The online marketplace is highly competitive. Every ecommerce owner needs unique and creative product photography to catch the consumers’ attention and persuade them to buy their products.

You may also need creative product photos but don’t know where or how to find them.

All right. In this article, I will provide you with the best creative product photography tips that will enrich your photography talents. And, after that, you will have no lacking in it.

So, let’s start it.

What Is Creative Product Photography Called?

Creative product photography is a unique photoshoot technique in which a photographer combines both art and marketing purposes to create a pleasing and appealing visuality of a product. It aims to grab the consumer’s attention and persuade them to buy the products charmingly.

Now you can ask why it’s called a creative?

Well, I am clearing up.

When making perfect product photographs, it’s not just for traditional marketing purposes. It also includes an artistic creation that makes an eyecatching look of the whole image and attracts the viewers to the product naturally.

In this process, a photographer utilizes his innovative photographic talents to highlight a product from different shapes, colors, and angles, and finally, he makes a creative photoshoot using the right emotion.

Before taking a shot, he generates some progressive ideas on how to implement his creativity and uniqueness for the product photos. He does proper planning for the right camera setting, perfect studio creation, sensational environment, background, etc., that can help to bring the desired success.

In essence, utilizing both marketing and artistic purposes, a creative product shoot represents a product in such a way that differentiates it from the others and makes the consumers satisfied at the same time.

Read: Top trending product photo background that trending on Social media right now

Types of Creative Shots in Product Photography

Apart from the camera, lens, and studio props, you also need some creative shots that can showcase your product uniquely and attractively. Here, I provided six types of creative shots for product photography.

Individual shots

In product photography, individual shots include only a single object in the frame. It focuses on a product and highlights its main features. It’s the most useful in creative product photoshoots to make item catalogs and banners and showcase products on e-commerce platforms.

Group shots

A group shot is a kind of product photography that includes more than one object in the frame. It mainly showcases two, three, or more products in a single photo that often displays the range and variety of product collections.

Group shots are perfect for e-commerce or social media marketing as it represents the whole brand rather than a single product.

Lifestyle shots

Lifestyle shots display a product as it is used by a model. It aims to highlight the authentic look of a product and make a consumer imagine how he/she looks when using the product in real life. It’s very useful for e-commerce, emails, and social media advertising.

Scale shots

Scale shots are types of product photos that give the customers an actual size sense of a product, such as how big or small it is. It helps them visualize whether the products will fit them or not. So, when the customers know the actual product size, they will be confident to order it.

Detailed shots

Detailed shots are types of close-up shots that highlight the details and specific features of the products. It aims to remove any confusion or query that the consumers might have about the product while visiting your e-commerce site.

It helps the customers make a buying decision with ease. It’s commonly used on the product page.

Packaging shots

Packaging shots are a kind of product photography that includes the packaging and labelling of a product and focuses it in a trustworthy way. It mainly shows the product in an authentic look in real life and also displays the exact information of the product on it.

Customers always care about packaging shots. It helps to increase product sales.

Creative Product Photography Ideas with Examples

You already knew about creative product photography and its types. Now it’s time to learn vast ideas of creative product photography with examples. So, let’s dive in.

Shoot Flat Lays

Flat lays are types of product photos captured directly from above like a bird’s eye view, including a perfect arrangement of the objects. It requires spreading out or arranging the products on a flat surface.

A great flat lay photo emphasizes a colorful story combining its objects and making a good relevance. It’s so popular for personal or business branding.

How do you shoot a perfect flat lay?

• Use a relevant background depending on the product’s colors.
• Choose a devoted flat lay photography table.
• Set a flat surface and a camera on a tripod.
• Take manual shoots from above.

Freeze the Motion

Freeze the motion is a photography technique used to capture a moving scene in a picture that looks like the time just froze at that moment. It needs a fast shutter speed and aperture to freeze the motion of a subject without blur.

How do you freeze the motion?

• Select shutter priority mode
• Use a fast shutter speed
• Increase your ISO for faster shutter speeds
• Use a wide aperture

Try Some Macro Shots

A macro shot is a type of close-up photoshoot of a small object. Product photographers frequently take macro shots to highlight a small product or a specific object on it. Macro shots are useful for jewelry products like neckless, rings, cosmetics, etc. You can capture a macro shot in a studio or outdoor environment.

How do you take a macro shot?

• Choose the right camera and lens equipment.
• Take enough depth of field.
• Focus on the most important part of your subject.

Product Absorption

Product absorption is a good technique for taking incredible product images. It makes the product look as if it is absorbed in the background object that highlights the product in a great way. Also, you can make the product appear like it’s emerging from the backdrop.

How do you make a product absorption?

• Place the product in the water, sand, or powder
• Utilize a solid object related to the product theme.

Floating Products

A floating product is a photography technique that makes the product look floating over the surface. It creates a three-dimension to product photos and adds a dramatic look to the image.

How do you make the floating product?

• Use rope, wire, or a finishing line to make your product float.
• Activate your shutter speed to freeze the movement scene in time.
• After finishing, remove the wire or finishing line using photoshop.

Shoot from Unusual Angles

The main aim of product photography is to highlight the product and make it attractive to the buyers. That’s why you should shoot a product from different and unusual angles. Because it helps to focus on the real beauty of the product.

What types of angles can you use?

• The front angle
• The Profile angle
• The 45-degree angle
• The back angle
• The top shot

Create a scene to get incredible product photos

Creating a scene in product photography means making the entire image area, including the product body, look attractive and heavenly using perfect background and relevant equipment. It is very crucial for making incredible product photos. It precisely attracts the customers and makes them excited to purchase the product.

How can you make a scene?

• Use heavenly background relevant to your product.
• Add some extra equipment or products to look incredible.

Smoke for a mysterious look

Smoke can create a mysterious look to your product image. If you are taking shots for any moody products like whiskey, cigarette, or wine, adding smoke will be great for a dramatic product photo. Because smoke can highlight maturity and attract your targeted audience.

How do you add smoke?

• Purchase a smoke machine and activate it when taking shots
• Or create smoke by hand using home-ingredients

Human Touch

Human touch can provide a different look to your product photo. If you want to show your product to the customers how they should use it or how it looks when being used, adding a human touch will be a great try.

How do you use human touch?

• Attach a human hand holding the product
• Put a human in the picture, creating relevance
• Display the product condition after being used.

Try Lifestyle Shots

Lifestyle shots are crucial for making a product photoshoot creative and unique. It shows the real-life scenery where people use the product. It aims to be more realistic and convincing than traditional marketing. For that, when visitors see a lifestyle product photo, they imagine using the product in real life.

How do you make lifestyle shots?

• You can use a model using the product
• Try to focus on what the product is for
• Use outdoor or a perfect studio

Use a reflective surface

A reflective surface is also known as mirror photography. It acts like mirror lighting when you create an artistic reflection of a scene. Using a reflective surface can make an amazing glow to your product. People mostly get attracted by this type of product image.

How do you use a reflective surface?

• Perceive the law of reflection.
• Utilize diffusion materials.
• Light the objects your product will reflect.
• Angle your camera strategically.

Using Color for Emphasis

Using colors to emphasize the product perfectly is one of the best ideas. Highlighting the product color and contrasting it with the proper background helps to make the product photos more imaginative and fashionable. It’s very effective to catch the client’s attraction.

How do you use color?

• Choose different colors for the different products and background
• Try to make a perfect contrast between the product and the backdrop.

360 Degree Photos

360 Degree is a type of photography that takes several photos of a product from various sides and angles. After that, these still photos are converted into a video, and it creates a full view of product photos on your ecommerce site. It helps the visitors view the product from each angle.

How do you make 360-degree photos?

• Collect 360-degree supported camera.
• Use shots from all the sides.
• Finally, create 360-degree photos.

Shoot Products Photo Together

A group shot puts all the products together in a single photo. It’s useful to showcase a variety of product collections of a brand or a company in one frame. This type of product image is best for ecommerce platforms for advertising purposes.

How do you get photos together?

• Organize all the products coherently
• Focus on each product accurately
• Use a tripod and proper lighting

Show Ingredients

Showing ingredients with the products creates an extraordinary impact on the customers’ minds. Because when a customer knows the right materials that make the products, it will give him great confidence to purchase.

How do you show ingredients?

• Generate the most useful ingredients used to make the products.
• Showcase them with your product by creating a fair matching.

Fashion Model For Product Photography

Hiring fashion models for product photography has become more crucial. Because a fashion model can bring a special human touch, better creative flexibility, and use the right emotions. It’s helpful to showcase the versatility of the product and convince people to buy.

How do you use a fashion model?

• Understand your product perspective and budget level.
• Make a short list of models based on their experience and budget.
• Hire the best model matching your product and budget limit.

Add Texture for a better view

Adding texture in photography is considered one of the most important elements to highlight a subject’s hidden beauty. It can focus on the colors, shapes, and depth of a subject’s surface that are easily not seen in normal view. You can use a texture by putting the product in the sand, water, grass, stones, wood, etc.

How do you use texture?

• Showcase the details
• Use proper contrast
• Try various angles

Use Paper Craft Backgrounds

A paper craft background can create an artistic look for your product photo. You can make different crafts matching your product category and use them as a background for your product photography. It’s an amazing and creative idea to promote your product extensively.

How to use a paper craft background?

• Buy craft paper and make crafts yourself if you can.
• Or purchase radiant papercrafts and use them in photography.

Surrealism in Product Photography

Surrealism is always considered exceptional creativity. It can create a feeling that a person is watching the image with a high sense or a deep emotion. Using surrealism in product photography can make a great attraction of the product and deeply amaze the consumers.

How do you take surreal product photography?

• Blur the movement and background.
• You can use double exposure.
• Create a silhouette and experiment with light.

Creative Product Photographer to Follow

Creative photographers help learn stunning product photography. Here I am mentioning some professional photographers who can follow.

Karl Taylor

Karl Taylor is a popular photographer who has more than 25 years of experience in this profession. He receives commissions from the leading companies in the world for his vast and accurate knowledge of details and light control. Moreover, he works as a global ambassador for Hasselblad Camera Company and Broncolor Lighting.

Karl works in a vast area of photography like beauty, advertising, and fashion. He mainly started his career as a photojournalist. Also, he enjoys photo shooting in a vast area of genres. Karl believes that variety is the spice of life and the visual philosophies for creating effective images are universal.

Follow on Instagram: @karltaylorphotography

Ksenia Bolshakova

Ksenia Bolshakova is a popular product photographer who lives in the Czech Republic. She is the best for beauty and skincare brand photography. This professional brand photographer captures polished editorial images that are so effective for any glossy magazine.

If your brand is related to beauty and skincare, no doubt you will love Ksenia Bolshakova. Her artistic concepts and flawless style will make your brand look creative and unique.

Follow on Instagram: @kse.bolshakova

David Newton

David Newton is an international award-winning professional photographer and movie-maker. He loves taking shots in the outdoors and nature. He is famous for product photography. Also, travelling photography is his passion.

David works with some of the biggest brands in the photo industry as a brand ambassador, such as Canon, SanDisk, Manfrotto, Lastolite, LitePanels, H&Y, and Koy Lab. His photography, teaching and presentation skills made him popular. In 2020 he won the Travel Photographer of the Year “Island” category.

Follow on Instagram: @davidnewtonphotography

Timothy Hogan

Timothy Hogan is not just a photographer but also a master of successful photography for 25 years. He approaches every project with the inventive and business mind of an entrepreneur. His problem-solving skills enable him to create stunning product photography with elegance.

Tim always seeks out innovative and breaking barrier projects that encourage him to make the product and brand the hero of the audience. Tim won many awards in photography for more than 20 years.

Follow on Instagram: @timothyhoganstudio

Amanda Campeanu

Amanda is a young product photographer. She started her photography journey in 2017. Within a little time, she got reliable experience and more popularity for her shining product photography. On Instagram, she shined her fame as a celebrity.

In her 4 years of career, Amanda built a 6 figure business that is fully booked out with photography and video creation. Now she also teaches photography and provides vivid guidance on it.

Follow on Instagram: @amandacampeanu

Weekend Creative

Weekend Creative is a photography and art direction team that works based in the bay area of San Fransisco. This company creates editorial imagery, creative brand photography, and stop motion focusing on the unique, innovative concepts that help to elevate any brand or product.

Moreover, they also have round-figure backgrounds in advertising, graphic design, art direction, and media. Though they are based in California, they usually partner with any brands or industries around the world. Their versatility in photographic works made them famous on Instagram and other platforms.

Follow on Instagram: @weekendcreative

Yaroslav Danylchenko

Yaroslav Danylchenko is a famous food and product photographer in Ukraine. Also, he offers advertising photography, production studio, and photo retouching services from simple to high-end levels.

Danylchenko has work experience with lots of commercial brands and advertising agencies. From McDonald’s (Ukraine, Georgia) to Nestle, Lurpak, AB InBev Efes, PepsiCo, Samsung, KFC, TBWA, BBDO, and more brands are Danylchenko’s clients. He gained numerous awards for his incredible works.

Follow on Instagram: @danylchenkocom

Alina

Alina is a professional stop motion animation creator. She contains a great studio in Ukraine named “So Daze”. She only works for commercial purposes. At present, she is collaborating with many brands and companies such as Golden Globes Awards, Adobe, Nutella, Pepsi, Cosmopolitan, and Tefal.

In addition to this, Alina is a professional photography teacher who offers numerous online course services on photography and stop-motion with tutorial videos and practices. She achieved many awards for her creative works. One of them is “Snackable Content Awards”. She is a Gold Winner of it.

Follow on Instagram: @so.daze

Coco Peri

Coco Peri is a creative entrepreneur who is specialized in advertisement and marketing strategies. She is a professional photographer and video editor. Apart from this, she also teaches stop motion and brand magic.

Currently, she works with several prominent brands and companies, including Sony, Dunkin, Birdies, Califa Firms, etc. Coco is also on a mission to empower people to open their creativity.

Follow on Instagram: @colette.peri

Chris Pieta

Chris Pieta is a professional photographer and video creator. He is the owner of Pieta Productions, which is a photo and video production company. Its goal is to make high-quality content to promote any brands. This company is the best for storytelling through product photos and videos.

It works with lots of food and beverage brands to manage their marketing goals. Even Pieta worked with more than 50 brands during the pandemic.

Follow on Instagram: @chrispieta

Lucas Zarebinski

Lucas Zarebinski is a professional Still Life photographer. Zarebinski gained a degree in Fine Arts and photography. He works with commercial photography, videography, food Photography, Video Animation, Video Editing, visual design, and brand design.

At present, he lives in New York, and his photography works are mainly involved in this area. His profession made him famous on Instagram, and a huge number of newcomers follow him to learn more about photography and videography.

Follow on Instagram: @lucas_zarebinski

FAQs

What angles make product photos look more unique?

It depends on the product categories and photography types, such as the right angle will be the best option if you are taking packshot photography.

What is the best lens for product photography?

Several lenses can be effective for product photography, such as Canon 85mm f1.8, Canon 24-70 f2.8, Sigma 24-105 f.4 Art, Nikon AF-S FX Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G Lens, etc.

How to choose the right color scheme for a product?

You can choose the right color scheme following some steps: 1. prioritize the user experience. 2. Set a color scheme mode. 3. Consider the color context and refer to the color wheel. 4. Draft multiple designs.

How does the rule of thirds apply to product photography?

The role of thirds divides the shot into 9 equal segments where the subject should be positioned at the intersection of the vertical and horizontal lines. The intersection appears when you divide the frame into 3 equal columns and 3 rows.

What Equipment Do You Need for Product Photography?

To take the perfect product photography, you need several pieces of equipment such as a Camera, Tripod, White/black bounce cards, Table, Tape, The right room with perfect lighting, Post-production/photo editing software, etc.

How much do you charge for product photography?

Every photographer demands a different charge amount as per their experience and photo quality. The charge also varies depending on the contract types like per hour, per image, per project, etc.

Final Word

Creative photography is crucial to promoting any products on e-commerce platforms. It helps to create a deep attraction in the visitors’ minds and convince them to purchase the products.

In this content, You learned the most effective photography ideas and got the best creative product photographers to follow. I hope it will help you utilize for next. All the best.