You have probably noticed that with global digitization, e-commerce is gaining momentum, expanding rapidly and ubiquitously. A condition that is a must is the good internet connection. Of course, the process is not one-sided. Consumers also evolve digitally. A trend that will continue to develop more and more in the years to come.
Our grandmothers also look at online stores and pay electronically, while the e-shopping platforms are attracting an increasing number of producers, traders and entrepreneurs.
There is no doubt that in order to be attractive on the Internet, traders need quality images of their products. Commercial images are the fruit of product photography.
Online marketing always goes hand in hand with product photography. The images are the wire that keeps the user’s attention. The connection on which the success of every online trader depends. Those who are perform e-commrce already are aware that are doomed to failure without enough good photos.
Depending on the characteristics of the products to be offered online and the number of frames required for their presentation, the shooting options are usually limited to choosing between a professional photographer or the low-budget option for an improvised home-studio.
A popular way of presenting products to most e-commerce sites and platforms is to capture them on a white background. Of course, professional photographers have the necessary skills, equipment and equipped studio. It can save you time and you will have professional images.
And if you are still curious enough and you decide to explore the adventures that product photography can offer, you should know about the existence of the so-called “product photography box.”
Sounds like there’s a treasure in it? The real term describing the “box” is a photography tent or a lightbox.
Photo: https://www.amazon.com
One of the biggest challenges in product photography is to obtain a proper, light balance that emphasizes the desired end-effect of the frame. Without proper lighting, shadows can be a serious problem.
Do you want to eliminate them together with any reflection from your object? Want to make sure that the colors of the product will be reproduced in the best way? Do you want the product to be presented in its most realistic way? Well, then you need a photographic tent.
What exactly is the photographic tent or lightbox?
Photo: https://www.amazon.com
Essentially this is a small box with built-in lighting, usually LED. Its walls are made of a suitable, sufficiently transparent fabric or thin plastic, which helps to distribute the light evenly around the object to be shot.
Photo: https://www.amazon.com
There is an background attached inside. There are also kits on the market that include extra lighting, several colorful backgrounds, and various accessories that can be useful.
The front of the box can be open or zippered. There are also models that are closed on all sides but have small openings from where you can actually shot. With such a model, the photographer has more freedom and the ability to rotate the entire box in a comfortable position.
Photo: https://www.amazon.com
Photo: https://www.amazon.com
Photo: https://www.amazon.com
The aim of the lightbox is to provide bright, well-balanced light, eliminating reflections, blur, shadows and spots, and to create a real image of the product. And if you were expecting to find a real treasure, then most likely the product photography tent would be precious for you.
3 Benefits of Product Photography Tent:
- Provides uniform illumination – useful
- it is mobile – comfortable
- Does not require a very large space – compact
Photo: https://www.amazon.com
A disadvantage is the size limit of the subject to be shot. You can not put items that are bigger than the space inside. Over time, this elementary niche was filled by an elementary market principle – demand determines the offering.
Specialized stores or commercial online platforms intended for photographic equipment and accessories offer tents for product photography in different sizes. There are small models. They can accomodate an object no larger than a simple smartphone. However, models that are large enough to fit a person can already be found.
Photo: http://www.pocket-lint.com
If you are an online merchant offering jewelry, small electronics, phones, bags, shoes, smaller, handmade items, then a tent of 40 cm x 40 cm to 80 cm x 80 cm will be enough for you.
Photo: https://www.amazon.com
Still, if you are not sure that you would have again from this type of investment, do not worry. With a little more skill and creativity, you can make yourself a cheap and easy-to-assemble product photography box.
How to make a product photography box on your own?
The basic materials you will need are:
- Cardboard box with size according to your preferences
- white, thin cloth or transparent paper, similar to rice paper
- a piece of cardboard for the background
- two / three table lamps
- Main tools:
- Utility knife of scissors
- Glue or Scotch tape
The whole process of making your box does not require any extra effort, except maybe skills with the machete knife and the ability to take the correct size, and then to follow them exactly.
Action plan:
- Cut the cardboard box from the three sides, complying with the dimensions of all three cuts in order to be accurate.
- The fourth wall remains intact. It serves as a foundation.
- The cardboard cover can be removed or you can leave two opposing parts of it
- You yourself need to decide which option will be more comfortable for you.
- Attach the white cloth or paper to the prepared and already cut openings.
- Inside, place a white cardboard that will serve as a background.
- The table lamps will be the light source needed for photos.
The secret of your precious box is that you can have a nice and soft light. To do this, you need to place the lamps so that the light comes from both sides or from the top of the box, or make a combination of the three.
Photo: http://www.maelingdesigns.com
And one more thing – you have the freedom to choose the background color yourself. It is enough to have a cardboard in the desired colors.
Photo: http://manualdetecnicafotografica.com
You are now ready for real professional photos.