Many times you will have found yourself browsing online stores with product photos that have caught your attention for whatever reason. Many times it can be due to the product itself, but many others, to factors external to the product, either due to other objects that accompany it in the image, due to its placement, etc.
But lately we are finding a factor with which online stores are playing a lot: the backgrounds of the photos. That is, what is behind the product in the image that shows it. We are used to white backgrounds that do not distract the eye beyond the product, but this has changed and other types of backgrounds are now trends, often coming closer to advertising photos than for eCommerce.
The most common in photography for eCommerce is to take the photos in a studio. The most important thing in this case is lighting, so a large space is needed in the studio to place different lights, as well as, of course, tables, photographic material and space to store the products to be photographed.
The good thing about taking photos in a studio is that, although it takes more or less time to illuminate the products, depending on the size of the products or their type (since we often find products that are more complex to illuminate, such as those with metallic finishes, bottles, etc.), once it is ready, everything will go smoothly, one product after another, although it will also depend on the complexity of placing the product on the photography set. Any product can be photographed in the studio, even those of large dimensions such as furniture, vehicles or machinery. That yes, you have to have availability of ample space.
As I mentioned at the beginning, until now white backgrounds taken from the camera or thanks to the silhouette of the products have been common in studio photos, but every time we find more photos with natural backgrounds, that is, as they come out of the camera without bleaching them at all. Or also, looking for other shades of backgrounds such as grayish or off-white. It is also a trend to even see shadows of the models and products in the background.
Photography with models
This is common, especially in fashion eCommerce, in which it is increasingly rare to see photos of models on a white background in the main brands. Be careful, we are not saying that photos with a white background are not correct, but rather that they are less common. Spectacular results are often achieved with riskier backgrounds, such as black. One of the most common options is the blank background and context. In this case, you need to remove background with a special software.
Other times, you choose to take photos in outdoor locations. As in-studio photos, any type of product can be photographed outdoors, unless contact with the air distorts its appearance (this can occur, for example, with some food products, chemical products, etc.).
Outdoor photos are usually taken to contextualize the product with its area of use
Many other times, outdoor photos are not taken to give a contextual touch, but to seek a different aesthetic. This happens especially with the campaign photos of fashion stores, lookbooks, etc. For certain products, especially those related to domestic furniture and decoration, it is also convenient to resort to photos that contextualize them in the environment in which they are usually used. For this, scenarios, sets or whatever we want to call them are used, which resemble the rooms where they are used (for example, falsifying a room in a studio to show a bed). You can also choose to search for real locations where you can do these shootings with the products to be photographed.