9 Steps to the Perfect DIY Product Photo Shoot
Ready to Capture Incredible Photos?
You've come to the right place! We've been helping brands put together photo shoots for years, and we've collected some insight in the meantime that we knew we had to share with our SheCom Queens. Hiring a photographer (while incredible) can be expensive. Sometimes DIY methods are the best bet for our budget—and there's nothing wrong with that!
In this blog you'll find our 9 steps for perfecting your product photo shoot, but be sure to grab the full FREE Guide - The DIY Photo Shoot Guide for Online Stores & Boutiques - to get an extensive shot list to help things go smoothly, prop ideas to keep things flowing, and even photo inspo boards to help you during your shoot!
Things You'll Need:
Camera
If you don't have access to a camera, a smart phone will work perfectly!
Products to Photograph
We recommend high-inventory products, new products, or on-sale items!
A Model
You can model the clothes yourself or ask a friend/family member!
Bonus Items
Tripod
Great if you're modeling the clothes yourself or want a little extra stability
Diffuser/Reflector
Great for minimizing shadows, especially when photographing in natural light.
Extra Lighting
Great if you don't want to rely on natural lighting.
Studio Lightbox
Great if you don't have a model or want to photography jewelry or small goods!
9 Steps to the Perfect DIY Product Photo Shoot
STEP 1:
Model Call!
If you're comfortable being in front of a camera, it's time to shine! If you're not comfortable—ask a friend, sister, or daughter to model for you.
STEP 2:
Location, Location
Find a fun spot or few in your house, your yard, or out and about— anywhere that aligns with the vibe of your brand and lets your products shine! Be sure the area has enough natural light so you're not having to use flash.
(Note: If you have external lights, you can be a little more flexible on location!)
STEP 3:
Get to Pinnin'
Head over to Pinterest and create a board of product photos that you feel aligns with your brand. This will help when it comes to figuring out the shots you want to capture or when you get stuck during the shoot.
(Note: Scroll to the last few pages of this guide to get your ideas flowing with our 3 inspo boards!)
STEP 4:
Pick Your Products
Select the products you want to get photos of.
Note: These might be your high-inventory products, new products, or on-sale products you want to try to clear out.
STEP 5:
Total Shotcaller
Now that you have your aesthetic and items picked out, it's time to make a shot list. We’ll walk you through this part in the next section.
STEP 6:
Props to You
Find a few props that can help set the scene. Cell phones, purses, sunglasses, books - anything that can help you or your model feel more comfortable and natural. Be sure to check out section 4 for our full list of recommended props!
STEP 7:
Get to Snappin'
Break out your cell phone, put on some music and start taking photos. We recommend a variety of close up, candid, and posed shots. Just make sure your lighting is on point, use the AE lock feature on your phone (just hold down on where you want to focus), and when in doubt, take burst shots to make sure you capture the look you want.
STEP 8:
Edit Your Favs
Scroll through the photos, delete the not-so-great ones, and select your favs. Once you have your favs picked, open them up in an editing app to perfect them. We love: Color Story (for making lighting consistent throughout) and AirBrush (to smooth out wrinkles or relight your photos)!
STEP 9:
Post & Sell
Use these photos to sell your products online. Even if you don't have a website, you can sell via stories and on your feed and sell/ship/allow pick up for people when they comment. Venmo/PayPal works as payment.
Get the Full FREE Guide!
Be sure to grab the full FREE Guide - The DIY Photo Shoot Guide for Online Stores & Boutiques - to get an extensive shot list to help things go smoothly, prop ideas to keep things flowing, and even photo inspo boards to help you during your shoot!
Share Your Shoot!
If you do a DIY photo shoot, we'd love to see/share the photos! Tag us @shecommerceacademy 😊
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