera gadgets, tripod etc. in an in-house studio for product photography.
Lightbox
A lightbox is a small box that contains lighting inside in a square box. A light box or photography tent is an extra that by and large has sides produced using a semi-straightforward material that diffuses the light originating from various sources. This gives a totally shadow-less and even measure of light to hit against a strong, straightforward background. That will help you to do product photography in a minimum cost. You can buy a lightbox if you do not have a studio to shoot product photo in. It will cost you very less to purchase a lightbox. The product looks fresh and attractive if you shoot the photo under lightbox. You will get professional product photographs by doing so.
Table
One of the important equipment for shooting product photography is a table. If you are not shooting the product photo in a lightbox or if your product does not fit into the lightbox, you can use a table for setting up that product. So set the product of yours on the table and put the product in the middle of the table. You can put a cloth on the table if you do not want to show the surface of the table. You will get to shoot product photography in easy way fixing the product on the table. You will get some great photos using the table for product photography.
Umbrella
In product photography, lighting is very important factor. Sometimes the lights do not go well or go very hard during product photography. For that hard light, your product may lose some variables able may looks gaudy. To control that light and get the perfect lighting in the product, umbrella is being used a lot. You need to fix the lighting under the umbrella so that you can get the soft light on the product. Using the umbrella, you will get to set the light on a specific area of your product as per your requirement. So use an umbrella to get the perfect lighting on your product photography and make the photo looks attractive.
Reflector
A reflector is an apparatus that encourages a picture taker to control the light by giving another surface to the light to skip off of. Reflectors are modest instruments that can have a major effect on your pictures. For product photography, reflector helps you to manipulate the lights to bounce. The lighting of product photography may get excessive or you may not get the proper lighting. It is reflector by which you can make the proper lighting to reach to the product while shooting.
These are the other important types of equipment for product photography –
A Speedlight
It is a small, powerful flashgun that can be used on or off the camera. It is ideal for product photography as it can be used to add light to small objects. You can use this to create dramatic lighting effects or simply add light to your product photos. Mostly used Speedlight models are – Nikon SB-910, Canon 600EX-RT, Yongnuo YN-568EX II, and Godox TT685C.
Air Blaster
An air blaster is a powerful air compressor that can be used to blast dust and other particles off of products. This is especially useful for product photography as it can help to keep your products clean and free of debris. Air blasters can be found at most hardware stores or online.
Remote shutter release
A remote shutter release is a device that allows you to take photos without touching the camera. This is useful for product photography as it can help to avoid shaking and ensure that your photos are sharp. Remote shutter releases can be found online or at camera stores. The most famous ones are – Canon RS-80N3 and Nikon ML-L3.
Flash diffuser
A flash diffuser is a device that attaches to your flash and softens the light. This is useful for product photography as it can help to avoid harsh shadows and create a more even light. Flash diffusers can be found online or at camera stores. The most common ones are – Gary Fong Lightsphere, Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce, and LumiQuest UltraStrip.
Extra Batteries
Extra batteries are always useful for product photography as they can help to ensure that your flash does not run out of power. For DSLR cameras, it is also a good idea to have extra batteries on hand as they can be used to power your camera if the primary battery dies. Extra batteries can be found at most electronics stores or online.
Backdrop stand
A backdrop stand is a device that helps to support a backdrop. This is useful for product photography as it can help to keep the backdrop in place and avoid wrinkles. Backdrop stands can be found online or at camera stores. The most common ones are – Manfrotto 026, CowboyStudio 2, and Julius Studio 10×12.
Clamps and clips
Clamps and clips are devices that can be used to hold products in place. This is useful for product photography as it can help to keep the product from moving around. Many professional photographers use clamps and clips to help keep their products in place.
Software for photo editing
There are a number of software programs that can be used for photo editing. These include Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, and Apple Aperture. These software programs can be used to improve the quality of your photos and make them look more professional. Though you need to be a professional photographer to use these software programs, they can be helpful for product photography. Most photographers outsource photo editing services from professionals as it can be time-consuming. And outsourcing helps to ensure that the photos are edited correctly and meet the required standards.
Some common FAQs about product photography equipment –
Which Canon lens is good for product photography?
The most popular Canon lenses for product photography are the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM and the EF 100mm f/2.
How do I take a product photography studio?
There are a number of ways to take a product photography studio. You can either use natural light or artificial light. For artificial light, you can use a flash or a continuous light source. If you are using a flash, you will need to attach a diffuser to soften the light. For a continuous light source, you can use an incandescent light bulb or a LED light. You will also need a backdrop stand to support the backdrop. Finally, you will need clamps and clips to hold the product in place.
What type of photography is most profitable?
Wedding photography, portrait photography, and product photography are some of the most profitable types of photography.
Is product photography hard?
Product photography can be challenging, but it is also very rewarding. It is important to have a good understanding of lighting and composition. You will also need to be able to use photo editing software to improve the quality of your photos.
How do product photographers find clients?
There are a number of ways to find clients for product photography. You can start by reaching out to businesses in your local area. You can also search for product photography jobs online. Finally, you can create a portfolio of your work and promote it online.
Is product photography in demand?
Yes, the product photography is in high demand. Many businesses need product photos for their website, social media, and marketing materials. Product photography can be a very profitable business.
Conclusion
Perfect product photography is very important in terms of selling the products. If the product photographs are not convincing enough, your business may get sunk. Using the above equipment will help you to do perfect product photography. So what are you waiting for, apply this equipment and go for product photography like professionals.
