As an Amazon seller, you’ll know that competition is fierce and that, no matter how great your product is, you need to go the extra mile to stand out.
One of the most effective ways of rising above the competition is to make sure that your product photography is outstanding.
When you have a lot of products to sell, it’s tempting to just quickly take photographs with your phone in order to get the product listed but, this will rarely impress a potential buyer.
We’ve put together our guide of product photography services to getting the most out of your product photography and bagging those sales.
Great Product Photography Idea
All too often, product photography on Amazon consists of just one or two images of the product as a whole – images which usually only show the front of the product.
With so many different products to choose from, most buyers require more information/proof of quality before making that all-important purchase.
Make sure that you set aside enough time for your product photography as well as setting the scene correctly.
Try the following to help your product shine.
Background
Always photograph your product on a plain, light-colored background – this helps to showcase the product without any distracting imagery in the background.
If you’re serious about selling your product, you can make your own product photography lightbox quickly and easily to give your photographs that extra, super-professional finish.
Get the angle right
For the best results for your photography, we recommend using shots using multi-azimuth angles which means, essentially, using your photography to capture each and every facet of the product in order to display not just the product but its functionality to the customer.
Start with a clear, overall view of the product for your main image and then add further images to demonstrate the quality, size, and function of the product.
Displaying different views of the product allows the customer to gain a full understanding of what’s for sale and will, in most cases, instill the confidence in the customer to make the purchase.
Follow the rules
Before beginning your Amazon photography, make sure that you are aware of all of Amazon’s guidelines including the size and number of images permitted, recommended colors, permitted names and, what you are allowed to show in your pictures.
Following these guidelines will save you valuable time in ensuring that your images don’t get rejected by Amazon.
For more information on these guidelines, you may want to check out this useful guide: The Complete Guide to Amazon Photo Requirements.
All in the details
We’ve mentioned showing your product from different angles to give an overall impression of the product.
It’s also really important to include some close-up, detailed images.
This is particularly a good idea if your product features intricate details or great craftsmanship which you can show off in your images.
Video star
It is now possible to include short video clips on your product pages in order to give the customer a ‘real-life’ view of the product.
Video can be particularly effective when used to sell clothing, toys and electronics.
Lifestyle photography
Don’t be afraid to get a bit creative when it comes to your product photography.
Although customers value clear, candid shots of the product, it can also be fun to include a few lifestyle shots.
For example, if you’re selling a toy, you can demonstrate how much fun it is by using photographs of a child enjoying playing with the toy.
Infographics
Although these may not seem like the first choice as a selling tool, infographics can be a really effective way of demonstrating the functionality and benefits of a product.
Packaging
It goes without saying that the product is the most important thing when it comes to your photography but, many customers also like to see the packaging.
This is particularly important if the product is a brand name or, if the packaging is particularly attractive.
Examples Contrast
The following dog-cam photography on Amazon is a great example of seller photography done well – it contains factors like clear introduction, infographics instruction, lifestyle pictures, and video!
The seller has used clear photography and infographics showing exactly what the product is (the cute doggy pics don’t hurt either!).
In contrast, the following image used to sell a dog leash is confusing, messy and, very unlikely to promote sales of the product.
Product Photography Services Reviews
Luckily, if you’re not as skilled at product photography as you would like, there are several tools available online to help you get your product’s best side.
Here, we’ve listed nine of our favorites:
Jungle Scout Market
Jungle Scout Market is a popular marketplace run by Jungle Scout and is designed to connect sellers with professional freelancers from a number of different sectors, including photography.
Jungle Market claims to vet all freelancers to ensure that buyers receive the best service every time.
As Jungle Market is a platform for freelancers, prices vary and, you would need to agree a price with your freelancer before agreeing to start work with them.
Viral Launch
Viral Launch is a stock image outlet primarily for product sellers. After opening an account on the site, users can then browse through thousands of stock lifestyle and product images and, then, purchase the rights to images for their own product pages.
Viral Launch offers three different price packages which are:
- $597 Conversion Starter Package. Includes between 3 and 5 photographs
- $797 Conversion Master Package. Includes between 6 and 9 photographs
- $1447 Branding Expert Package. Includes 12+ photographs
If you’re looking for stock photography for your product pages, this site has a really comprehensive collection.
On the downside, the package are super-expensive for the average Amazon seller.
Fivver
Like Jungle Scout Market, Fivver is a freelancer based marketplace which connects buyers with professionals, including photographers.
Again, prices vary depending on which freelancer you choose – you have the option to discuss prices before deciding to start work with a freelancer.
Although the site was originally launched for small jobs priced at £5, it has now expanded to include all sizes and prices.
A mixed bag as you would expect from a freelancer site. Although some freelancers are extremely talented and professional, Fivver can’t, unfortunately, prevent the odd bad apple from sneaking in.
Sellers should make sure that they read all reviews before paying a deposit for a freelancer.
Upwork
Upwork is another freelancer site with a slight difference – Upwork claims to analyze the data you provide in order to provide you with insights as to services you may require.
Upwork offers three packages to those looking for photography services and more on the site:
- Free package. This package offers everything the beginner needs to get started.
- $49.99/month. For growing businesses, this package offers increased options and features.
- $499/month. For the professional seller, this package includes almost unlimited features.
As with many freelancer sites, this one produces mixed results. Some freelancers on the site are super-talented and provide great, professional work.
Unfortunately, the two paid packages are quite expensive and, although the basic package is free, it offers only a limited selection of freelancers.
Sellerphoto.com
Seller Photo is a professional product photography service created specifically for online sellers.
Unlike stock photography services, Seller Photo provides imagery of the seller’s own products.
Sellers simply ship their product(s) to Seller Photo’s studio in Florida where professional photographers will photograph the products and send them to the seller – as well as returning the products.
Sellers can buy one of three packages which are priced at $697, $997 and $1497. Alternatively, product photos can be bought individually with sample prices as follows:
- $60 1 photograph
- $55 2 to 5 photographs
- $37 25 to 49 photographs
- $26 100+ photographs
Seller Photo is the one for you if you want super-sharp, professional photographs of your own products.
The downside to this service is that it’s a little pricey and, you need to be within their catchment area for shipping in order to use the service.
Clipping Magic
Clippong Magic is an online photo editing suite that can also supply stock photography.
Clipping Magic specializes in editing sellers’ product photos including special editing such as removing existing backgrounds and replacing them with Amazon-friendly plain white ones.
Clipping Magic works on a credit basis and, credits can be bought as follows:
- $3.99 15 credits per month
- $7.99 100 credits per month
- $14.99 500 credits per month
Clipping Magic is a decently priced service that does what it promises, although, results may not be quite as professional as some more expensive sites.
Pixelz
Like Clipping Magic, Pixelz is an image editing suite created specifically for online sellers.
Pixelz uses professional photographers who will edit sellers’ own product photographs and, for the busy seller, a Next Morning service is available.
Pixelz offers three different packages at $9 per month, $95 per month and $1,995 per month.
Alternatively, buyers can buy per image from as little as $0.95 per image. The benefit of Pixelz is, without a doubt, the flexible payment options as well as the fact that your photographs are handled by a professional.
You do have the option of using Pixelz site to edit your photographs yourself, however, this isn’t recommended unless you have tons of experience as results can be sketchy and inconsistent.
FotoFuze
FotoFuze is a free online photo generator and editor for sellers. Users can upload their own photography and use online tools to enhance and improve them.
Although FotoFuze has the benefit of being free to use, it is fairly basic and requires some skill and experience in order to get decent results.
Gen.Video
Gen.Video is an insights and marketing site describing itself as a performance-based platform that uses creative, visual storytelling to inspire e-commerce purchases.
So, what exactly does that mean? On this website, you can select a Youtuber or Influencer to create a video about your product.
Another best part of this service is that it posts the product video to your Amazon listing page which will appear under ‘Related Video Shorts’.
You can get in touch with Gen.Video through its online contact form in order to be put in touch with a member of the team.
The concept, in general, seems to be that Gen.Video will match sellers and buyers for a number of services including product photography.
Conclusion
Some of the professional services listed in this article are fantastic if getting your business off the ground (or growing your new business) requires super-professional looking photography.
No matter how good a photographer you think you are, your photos are unlikely to look as those taken by a professional.
Of course, the downside to using a professional is that it can be costly – and often unaffordable for Amazon sellers who are already on a tight budget.
If you prefer to avoid the expense of using a professional, it’s still possible to get really good images that show off your products to great effect.
You can do this by following a few simple guidelines:
- Put aside plenty of time for your pictures
- Take pictures in natural light where possible
- Use a lightbox (see the video at the beginning of this article to see how you can make your own)
- Always use a white or light-colored background
- Make sure you photograph from every angle
- Make sure you photograph details of the product
- Use one of the free or inexpensive online editing tools listed in this article to polish the photographs that you’ve taken
With a bit of practice, you can make sure that all of your product images, on all of your sites, are professional, appealing, and do the job of sending customers from your product page to the checkout.
You may also like:
The Complete Guide to Amazon Photo Requirements
Best Amazon Listing Optimization Complete Guide
Amazon Product Listing Services Complete Guide
Viral Launch: Its Guide, Review &Coupons for Amazon Sellers
Amazon Appstore: Listing Service Recommendations for Amazon Sellers
