Digital Product Photography Tips

Many digital cameras a equipped with an auto focus. Also, many digital cameras focus easily on large objects and have trouble focusing on small objects. If your camera has a 'spot' or 'area' focus mode then that is what you should use in order to give you more control over what the camera focuses on in the scene.

Use a camera platform or tripod when taking your Product Photos. The slightest movement can cause motion blur in your photos and lower the quality of your photo. The closer to an object you get with the camera the more noticeable the blur becomes as well. It is always a good investment to purchase a good sturdy camera tripod when it comes down to taking Product Photos. However, not everyone has the cash to dish out for more equipment when getting started. If your can't get a tripod try placing your camera on top of a platform (table, books, chair, etc.) and set the camera timer (if your camera has one) so that you don't have to touch it.

Your cameras flash alone will almost never be enough to capture the product effectively. That's right it is time to break out some whiteness. As your may notice in many magazines and menus it is important to use a white background for your product. Using a white background tends to take any visual distractions away from the consumer and places their focus directly on the product. Also photographing against a white background means that it will be easier to modify in an image editing software if needed. For those just starting out you can use a bed sheet or even a piece of white cardboard to create a mini studio to take your photos. If you are not a big fan of white backgrounds mix it up a little and use a black background.

If you have a little cash to spend I would highly recommend looking into an EZcube.

To achieve an ideal Product Photo with minimum effort you should arrange the product in such a way that grabs the viewers attention. What this means is that instead of placing the product in the center of the scene you should use the 'thirds rule'. The thirds rule is the process of dividing your photo into nine equal squares then add your product to one of the four points where the lines intersect. Most mid priced digital cameras have a mode that will do this for you.

Along with using the thirds rule, it is important to think about perspective when taking pictures as well. Simple perspectives are best when it comes to Product Photography. Try to get at the same level as the item you are shooting. Try not to take Product Photos from odd angles in order to prevent weird perspective distortions. If your not sure what angle to take the photo form think about how you would want the consumer to view the product.

When it comes down to processing your photos afterwards it is almost as important as taking the photos to begin with. During the post processing phase of Product Photography you can edit or tweak your photos in small degrees in order to produce better results. You can increase brightness, darken or remove shadows, increasing colors, and even cropping them image. Many professional photographers prefer to use image editing software such as Photoshop, but many digital cameras come with photo edition software bundled with the camera. The upside to using prepackaged software included with your camera is that there is a minimal learning curve. However, you may find that you can not do as much as you would like with your photos as you could with Photoshop.

A great and Free alternative to Photoshop that I use for editing my pictures is GIMP. There is a bit of a steeper learning curve but it can do the same things Photoshop can do and like I said its free.