High-quality product photography is an essential tool for driving sales on your eCommerce store. Compensate for customers’ inability to touch and feel the items you sell.

In brick-and-mortar stores, people often tried products on display shelves before deciding whether or not to buy them.

When it comes to shopping online, they weigh the pros and cons of buying a product based on what they see, not what they feel.

Unfortunately, sometimes the actual appearance of a product is different from its image on a website. When a customer experiences this, he is disappointed and returns the item.

To avoid returns and increase your conversion rate, create visually appealing product images that are almost tangible.

5 ways to create quality product photos

Proper lighting can be the big difference between a spectacular product image and one that’s, well, second-rate.

Anyone can take pictures with a mobile phone or instant camera, regardless of unsightly elements like shadows, but product photography should always produce shadow-free photos.

Ample lighting captures not only the shape of an object, but also its true color and texture.

Now, remember we mentioned the “touch and feel” aspect of shopping and how important it is to a shopper? Taking close-ups breaks down the invisible barrier between your product and customers. A close-up allows them to scrutinize your product down to the smallest detail.

Still on the topic of touching and feeling a product, shoot from as many angles as you can to give customers a three-dimensional view of what you’re selling. That way, they can experience the item as if they’ve walked into your store and touched it.

Additionally, you’ll want to add a responsive video, showing how the product works, along with your photos from various angles. Not only will it give your customers a clearer image of your product, but it will also increase traffic to your website. Besides, who doesn’t like videos?

Most important of all, you need to keep it real because a potential customer will want to see how your product can be used on a day-to-day basis. Instead of over-editing an image in Photoshop until it looks grossly fake, apply it to a real-life situation.

If you’re selling a party dress, for example, how would you present photos to a woman with a nine-to-five job? She’s unlikely to buy if she only sees a fitted photo of the dress, but if you show her when and where to wear it, then you’ve got her attention.

More than just increasing traffic to your eCommerce website, these proven photography techniques are sure to lead to a higher conversion rate.

How do you come up with beautiful product images for your site?