How to Photograph Clothing for Ecommerce Websites? | Impression Photography
Most of us do not have the time, money or skills to take professional photos for our online stores. So, what can you do? Well, if you really want your clothing items to look great on your eCommerce site then we’ve got some tips that will help make sure that your pics are as stunning as possible!
Use a White Background
If you want to take clothing photography seriously, the most important thing to remember is that a white background is the best option. White backgrounds are flattering and easy to clean, so they’ll save you time and money.
Many photographers use seamless paper or fabric backdrops for clothing photos because they’re inexpensive and easy to put up in any space. If you want something more luxurious-looking than just white cloth or paper, try using a backdrop made of cotton muslin instead. Cotton muslin has a slightly textured weave that mimics natural fibres like linen or silk but can be washed rather than dry cleaned — which makes it perfect for taking care of those greasy food stains!
If your store sells luxury items (like designer dresses), consider using a small amount of texture on your background instead. A simple way to do this is by hanging curtains over large windows; this will give your images an elegant look without making them seem too busy or distracting from the product itself
Shoot Your Clothing Items on a Mannequin
If you’re selling clothing online, it’s important to show your items on a mannequin. Not only will this make the clothes look more like they’re actually being worn by someone (and thus more appealing), but also it can help you highlight different aspects of your designs.
Mannequins are useful for showing off all types of clothing: sweaters, jackets and coats; shoes; pants; dresses; and accessories like belts and necklaces. You might even want to consider using different colours or patterns in your images to keep things interesting.
The next step is finding the right mannequin for your needs! When choosing from our selection of natural models and handcrafted creations, look for ones that have facial features that closely resemble those of your target customers’ so as not to alienate them with an unattractive pose or expression (we recommend something very neutral).
Finally, don’t forget about posing! We’d suggest using a tripod so that each image comes out crisp enough without being blurry or shaky due to user error — but if you don’t have one handy then just set up some lighting around where you’ll be shooting beforehand so that everything stays nice & bright throughout!”
Use the Right Tools
The first thing you need to do is make sure that you have the right equipment. This means using a good quality camera with a tripod and remote shutter release, as well as a lens with an aperture of f2.8 or wider (ideally, f1.8–f2.8). The wider your aperture, the more light will enter your frame and allow for better depth of field and bokeh effects in clothing images.
For clothing photography, it’s best to use a lens with focal length between 50mm-70mm if possible — this provides enough magnification of detail without making people look too large in comparison to their surroundings. Further away than this point means less detail can be seen; closer than this point makes people look distorted because they appear larger than their surroundings and become disproportionately larger when viewed through an image on screen or printed out on paper.”
Have a Professional Photo Editing Software on Hand
When photographing clothing, it’s important to have a professional photo editing software on hand. This will allow you to make the most of your photos by adjusting the light and colour settings, as well as removing any unwanted objects from the background. Some examples of such software include Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom and Apple Aperture.
After taking photos with your camera (whether it’s a smartphone or DSLR), import them into your editing program through File > Import > and choose “All Files.” From there, select each photo individually and click Edit at the bottom of the screen. Now you can click Crop in order to cut out anything from an image that is unnecessary or distracting — you may also want
to move around sections within each image using Move Tool (V) if there are too many people in one area for example).
To adjust lighting levels: In Develop mode beneath Basic Adjustments section check Auto Tone which will increase contrast between darker areas against lighter ones; then go into Whites & Blacks where you’ll see sliders underneath Exposure slider; manipulate these until whites become crisp while blacks remain dark enough without becoming muddy (i.e., not blocking out details); finally under Contrast slide upwards until desired effect is achieved
Hire a Professional Photographer
If you’ve never hired a professional photographer before, it can seem intimidating. But don’t worry: the process is actually pretty simple.
- Find someone who specializes in clothing photography and ecommerce websites. You can find these photographers on Instagram or through referrals from friends who have successfully hired them in the past.
- Ask for samples of their work so that you can see their style and how they handle different types of situations (for example, photographing a mannequin head versus fashion models). If the person doesn’t have samples available online but claims to be able to create good product images, ask them if they’d be willing to do some test shots with your own clothing items before investing any money into hiring them full-time. The goal here is not only to get good photos but also make sure that your working style meshes well together!
Only use good quality photos for your eCommerce site.
- Only use good quality photos for your eCommerce site. The images on your website should be the best quality possible. It’s tempting to keep the photo small and pixelated, but this does not give the customer a good idea of what they are buying. In fact, it looks cheap and can make you look unprofessional as a seller.
- Create images that are sharp, clear, and well-lit with good composition in mind. If you’re taking pictures yourself, then these things should be easy to achieve! But if you want professional help with photos instead — or just need some guidance — then hire someone who knows what he or she is doing (like myself!).
Background
A white or neutral background will work best for your clothing photos.
The background should be clean, simple, and seamless.
Keep in mind that you don’t want anything distracting from the product itself.
Lighting
When shooting clothing for ecommerce websites, it’s important to use lighting that will make your product look like it does in real life. This means avoiding harsh shadows and unflattering reflections. While natural light is always preferable (because it’s free and easy), it isn’t always possible. In these cases, you should set up a reflector or use flash on automatic settings so that the light coming from the camera matches what people are used to seeing out there in real life.
Edits
Editing is an essential part of the photography process. It will help you to create a finished product that looks great and is ready to use on your website without having to do much more than upload it.
Editing also helps you to stand out from your competitors, who are likely not doing any editing at all! By taking the time and effort necessary for professional editing, you will be able to make sure that your clothing photos look just as good as they possibly can — and that’s something we think every ecommerce store should aim for!
Photography Set Up
With the right equipment and set up, you can take high-quality photos of your clothing that are comparable to the images found on major eCommerce sites like ASOS, TopShop, and Nordstrom.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Tripod: A tripod is essential in order to get a sharp image without any shaking or blurriness from unsteady hands. If you don’t have a tripod available, try placing your camera on something steady like a table (or even your own lap). This will make it easier for you to get steady shots without having to hold your breath as long as possible while pressing down on the shutter button!
- White Background: While this isn’t necessary for every photo shoot (you could use other colours), white provides the best backdrop for showing off clothes’ colour and texture. It also helps keep focus on the item being photographed rather than surrounding elements such as furniture or flooring that may distract viewers from what they came there looking specifically at in
the first place — namely apparel items themselves!
Camera settings (DoF, aperture, shutter speed, ISO)
Whether you’re shooting your brand’s clothing or that of a client, the DoF is something you should pay attention to. A shallow or narrow DoF will bring the focus of your image onto a specific part of an object while blurring out everything else. This can work well when trying to highlight a particular detail or pattern on clothing in an ecommerce photo shoot. On the other hand, a broad DoF will keep all elements in focus without having any specific area stand out from another.
In addition to aperture and shutter speed, ISO is another important setting for photographing apparel items for ecommerce websites. ISO refers to how sensitive your camera’s sensor is to light; it determines how much “noise” (grainy pixels) will appear in an image after it has been captured by your camera’s sensor. For example: if you’re shooting at night using low-light conditions and want everything lit up as much as possible without having motion blur on any moving objects (like people), then lower ISOs such as 100–200 are ideal since they have less noise than higher ISOs such as 800+.
Props
Props can help break up the background and make your clothing look more interesting, but they can also add context to your product. For example, if you’re selling a winter coat, adding an umbrella or scarf will help show that it is indeed cold outside (and potentially snowy). If you’re selling sandals or flip-flops during summertime, adding a beach towel might help demonstrate the use of your products.
Similarly, props can also help add a mood to your photo by indicating the season and time of day in which it was taken. In this way, props are especially useful for seasonal businesses like swimwear retailers or those who sell holiday items such as Christmas stockings and decorations.
Proper lighting and setup are really important for photography
Proper lighting and setup are really important for photography. Lighting is the most important aspect of photography and should be soft, diffused and directional. This is because soft light will reduce shadows in the product, giving your photos a more polished look. The directionality of light can also be used to highlight certain features of your clothing product (e.g., a bold or bright pattern in one area).
Finally, you’ll want to set up your lights so that they are giving you the best possible exposure on your products by testing different settings until you find one that works best for each image
You can also hire the best team of professional product photography in Montreal, Canada — “The Impression Photography”.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different ways to take great photos of clothing. You don’t have to go all out with lighting and set up. It’s important to get the right equipment first before investing in any kind of setup or props. Once you have these things down, it will be much easier for you to take good photos that capture the true essence of your clothing items!
References
Want to learn about amazon product photography? Please visit: Amazon Product Photography — Take Stunning Product Photos & Increase Sales by Impression Photography.
Looking for hiring a product photography studio? Consider this article first, “How To Choose Your Next Product Photography Studio” by Impression Photography.