When trying to make the most of your marketing efforts, it’s easy to “picture yourself” saving a few bucks. And if you spent hundreds of dollars on the newest smartphone, you might be thinking about using it for some product photos. After all, today’s phones have great resolutions. And while a professional photographer would have some reservations regarding exposure, and in most cases, depth of field, which are hard to control. You can still take a decent product photo with your smart phone.
(Plus, you can use this money you’ve saved to spend your advertising dollars on other important things like effective website design, great content writing, social posts, and more marketing must-haves.)
That being said, lets cover the basic of shooting product photos with your phone:
For lighting, do what comes naturally.
Stick with natural light. Not the harshness of direct sunlight, but rather diffused window light that will cast your product in a soft, illuminating glow. Natural light works best as it limits the shadows you create.
And unless you’re into a sickly malaria look, steer clear of fluorescent light. Most don’t give a full color spectrum, so photos taken in this light have a green tinge. Incandescent lights aren’t much better. They’re as harsh as sunlight. Or nails on a chalkboard. Which all translates into, “no good.”
For background, act like Switzerland – go neutral
You don’t want your background competing with your product. Go with something soft and neutral. The idea is to stick with something simple that complements your product. To prevent distractions, white is recommended. You can use a sheet, cloth, or board, for instance. And if your product is a bag, hat or other item that can lack definition, make sure to stuff it with paper to make it look full.
Picking up Accessories
These aren’t necessary. But they can help. And if you don’t have the steady hands of a brain surgeon, consider a tripod for good clear shots. Many camera apps offer an option to shoot in RAW format in addition to the standard JPEG. This can be a helpful option if you plan to edit on your computer later. 
If you do install an app on your phone, be sure to familiarize yourself with it prior to the photo shoot.
And when taking a shot, stay away from your camera’s digital zoom. The more you zoom in, the worse the image quality gets. If you need a closer shot, move closer to the product. And we mentioned the point about using natural light, right?
Now that you have some of the essentials of taking your own product shot, get out there and get things clicking. And if your shots do come out far less than perfect, never fear. call BrickStreet Marketing at 517-680-7957 or email us at info@brickstreetmarketing.com.
