The best way to increase online sales is to choose the product photography to sell for you.
How often do you come across retailers selling the same product?
If you are a retailer yourself and you think that just because your product is quality and good, sales will fly, you will need to be aware that people will not know this.
This conditionality is especially relevant if the market is saturated. Then you will have a glaring need to set your product apart from the rest. And product images are a key tool in this endeavor because they can perfectly to emphasize the strengths of a product. Make it memorable and attract more buyers.
In a world that is becoming increasingly digital, the presence of exciting, captivating product photos and videos means more sales.
Of course, each product has its own characteristics, features and challenges.
Let’s turn our attention to one of the most specialized sections of product photography – jewelry and all those products with all-metal surfaces, such as kitchen utensils and cutlery, for example. Let’s face it – they’re a big torture to shoot.
Photo: humming zone
Product photography of bare metals is highly specialized due to the reflective nature of the articles. Yet many professional photographers somehow manage to make these products look attractive and sell.
The Challenges of Modern Product Photography for Jewelry and Bare Metals
Jewelry is unique in that it is made of metals and stones that reflect light in their own way.
Photo: saksfifthavenue
Some of them are made with specific braids and fine details . Watches, on the other hand, have additional textures that have the ability to absorb light.
Photo: ingridmadisonave.com
All this poses a number of challenges for photographers , especially when it comes to lighting. Shooting jewelry, accessories and generally products with a metal surface usually takes much more time and requires specific knowledge.
How to shoot shiny metal surfaces?
Lighting in product photography is a leading element for any photo , which can lead us to successful online trading or directly to failure. Often the quality of lighting in the product frame is an influencing factor for sales of the product.
And when it comes to taking pictures of shiny metals, it is key. Imagine being photographed in a mirror. In other words, if we shoot metal objects, their surface will reflect the light that is directed directly at them, as well as everything around them, including ourselves and the camera.
Photo: wayfair
Improperly directed lighting can be the cause of unpleasant effects and accents. Definitely, the reflections are difficult to master, but if we know a few basic subtleties we will deal easier with product photography for jewelry and bare metals.
One of them is The Law of Reflection . This concept states that angle of incidence (light source) is always equal to the angle of reflection (return of reflected light from the surface).
When we illuminate a product with a metal surface, the light is reflected directly and if we do not want it to bounce back to us, we must use a different angle from that of the camera.
In addition, we will need diffuse reflection to control its targeting and spreading. To avoid reflections, we must position the light source next to or behind the object . Ie we strategically place the lights outside the corner of the camera.
We then illuminate the object with a studio flash head and a large softbox. Of course, for this purpose we can use something simpler, such as reflectors or plain white cardboard.
Photo: dynaphos
This simple technique allows us to direct light to specific areas of the object and create different lighting effects in your image. Depending on how we position the reflectors and the angle of the light, we will also be able to capture the specific details of the product .
Another professional trick when shooting detailed products with reflective surfaces is the realization of multiple shots The final product image in this form will certainly have the power to increase the visual effect and thus have a positive impact on online sales.
Let’s not forget that no two objects reflect the same and each will presents us with its unique challenges.
In case we take a picture of a product with a metal surface without planning our shot in advance, we will achieve something like this,
Photo: wayfair
instead, for example.
Photo: williams-sonoma
How can we make reflective surfaces look silver and shiny?
The secret lies in the fact that no matter what light source we use (artificial or natural) we should not illuminate the object directly . And to control the light, we will have to use diffusers.
We have to keep in mind that when the reflectors do not cover the front of the object we will get a black line in the middle.
Photo: dshop
The reason for this is the lack of light to bounce off this area.
If we want perfect results we must always choose soft and even diffused light and with the help of reflectors to remove dark fields on the metal. In this regard, strobe lights are more effective for capturing products with reflective surfaces because they can produce clear reflections by illuminating the product faster than the surrounding light sources.
Another trick we can use to treat unwanted reflections is by using a clear matte spray coating.
Photo:cutleryandmore
So which of the previous images do you think would be more appealing to consumers? When it comes to online sales, we need to think about how to improve our customers’ experiences.
Presenting a product from just one or two angles is not enough. Today, successful e-commerce is evolving with technology. In this regard, customer expectations are changing. To buy, they need to immerse themselves in the atmosphere, look at the details, varieties and all the details about the product that makes them interested.
Have you ever wondered how leading jewelry brands use product photography to boost online sales?
For this industry segment, online presentation is important. To be successful, many jewelry brands are looking for new ways to take their images to the next level . In this regard, include more dynamic images that demonstrate the attractiveness of their products from every possible angle.
By enabling users to interact with the product by scaling images and rotating objects, companies increase visitor interest and encourage the purchase decision. Of course, this is an effective strategy to increase sales, reduce the percentage of returned products, more conversions and traffic.
Source: bvlgari
In the site of BVLGARI we see the real application of this approach. The items are shown with product images from several angles. Human presence is included, for a clearer idea of the application.
Each of these shots can be enlarged and explored in detail. The gallery is followed by a 360-degree demonstration and 3D format, where customers can rotate the product as they wish.
Cartier in turn, except the gallery with several frames zoom shows how great their jewelry can look in a stylized scene, including a model and in the black velvet box in which they are offered.
We can’t help but notice that for many of their articles Cartier has chosen to tell whole stories with short but attractive videos.
To make product pages more interactive and attractive, many companies are already investing in automated 360-degree stands. They provide product rotation and create interactive 360 ° animations.
The basic principle of operation consists in constant smooth rotation in a full circle, while the product is in the center of the round platform. Depending on the model of the stands, you can select the number of images, adjust the shooting angles, control the lighting, etc.
Most models come with software that processes footage and creates video.
Source: squareshot
Image Processing – Another Subtlety of Product Photography to the Jump in Online Sales
Just like lighting and post-production is especially important for the success of the product image . When it comes to shiny surfaces, tools are usually used to correct some side effects and imperfections. The cloning function, for example, is suitable for removing stains, fingerprints, hairs and dust.
Special attention should be paid to the exposure. If necessary, the presence of overexposed areas and any inaccuracies around the background are limited. It is important to maintain the same quality, the same angles and the same approach when retouching product images.