How to Take Product Images That Sell: Image Advertising & Marketing

In a visually saturated world, captivating product images are the difference between a casual scroll and a satisfying click of the ‘Buy Now’ button. High-quality product images don’t just showcase your wares — they tell a story, evoke emotion, and compel customers to take action. Whether you’re running an e-commerce store, managing a brand, or simply looking to elevate your visual content, mastering the art of product photography is an essential skill.

Let’s delve into the elements that transform ordinary product images into high-converting visual assets.

Firstly, let’s define image advertising. It’s a marketing strategy that utilises captivating visuals — often photographs, illustrations, or graphics — to promote a product or service. Images hold immense power as they transcend language barriers, evoke instant emotion, and solidify brand recall.

For online retailers and those with a website, product images are a key form of image advertising. They become your virtual sales assistant, working tirelessly to inform and persuade potential customers around the clock.

Here’s how impactful product image marketing can be for your business:

• Enhanced Product Discoverability: High-quality product images improve your visibility in search engine results. This is particularly beneficial for e-commerce platforms where customers search visually.
• First Impressions That Stick: The human brain processes visuals faster than text. Captivating product images are your chance to make a powerful, positive first impression that lasts.
• Showcase Your Products in Detail: Potential customers need to see what they’re buying; product images give them a much better idea of your product’s quality, dimensions, and features than text alone.
• Build Trust and Credibility: Shoddy product images scream ‘amateur’. Professional-looking product images establish trust, which is especially important for online retailers where customers can’t physically inspect what they’re buying.

Now, let’s explore vital elements for taking those fantastic, sales-driving product images:

• Equipment Matters: While smartphones have decent cameras, investing in a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a quality macro lens offers greater control and image quality. Lighting equipment is equally important so you can capture accurate colour and details. If you’re on a budget, start with a ring light or work with ample natural light.
• Cleanliness is Crucial: Dust, fingerprints, and clutter look unprofessional. Ensure your product looks pristine.
• Composition Counts: Experiment with different angles, backgrounds, and props to craft visually compelling shots.
• Background is Key: A simple, uncluttered background keeps the focus on the product. For most use cases, a plain white background works superbly but remember to experiment!
• Focus is Fundamental: Use a tripod and ensure your product is in sharp focus. Customers want to see detail.
• Variety Sells: Don’t limit yourself to one shot. Capture the product from various angles, show close-up details, and demonstrate usage scenarios with lifestyle or in-context product images.
• Editing is Your Friend: Use photo editing software to adjust brightness, contrast, and crop images for maximum impact. Avoid over-editing that alters the product’s look.

Let’s take your product photography to the next level:

• Lighting for Impact: Play with different lighting setups. Natural daylight can offer beautiful, soft light, while artificial light lets you achieve specific effects (like spotlights to draw focus to a detail).
• Colour Theory for Added Visual Appeal: Go beyond basic backgrounds and props. Consider using colours strategically to set the tone, complement your product, and evoke emotions. Find out more about colour theory if needed.
• Props to Enhance Context: Tasteful props can add visual interest and give context. For instance, photographing sunglasses alongside a beach towel and magazine can conjure up a summer holiday vibe.
• Lifestyle Product Images: Show your product in action. A model wearing a piece of clothing or a hand holding a mug of coffee humanises the product and helps customers imagine themselves owning it.

Let’s take a look at some powerful product image examples and see how you can use the right types to transform how you present your products to your audience:

Studio images present your product in a pristine, controlled environment, isolating it from distractions. Their simplicity emphasises the product’s form, colour, and key features.

• E-Commerce Product Listings: Clarity is key for online shoppers who need accurate visual information for comparison.

• Product Catalogues and Print Materials: Consistency and a clean aesthetic create a polished presentation.

• Use a plain, seamless background (white or neutral colours usually work best).
• Ensure even lighting to showcase the product accurately with no harsh shadows.
• Consider multiple angles (front, back, side) to give a comprehensive view.

Lifestyle images go beyond just showing the product. They paint a picture of how your product fits into a customer’s life and the aspirations or experiences it could unlock.

• Social media: Lifestyle shots are highly engaging and create a relatable brand.
• Website banners and hero images: They set the brand tone and evoke specific moods.
• Advertising: Lifestyle images help tell a story, increasing memorability.

• Choose a setting that resonates with your target audience (a cosy home, an outdoor adventure)
• Use models or authentic-looking scenarios for maximum connection.
• Consider the desired emotion — relaxation, excitement, etc. — and adjust colours and composition accordingly.

These images address buyers’ need to understand the true size of the product and appreciate its intricate features to justify the cost.

• E-commerce for items where size matters (furniture, tech gadgets, jewellery).
• Highlight unique craftsmanship (close-ups showing texture, stitching, materials).
• Showcase functionality with close-ups of key parts or mechanisms.

• Include a familiar reference object in scale shots (a coin, hand, ruler, etc.).
• Use macro photography or zoom functions for extreme detail.
• Ensure excellent lighting to reveal texture and quality in detail shots.

Group shots showcase the breadth of your product line or create a visually appealing and informative composition.

• Introduce a product collection, demonstrating styles and variations available.
• Show how products complement each other to encourage upsells.
• Create eye-catching hero images that offer immediate visual variety.

• Arrange items thoughtfully — consider size, colour, and a visually balanced arrangement.
• Play with a theme (a colour scheme, a lifestyle category like ‘outdoor essentials’).
• Style with a few tasteful props that unify the products with context.

Remember, product images work across different stages of the customer journey:

• Awareness: Eye-catching images can attract attention on social media, websites, and product listings.
• Consideration: Clear, detail-rich images help persuade shoppers to consider your product over a competitor’s.
• Decision: Lifestyle images and those that illustrate features and benefits can often push a shopper across the finish line.

At GradePixel, we understand the transformative power of exceptional product images. Our product photography services blend technical expertise with a deep understanding of marketing and visual storytelling, crafting product images that resonate with your target audience.

Partnering with our photography studio in Singapore won’t just help you get beautiful images; it’ll also ensure that your visual strategy is closely aligned with your business goals. Together, we can execute an image advertising strategy that attracts attention, enhances your brand perception, and drives sales.

Ready to upgrade your product visuals? Contact us today and let our work transform your digital presence!