Spending hours trying to DIY product photos of your crafts only to end up disappointed with your results leaves a lot of craft sellers and makers frustrated. It’s even more frustrating when you don’t know what adjustments you need to make.
That’s why I want to share with you some insider tips on how to improve your product photos so you can get your crafts noticed and sold online.
I’ll break down how I transformed a boring product photo into something truly eye-catching. You’ll learn the key areas I focused on to elevate my shot, complete with before-and-after examples.
Whether you’re just learning how to DIY your own product photos or you’re looking to improve your current photos, you’ll get practical tips to photograph your crafts that will make your product pop and increase your sales online. So let’s dive in!
Transforming My Product Photo
Before the changes: The Initial Setup
When I first set up this shot, I imagined it as someone’s personal space, like their bedside table or the top of their dresser. I wanted to create a scene that felt like it was in someone’s home.
I placed the art print on a stack of books with a plant just peeking out to the side, playing on the theme of the art piece. I started taking photos and even with some adjustments, I realized that this shot wasn’t working. Something was off, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
Reviewing and analyzing what didn’t work
A few days later, I revisited the photo to figure out what was off, and here’s what stood out:
Flat lighting
Flat lighting isn’t bad per se, but it wasn’t working in this photo. Adding more shadows would give the photo a lot more dimension, making the product pop and the photo more visually appealing.
Too much white, empty space
The overall shot felt too light and white, from the background, the books, and the print itself. While the focus is mainly on the plant print which is good, everything else in the shot is not doing a good job of highlighting it well.
Randomly placed props
The position of the plant felt awkward as though it’s not sure if it’s supposed to be in the photo or not. Plus, the stack of books doesn’t seem to add much to the shot, making me wonder if they should be included or not in the photo.
Unflattering angle
The angle of this shot is too straight-forward and lacks dimension. Photographing the product at a different angle and even getting closer could help improve the photo's overall composition.
So let’s see what I changed!
Making Changes: Revamping The Setup
The next time I went to take product photos, I accidentally grabbed a smaller print. But I applied what I learned from my previous attempt to change my setup and hopefully get a better photo.
Adjust the print angle
Rather than photograph the print straight on like before, I decided to angle the print slightly towards the right.
This small change added a little dimension to the shot, making the lines more visually interesting.
Improve the lighting
I changed the direction of the light so rather than it coming in from the side, it was coming in from the front.
This adjustment helped brighten up the overall shot, especially highlighting the plant print.
Switch up the surface
I replaced the books and opted for a marble slab board from my kitchen to act as the surface. It added some visual interest to the shot, but without distracting and taking the focus away from the print.
Plus, the dark line details in the marble complement the dark tones in the photo and help tie the different elements of the photo together.
Rearrange the plant
Keeping with the botanical theme of the print, I wanted to keep the plant in the photo.
Instead of having it to the side of the print, I integrated it more naturally into the shot by placing it behind the print.
The leaves add some organic, visual interest and the white pot adds a pop of white, without distracting and taking away from the print itself.
Go with a darker background
Since the previous photo was too washed out for me with all the light color tones, I decided to try a black background instead.
This ended up being a smart choice because it added the drama and contrast the previous shot was lacking. The black background made the print pop!
Comparing The Before And After
The changes between both photos resulted in me taking time to look at different aspects of the photos to figure out what wasn’t working.
I decided to experiment with changing things up to see what would happen. Even while I was making these changes, I could sense that this photo was going to look a lot better.
And those books? It turns out I didn’t need them after all. Sometimes a well-placed prop is all you need to help tell the story of your product.
Taking a step back to look at the different aspects of the photo like the background, lighting, and so on helped me make better-informed decisions about what I was going to do differently the next time photographed this product.
Improving your product photos
Understand what works and doesn’t work
It’s hard to improve your product photos if you don’t know what’s not working. This does take practice, but when looking at your photos, here are some areas to look at and consider.
Background
Do you like it? Do your craft product pop? Is it too dark, too light or too busy?
Lighting
Are there shadows or are the shadows non-existent? Are there light and dark areas of your photo? Are the shadows distracting?
Angle/Framing
Is there a lot of space around your product or is there little to no space? Does the angle of your product seem natural or feel awkward?
Props
Are the props adding to the overall story or feeling you’re looking to convey? Do they look distracting and out of place?
There’s a lot you can consider, but looking at these areas of your product photo will help you begin to look at our product photos differently and start guiding you toward the next step.
Get inspired with your product photos
Wanting better photos isn’t enough to give you better results. You need to know what you’re aiming for. So let’s get inspired!
To improve your product photos, you need to have an idea of what you’re looking to work towards. Because without it, it’ll be harder to know what you’re aiming for.
So to help get the creative juices flowing, search for products like yours on Google, Pinterest and even Instagram.
Spending time looking product photos of products similar to yours will help you get ideas of ways you can photograph your work.
Use the information you gathered about your own product photos and see if you can get clearer about what kind of photos you want to capture at your next photo shoot.
Start practicing
Great product photos don't happen overnight but happen over time. It’s a process and a journey.
And getting there requires practice, just like any new skill you’re looking to grow and improve. Spend time each week practicing photographing your crafts.
Set aside just 30-60 minutes a week to practice over the next 8 weeks and you’ll see your photos improve quicker than picking up your camera a few times a year.
Use the information you gathered about what you like and don’t like about your photos to guide you toward making changes.
Try new angles, backgrounds, and lighting to see how these changes make your photos look better.
Don’t give up
Learning to take product photos is hard for a lot of craft sellers and makers. It’s natural to want to see great results fast.
But just like any area of your craft business, it takes time.
You’re going to make a lot of mistakes along the way and your first or second attempt may not come out the way you want. But that’s ok.
Every moment you spend working to improve your photos is helping you to grow this new skill that will help you get your crafts seen and sold online. So don’t give up.
Observe what works and what doesn’t and practice to make better decisions each time you pick up the camera.
Sooner or later, all those changes will add up and the next thing you know, you’ll be capturing stunning photos of your crafts in no time.
Final Thoughts
Learning product photography as a craft seller may seem overwhelming, especially when your passion is all about creating amazing handmade products.
But remember, everyone starts as a beginner and the fact that you’re reading this says you’re on the right path to creating photos that make your crafts shine.
Start small
Instead of trying to make a lot of changes to your photos, focus on one thing at a time. Maybe this week you focus on changing up your lighting.
Then next week, test out a few new backgrounds to see which one makes your product pop the most.
Starting small by focusing on one thing at a time will help you from getting overwhelmed and see progress in your photography skills.
Ask for feedback
Don’t forget to get feedback from the handmade community and even photographers.
Connecting with others who understand the challenges you face and who have been in your shoes can be super valuable in your journey.
The insights and encouragement can play a major role in accelerating your photography skills more quickly than if you going at this solo.
Celebrate your progress
Each time you pick up your camera is an opportunity for you to learn and grow your photography skills.
Celebrate your wins, no matter how small it may seem, like just moving a prop to a different spot. These are the building blocks of your learning to develop a skill that will help you sell your crafts online.
Product photography isn’t just about taking a photo of a product. It’s about capturing a photo that shows off how amazing your handcrafted products are.
Each photo is an opportunity to help potential customers see the value and quality of your work that they can’t get anywhere else.
What’s one step you can take towards improving your product photos? Share your thoughts below and let me know!