Mastering e-commerce fashion photography to boost online sales
When it comes to online shopping, high-quality visuals are a powerful tool for your eCommerce brand. eCommerce fashion photography is a sub-niche of fashion photography that accentuates the attractiveness of clothing, apparel, and accessories to catch the attention of customers and push them towards making a sale. Research indicates that consumers make 90% of their purchase decisions based on images, so alluring product photos are a must-have source of eCommerce success.
From styles and techniques to preparation and important trends, this article will explore everything there is to eCommerce fashion photography. These tips will assist both new brands and experienced online sellers in creating captivating images that effectively promote their products.
What is fashion photography for eCommerce?
In order to use eCommerce fashion photography, you must photograph the products in a way that makes them visible, while also highlighting the unique features of the clothing visually, resulting in functional yet attractive images. It involves skillful manipulation of light, composition, and angles to best showcase each item in all its unique glory to the prospective customer.
The objective is to develop a digital in-store experience that allows customers to better imagine how they would look wearing or otherwise using the item to help close the gap in between the online and offline shopping experiences. Unlike product photography, this type creates a story around the product.
The Different Types of Fashion Photography for eCommerce
There are several styles of fashion photography for eCommerce, each serving a specific purpose for clothing or accessories. Let’s explore these styles to make an eCommerce strategy effective.
Ghost Mannequin Photography
Ghost mannequin (also called invisible mannequin) photography is a style of product photography that involves photographing a garment on a mannequin and then editing out the mannequin in post-production.
The technique emphasizes the shape and fit of the garment, creating a 3D effect that enhances customers’ understanding of the product’s structure. This is particularly true for items such as jackets, shirts, and dresses, among others.
Flat Lay Photography
One of the most popular uses of the flat layout style involves showcasing multiple items in a creative layout. Flat-lay photography presents a visually appealing way for brands to display an outfit or list of specific items by laying products on a flat surface and capturing it from above.
This is a form of artistic layered photography that is ideal for showcasing accessories and bags or a full outfit style.
Catalog Photography
Catalog Photography: A simple technique intended to showcase products as clearly as possible Usually, the product stands in front of a white or solid-colored wall, drawing customers’ attention to the product itself. Catalog images provide precise details about the product, such as its texture, color, and shape, without any distracting elements. It’s the perfect photography style for eCommerce listings where customers want to see what their product really looks like.
Lookbook Photography
Lookbook photography is about the story behind a collection. In contrast to focusing just on a single piece, you can style an entire collection of products together, displaying how items work as a set. The latest style is based on the fact that if you create an emotional bond with the users, they will treat themselves like a part of the lifestyle that the brand is providing.
Advertising Photography
Advertising fashion photography employs a punch line approach. Beautiful pictures with captivating lighting, props, and models create a dramatic image that likely resonates with the target audience.
Advertising photos need to grab the viewer by the collar, shake them free of whatever their brain is currently occupied with, take a look at this amazing product that needs to be in their life (preferably right now), and thus be in alignment with the brand. They are frequently employed in social media and campaigns for building engagement.
High Fashion Photography
Luxury and high-end brands, extravagant setups, models, and complex compositions form the core of high fashion photography. This style needs a big budget, a lot of gear, and a lot of talent, but it yields beautiful results. High-fashion photography works best for brands that need to establish a more luxurious feel with an upscale clientele.
Street Fashion Photography
Street fashion photography captures clothing and accessories in everyday settings. This fashion is more relatable, showing apparel in a stylized way that feels attainable to consumers.
By shooting models in natural urban environments, brands can also highlight how their products seamlessly integrate into everyday life, making them more attractive to customers.
Editorial Photography
When the focus shifts from fashion to a series of images telling a story, that photographer is more likely an editorial fashion photographer, often including lifestyle and artistic elements in their work.
You typically see it in magazines and haute couture books, where fashion meets fiction. Aspirational lifestyle shots inspire customers and create brand appeal in editorial photography.
Runway Photography
Runway photography documents the pictures of clothing as they weave and follow down the runway, creating a dynamic photographic style. This is a wonderful style for showcasing fabrics, textures, and the way garments move. Fashion shows often associate runway photos, yet eCommerce brands can also utilize these images to create anticipation for their product designs.
360-Degree Photography
360-degree photography is a method that enables customers to explore their products in every direction. Brands can also benefit from a product rotator, which showcases all the elements of each item to customers, enabling them to make informed purchasing decisions. It excels in showcasing intricate products or providing customers with a comprehensive overview of the product.
How to prepare for eCommerce fashion photography.
If you are shooting inside or outside, preparation is essential in order to capture professional-looking product photos. Here is a plan to provide the best photography:
Essential Equipment
Camera: Use a DSLR camera, for example, a Canon EOS or Nikon D series, to capture images with excellent detail.
Lens: Use wide-angle lenses to achieve blurry backgrounds or use zoom lenses (35mm, 50mm, 85mm) for close-ups that capture details.
Tripod: Stability is important for getting sharp images, and a tripod can reduce camera shake.
Lighting: When it comes to light, you will need reflectors, diffusers, and portable lights for both outside and inside control.
Indoor Photography Setup
For indoor shoots, setting up a simple DIY mini studio is fairly easy. Here’s a quick guide:
Step 1:
Collect the Equipment: A camera, tripod, light source, and white foam board can help you set the base tone for a professional setup.
Prepare the setup: Place the product on a sturdy table, adjust the lighting to eliminate shadows, and ensure the background is clear and uncluttered.
Play around with your lighting and camera settings to ensure that the product is well-lit and that the angles are as flattering as possible.
Outdoor Photography Setup
The lighting tends to change outdoors, making it more challenging if you decide to spend some time outside. Here are a few tips:
Mood Board: Create a mood board that serves as a visual reference and a shot list.
Light: Make the most of daylight whenever possible, utilizing reflectors to prevent shadows. Don’t shoot in direct sunlight where you will create ugly shadows.
Shot List: Create your shot list to ensure that not a single angle or detail goes uncaptured.
Getting professional results with camera settings
Aperture: Use a lower aperture (f/2.8–5.7) for sharper product images.
Shutter Speed: Use a quick shutter speed (approx. 160) to prevent vibrations.
ISO: Use ISO 100-400, depending on light conditions, to find a balance between good exposure and image noise.
Ecommerce Fashion Photography Trends
Tracking trends in fashion photography is crucial for every brand to maintain growth and appeal. Consider the following trends as an example of the present:
Sustainability
Consumers today are more environmentally aware, so brands that align their photography with these values may earn more loyal customers.
Emphasize sustainability using earthy backgrounds and natural tones with a minimalistic composition.
Cinematic Storytelling
When brands incorporate cinematic elements into their product photos, it transforms into a narrative. The use of lighting, props, and composition amplifies the emotion in the photographs, thereby enticing customers to buy products.
Diversity and Inclusivity
Focusing on a representation of people through fashion photography promotes diversity and ensures proper brand exposure.
This trend underscores the importance of incorporating a diverse range of body types, ethnicities, and ages to create a more authentic brand.
Nostalgic Aesthetics
Vintage and retro influences have become popular due to their ability to create a timeless impact. Historic themes enhance the emotional connection between customers and the brand, leading to improved brand loyalty.
Bold Colors
In print media, the use of stark colors attracts customers by making the product stand out among numerous similar products on an online platform.
Bright hues can work together for a fun, utterly modern look that speaks to younger targets.
eCommerce Fashion Photography Best Practices
To improve the quality and appeal of your product photography, consider the following best practices:
Put yourself in the customer’s shoes.
Always think about what a customer would like to look at. Use close-up photos to reveal every detail, every thread, and every texture—helping customers understand the quality of the product and its fit.
Maintain Consistency
Having consistency among lighting, angles, and backgrounds gives your brand a strong visual identity. A consistent aesthetic makes consumers recognize and trust you, resulting in brand loyalty.
Show multiple angles.
Show the complete look of each product by taking photos from multiple angles. Rather than limiting a customer to just one angle on a product, high and low, as well as eye-level shots, truly highlight the design and fit of an item.
Use props carefully.
Even in a widescreen shot, props should complement the product without overshadowing it. Select props that build upon the product and help tell the story of the brand.
Hire professional editors.
You should professionally edit your images to make them visually appealing and maintain consistency, even if every other image is not. What image editing does is improve colors, plug in holes, and make sure images reflect your brand aesthetic.
Conclusion
eCommerce fashion photography is key to enhancing the shopping experience and boosting sales. Prepare for a variety of photography styles and ensure alignment with them.
Images that enable brands to capture customers and shape an identity are crucial. The competitive nature of eCommerce often forces us to compensate for a shortage of creatives with lower quality images or poor fashion photography. However, investing time and resources into professional shots can only lead to long-term success in this competitive landscape.