The product in question
In 2023, Shawna at Natch Generation let us take some of her natural skincare products and conduct a little product photography session. We’d not shot any product photos like that at the time, so the favour was much appreciated, and the process was a learning experience.
I’m not going to go too far into the weeds about the gear we used or the lighting set ups, but rather try to focus on the styles of photo you might want to feature for your own products.
1. Context appropriate shots
Since Shawna creates handmade health and beauty products, the obvious place to start is in the bathroom. All of the photos here were shot with just one strobe flash, in front and above at a 45 degree angle, through an umbrella modifier.
If you’re shooting your product photos with an iPhone, set up a constant light and put some translucent material in front of it to “soften” the light. That can be muslin, or even a white pillowcase.
2. Close up shots for social media backgrounds
Since Shawna’s products are pure colour and texture, they work especially well as backgrounds for social media posts. Your product may not lend itself to this, but try to think in these terms.
For instance, if you run a small store with baby products, you can take a shot of your entire retail space slightly out of focus, then type whatever you want over that image; sales, new products, etc. If you sell stuffed bears for toddlers, take a close-up of its fur at an extreme angle and use that photos as a background for text and announcements.
Interested in professional product photography for your own small business? Reach out to schuyler@eatprayshoot.com with your details!
3. Featured product photos
These are intended for Shawna’s product pages on her website. They’re as “professional” as your DIY shots will get.
Shawna was taking her own product photos when I met her, and they were working fine for her. Again, you’ll need some kind of light source at a 45 degree angle in front of your product, some diffusion material in front of that light to “soften” the shadows, and a neutral background.
That’s all we did here, though yours likely won’t look quite as professional as these with an iPhone and a light from Amazon, they should work just fine to feature your products on your website.
Reach out
If you find any of this helpful but would like a more in-depth discussion to really wrap your head around what you can do with the tools you already have, we offer Zoom education and we also give seminars on photography, videography, SEO, and a whole lot more. In the meantime, you can check out our instructions on creating DIY video interview content for your socials HERE.
Visit eatprayshoot.com for info about event, branding, and product photography, as well as a host of other digital marketing services. We’re based in Toronto, but work regularly in Brantford, Paris, St. George, Burford, and other communities in and around the County of Brant.