Quality Photography Sells

If you have a mail-order catalog or e-commerce site, chances are the topic of product photography has come up frequently. It doesn't really matter what you sell; quality product photography is essential to differentiating your products from the competition.

Think about your own online or catalog shopping habits: do you choose the products that are well photographed (you can see all the details, colors seem accurate, high-quality resolution, appropriate contrast, proper use of lighting, etc.) or the products that are poorly photographed (blurry, dark, no details, pixelated, poorly reproduced, low-resolution, strange color casts, etc.)?

I'm guessing you'd choose the former. And so will just about any customer. Quality product photography is your only chance to capture a customer's attention. With bad photography, you might send him or her looking for another brand or shopping outlet.

Professional-looking product photography is paramount to your success in Web sales or catalog sales; poor photography will show your customers you don't care about your products.

People have come to expect a certain "look" from merchants (polished, sleek, sophisticated), and if your product photos don't measure up, you're apt to lose business to the competition. It doesn't matter how big or small your business is - in order to make money, you need to put forth the best image possible.

Why can't I do it myself? Well, you probably can. However, first consider some of the factors that go into flawless product photography:

- Proper preparation of the products, such as removing fingerprints from glass or ironing the wrinkles out of clothing
- Appropriate arrangement of lighting equipment - an art in itself
- Capturing detail with the right combination of lighting, shadows, depth-of-field and so on
- Producing the right backdrop for the image - whether simple or complex - can include the use of models, props and post-processing effects

The list goes on, but consider all the equipment you need to professionally photograph products: at least an entry-level DSLR, studio lighting equipment, backdrops, macro and wide-angle lenses, props, processing computer software and more, depending on the complexity of your shoot. This equipment can cost thousands, and learning to master studio lighting is a time-consuming process.


Small business owners might be put off by the price tag attached to an average product photo shoot, but this is one of the most important investments you can make for your business.

You might be tempted to buy a tabletop studio or an all-in-one light cube, and while those products are useful in certain applications, you'll be extremely limited in the types of products you can photograph, as well as what you can do with the setup.

The good news is there are affordable alternatives out there. You can find professional photography studios willing to produce high-quality product photos on a white background starting at $10 per photo. You can also find studios that will charge you $500 per photo. The point is, there are options available for all budgets - without having to do-it-yourself.

If you're looking to start small, with a limited budget, look for small studios who have one or two employees. Why? Chances are their prices will be more suited to your price range because they won't have the same degree of overhead as larger agencies.

If I've done my job in convincing you how important professional product photography is to your sales and marketing efforts, by all means, check out my portfolio and contact me for an estimate. You know those affordable alternatives I mentioned earlier? Good news for you - I'm one of them!

Whether the housing market is at its peak or struggling, quality photography in real estate marketing is of the utmost importance. Why? With the growing popularity of online house-hunting, potential buyers may only ever see photos of the house.

Simply put, first impressions do matter, and quality photographs of a piece of real estate can generate interest in potential buyers or turn them away. A listing can have wonderful copy, but if it doesn't make a strong visual impact, it won't be as effective in drawing in a potential buyer.

Many sellers or Realtors are intimidated by the task of producing professional-looking photos of homes. And to be truthful, it's not an easy or inexpensive undertaking. If you opt to do-it-yourself, professional-grade equipment, including an entry-level digital SLR camera, wide-angle lens, photo editing software and lighting equipment, can easily run you $2,500. Not to mention the learning curve.

Let's consider what goes into creating a professional and effective photo for real estate marketing:
- A clean and orderly home, with all distractions removed
- A wide-angle lens to capture the largest portion of a room
- A front exterior shot that exhibits curb appeal, an orderly yard, etc.
- Bright interior shots, with plenty of lighting
- Keep straight lines absolutely straight (no crooked doorways or slanting walls)
- Set the appropriate white balance to avoid unsightly color casts
- Avoid blown-out windows by lowering shades to reduce natural light or by shooting around twilight

So why are so many real estate agents and sellers hesitant to enlist the services of a professional real estate photographer? It's certainly more cost effective, if you shop around, and the process is much quicker and easier.

The bottom line: setting aside a portion of your budget for professional and quality photography is a wise marketing move.

In large markets, a pro photographer can charge a bundle, but rest assured, there are plenty of affordable photographers (like me!) ready to be hired, as well.

For more information on the importance of real estate photography, read Vivian Toy's New York Times article, "Making Every Pixel Count".

Digital technology has made the field of photography far more approachable and affordable for the masses. There are point-and-shoot and digital SLR cameras available for essentially any budget. In the digital age, there's nothing preventing virtually anyone from becoming a digital photographer.

While this is great for people who wish to capture family memories and special occasions, it's been especially hard on photography as a profession.

Why? Because many digital camera owners have adopted a DIY approach to photography. Let's say you own a home-based business and sell a product. You might even own a DSLR. Why shouldn't you be able to take all your product photographs yourself? Why should you pay a professional when you can do it yourself?

You can do it yourself - but it's not necessarily the best business decision. Professional photographers charge what they do because of the skills, knowledge and equipment they've acquired. Even if you're an intermediate to advanced hobby photographer, you might not be aware of the complexities involved in setting up the proper lighting for a professional-looking product shoot.

There's no reason you can't try product photography on your own, but try to remember that professionals are paid because they know what they're doing.

If you want to put forth the best, most professional images of a product, you should leave it to a pro.