With eCommerce being such a competitive space, the importance of product images in driving sales cannot be overstated. A recent study found that 75% of online shoppers choose to buy a product based on the pictures seen. This fact emphasizes the need to showcase products in the best possible manner—both suited and literal. Also, in the US and UK, 80% of consumers look at a retailer’s returns policy before buying online. They will return it if the product image does not represent what is on sale.

So, how do you ensure that your product photos are memorable and compelling enough to get customers to click on the ‘buy now’ button? The answer lies in lighting. Lighting is a technical aspect of photography, but you can create sublime images by taking them to an art level. In this ultimate guide to product photography lighting, we will discuss the role of lighting in capturing professional-grade product photos, the various types of light setups available, and ways to create the correct type of setup for showcasing your products in their best form.

Lighting is of Utmost Importance in Product Photography

Product photography lighting is more than just light on the subject. It dictates everything about the final image, what color or texture each product is, and even the mood surrounding the photo. Imagine lighting as paint in a painting, and how you use it will define the outcome. Good lighting will enhance your product, accentuate details, and make your product look more lifelike—all of which can lead to a higher conversion rate for your eCommerce store.

This is How Lighting can Affect Your Product Images

Accurate Color Representation

Lighting should serve its main purpose of properly presenting your product. Using an appropriate lighting setup will help reveal the natural colors of your products, and this is a very important factor when selling online. Customers want to see what they are actually purchasing, and if the color in a lighting setup is not accurate, that can lead to disappointment and returns.

Enhanced Textures and Details

Each product has different textures, which is very important to highlight in eCommerce. Light can spark these attributes from their slumber, from the subtle texture of a cloth to the slick skin of a bottle or even the intricate design inside jewels. Good lighting will enhance textures without blowing out or hiding details, making your product look much more sophisticated than take-it-in-angle shots.

Creating Depth and Dimension

A flat and two-dimensional product image can be uninviting. Proper lighting use breathes life into your photograph and adds dimension to the photo itself. Well-placed lights will create shadows, reflections, and highlights to make your product feel less two-dimensional, allowing customers to better visualize how it would look in real life.

Setting the Mood

Lighting is also essential for creating the mood or ambiance of your photographs. Warm, yellow-toned light can create a warm, feel-good atmosphere, while cooler, bluish lights reflect modernity, sleekness, and an energetic vibe. Different lighting configurations evoke different emotions in your customers; be mindful of that depending on the nature of your products.

Professional Appearance

Flawless lighting keeps your product photos professional and neat. Dim or harsh light also makes your images appear unprofessional, which can turn potential customers away. A good-quality lighting setup produces a clean and crisp image, which reflects your brand and product, making your customers perceive you as more credible and trustworthy.

Explaining the Three Prime Elements of Light in Product Photography

Three main elements to consider when planning your product photography lighting are direction, intensity, and quality. All of these are important to have an ideal lighting setup for your shots.

Light Direction

Lighting is more than just packing them with lamps; one of the critical elements in lighting implementation is the direction from which light strikes your product. It will decide how shadows are laid over and where highlights are stretched out in the product. Similarly, the light angle can dramatically alter an image’s feel. Front lighting provides much more even and natural lighting; side lighting can create more dramatic shadows. So you can then play with the direction of the light to get different effects:

Front Lighting: Light coming from the front of the product gives low shadows and a uniform appearance, making it suitable for a clear product presentation.

Side Lighting: Light that comes from the side is most beneficial for texture and shadows. If you have a product with great detail or texture, this equipment should be your first option.

Back Lighting: The light comes from the back side of the product, which tends to create silhouettes and show details around the outline of the product. This can work great in a dramatic context.

Light Intensity

Light intensity is the brightness of your experimental light source. Excessive intensity can lead to overexposing your product, washing out its details, whereas insufficient intensity makes for an underexposed product, making shadow areas devoid of detail.

Correct exposure requires adjusting several parameters, such as adjusting light intensity.

Intense Light: Bright light is utilized for goods when focusing on details, textures, and colors is necessary. That said, it has to be managed well to ensure against overexposure.

Low Intensity: Softer shadows and, therefore, a more subtle look. It is perfect for products that must be showcased more gently and tenderly.

Light Quality

The quality of light refers to its softness or hardness. High-contrast lighting leads to sharp shadows and highlights, leaving little room for flaws or distractions. In contrast, soft light is spread out and even, casting diffuse shadows and rendering the product more pleasingly.

Soft Light: Soft light is the best for most product photography because it minimizes harsh shadows and enhances natural textures and details without being too aggressive.

Hard Light: Hard light is defined by harsh and sharp shadows and is typically used in prepared or high-contrast shots when you want lighting to create drama around the product.

Natural Light vs Artificial Light: Which One is Best?

Indeed, there are two types of product photography lighting: artificial and natural. Each has its benefits and disadvantages, but the deciding factor between these lighting types is often what kind of product you are shooting, the look you want to create for your product shots, and the environment in which you are capturing them.

Natural Light

Natural light refers to sunlight. Sometimes, it’s the go-to for product photography, especially if you’re looking for a natural, soft feel. So here is how you can maximize natural light:

Direct Sunlight: It is one of the most potent forms of light, creating dramatic effects but casting harsh shadows. To counter this, you can soften the light using reflectors or diffusers and remove some of the shadows that might not be desirable.

Nature: Indirect sunlight is light that has been diffused through clouds or reflected off surrounding surfaces. It is a much softer and more flattering look that works for most product shots.

Golden Hour: The golden hour before sunset or after sunrise creates warm, soft, and diffused light that is ideal for appealing and inviting product photos.

On the other hand, natural light is entirely weather-dependent and uncontrollable. Furthermore, the best light is only available at certain times of day, which can be inconvenient.

Artificial Light

However, artificial lighting allows more control and consistency, which is why it is best for professional product photography. Product photography artificial lighting types:

Continuous Lighting: With constant lights, the light is always on, making it easy to visualize how your product will be lit. This shape of light is a better starting point since it gives you additional control and various options for the shot.

Flash/Strobe Lighting: Flash or strobe lights create a burst of light, freezing motion and allowing you more control over the intensity of the light. This works great for fast shots or create significant effects.

Ideal Lights for Product Photographs

Various lighting setups are needed for multiple kinds of products. Here is a breakdown of the different types of lighting to consider for eCommerce photography:

Ring Lights

A ring light is a circular light that evenly distributes soft light around your product.

It is extremely useful for small items such as jewelry, cosmetics, and other personal items. Ring lights minimize shadows and, therefore, provide an even glow needed for such products.

Softboxes

Softboxes are big, rectangular, or square light modifiers that diffuse light and create a smooth, diffused, even glow.

They are ideal for product photography when you need a wrap-around light to diffuse shadows and make the product look rich with a soft, clean appearance.

LED Lights

LED lights use low power and can emit light continuously to a varying extent.

They are perfect for newbies as they can be adjusted in real time and do not produce much heat. LED lights are versatile enough for your small—to medium-product photography setup.

Strobe Lights

Strobes are intense flashes of light that enable photographers to freeze rapid movements of items or take high-contrast photographs.

Strobes are somewhat more complex to use but are used by professionals because they provide more versatility and can create dramatic effects.

Light Bulbs

Standard light bulbs are not the best for high-end professional photography but can also be a great resource in product photography. Tungsten or daylight-balanced bulbs may be used, depending on whether you want a warm or cool effect.

How to Use Reflectors and Diffusers in Your Lighting

Lighting is critical, but the difference between a good and phenomenal product shot is in reflectors/diffusers. They bounce light back onto the product, filling shadows and lighting up dark areas. On the other hand, a diffuser provides soft light by minimizing shadows and evenly distributing the light. Here are several of the most common types of reflectors and diffusers available:

Foam Board: You could easily use this to bounce light onto your products. It’s an easy and cheap solution. Foam boards are light and easy to set up, perfect for anybody DIY-ing it.

Umbrella Diffuser: It diffuses light and is great for product photography, where an even, well-diffused look is required. Its portability and ease of setup and removal have made it a favorite among photographers.

Softboxes: Softboxes will diffuse your light and cover a much larger area, keeping your product lit evenly with minimal harsh shadows. These are best suited for commercial product photography.

Lighting Mistakes to Avoid

Even veteran photographers make errors in setting up lighting. Here are some mistakes you need to avoid:

Small Light Sources: Small sources can produce stress shadows and not do the product justice. Create more comprehensive and softened light sources or diffusers that remove hard shadows.

Flash Misuse: The flash will overpower your product if it is too close or too harsh. Place the flash at a proper distance and angle to prevent your images from being washed out.

Inappropriate Color Temperature: The color of your source affects how your product will appear. Then, use the appropriate color temperature to render the original colors. A color temperature of around 5000-5500 Kelvin simulates natural daylight, perfect for product shots.

Final Thoughts

Good lighting is what makes or breaks your product photography. Whether you are taking images of small accessories, clothing, or larger items, it is always good to know how to manipulate the particular source of any type of light that makes your pictures go up, get involved with, and sell. When you grasp the basics of lighting for product photography, your shots will reflect your products well so buyers can make informed decisions. Use reflectors and diffusers when necessary, test various lighting setups to find which one captures the best detail for your product, and spend on the equipment that will allow you to produce consistent, high-quality images that match any other professional-looking branding material.

Happy shooting!

Mastering Product Photography Lighting: A Comprehensive Guide to Stunning eCommerce Images