Photographing small merchandise can be frustrating. Getting enough detail while showing the whole piece in a pleasing way may be very difficult. There are a few tips I have discovered that help.
a dark background does not look as good as a light one
1)Use a light colored background for most things, unless your piece is very light. It is easier to get a good photograph of something when it contrasts with the background. Light things should be on medium backgrounds as dark ones soak up too much light and throw you photograph off.
2)If necessary, use a closeup lens. Very small things such as jewelry may require zoom or a closeup lens.
3)If you need to use a closeup lens, use a tripod or stand to hold your camera. It gets harder to keep the image sharp the closer you are to the work.
4)A bad picture is worse than no picture. If the merchandise looks bad in the photograph, no one will
buy it.
How big? No clues
5) Include something to give the scale of a piece — a ruler or coin is usually used. Make sure the markings on the ruler can be read.
6) Multiple views are best if possible.
I hope these tips are useful. What tips do you have for photographing merchandise?
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
It depends what you’re selling – but I’ve found a short spray from an atomiser can make the world of difference. Bizarre, but it sometimes makes a huge impact.