In this article · 8 sections
On an online store, photos do the job a shopkeeper does in person. Customers can't touch or try the product, so they judge quality almost entirely from the images. The good news: a recent smartphone, natural light and a little technique are enough for most small stores.
The basic setup
Light: use a window
Shoot near a large window with indirect daylight. Avoid direct sun, which creates harsh shadows. Turn off room lights to avoid mixed colour tones.
Background
A white or light-grey background works for most products and marketplaces. Options: - A sheet of white chart paper curved from the wall to the table (a "sweep" with no visible corner) - A cheap foldable light tent - A plain wooden or marble-look sheet for lifestyle shots
Reflector
A white card or thermocol sheet opposite the window bounces light into the shadows. This makes a huge difference.
Stability
Use a small tripod or rest the phone on books. Use the timer or a remote to avoid shake.
Phone settings
- Clean the lens
- Use the main camera, not the wide-angle one, to avoid distortion
- Tap to focus on the product; lower exposure slightly if white areas look blown out
- Avoid digital zoom; move closer instead
- Turn off beauty filters and heavy "AI enhancements"
- Shoot in the highest resolution
Shots every product needs
- Main image: product on a plain background, filling most of the frame
- Angles: front, back, side, top
- Details: texture, stitching, material, buttons, labels
- Scale: product in hand or next to a common object
- In use / lifestyle: worn, placed in a room, being used
- What's in the box: all included items
- Size chart or dimensions, as a clean graphic
Consistency is everything
Use the same background, lighting, distance and angle order for every product. A consistent catalogue looks professional even with simple equipment. Mark your phone and product positions with tape so you can repeat the setup.
Editing
Keep it natural: - Crop and straighten - Adjust brightness and white balance so whites look white - Remove background if needed (Canva, Photoroom and phone tools can do this) - Don't change the product's real colour. That leads to returns.
Sizes for your website
- Square images (1:1) work well in product grids
- Export at around 1200–1600 px on the longest side for zoom
- Compress and convert to WebP before uploading
- Name files descriptively (
blue-cotton-kurta-front.webp) - Add alt text describing the product
See image optimisation for details.
Video
A 10–20 second clip showing the product from all sides, or in use, builds trust and works on product pages, Instagram Reels and WhatsApp status.
When to hire a photographer
For fashion with models, jewellery (reflective surfaces are hard), food styling or a premium brand launch, a professional shoot is worth it. For everyday catalogue updates, an in-house phone setup is fine.
Good photos plus a well-built product page turn visitors into buyers. Need an online store? We build them from ₹12,999. Contact us.