Ecommerce photography gives online shoppers the visual information they cannot get by handling a product. A useful image set explains what the item is, how it looks, its scale and the details that matter before purchase. The starting point is a clear shot list, not simply a better camera.
This guide covers the decisions to make before an ecommerce shoot: which images to commission, how to prepare products, how to brief the production team and what to check before uploading the finished files.
What should an ecommerce image set include?
Choose each image to answer a customer question. A decorative photograph can support a campaign, but it should not replace a clear view of the item being sold.
- Main product image: a clean, readable view that identifies the exact product and variant.
- Alternative angles: the back, sides, interior or underside where these reveal useful information.
- Detail images: materials, texture, stitching, controls, fittings or other features that a wider shot cannot explain.
- Scale and use: a carefully chosen in-context image that helps someone judge size or understand how the product works.
- Packaging and contents: show what is included, clearly distinguishing accessories sold separately.
- Variations: accurate images of the colours, sizes or configurations customers can select.
There is no single image count that suits every product. A simple item may need only a few views; a technical product may require a more detailed sequence. Remove repeated angles that add no information and prioritise gaps that could leave the buyer uncertain.
Packshots, lifestyle images or both?
Packshots make the product easy to inspect and compare. Lifestyle images place it in a relevant setting. These serve different purposes, so plan them separately rather than assuming one photograph will work everywhere.
For example, a reusable bottle could have a clean front view, a close-up of the lid, an image showing its scale in a hand and a separate outdoor campaign photograph. This is an illustrative shot list, not a fixed requirement. The right mix depends on the product, customer and sales channel.
Prepare products before the shoot
Confirm the final product list and label each sample with its SKU or another agreed identifier. Check that packaging, labels and colours match the version customers will receive. Keep a record of missing samples and substitutions so they do not become delivery errors.
Clean surfaces, check reflective areas for fingerprints and prepare fabrics before photographing them. Keep spare samples or packaging where damage would interrupt the shoot. Shopify’s product photography guide is a useful starting point for product preparation, stable camera positioning and controlled lighting.
Approve a test image before the full range is photographed. Agree the background, angle, crop, shadow treatment and apparent product size. A reference sheet makes it easier to keep later additions consistent with the original catalogue.
Check the requirements of each sales channel
Your own website, a marketplace, a shopping feed and a paid advertisement may need different files. List the intended destinations in the brief and check their current requirements before shooting.
For Google Merchant Center, the main image should show the actual item clearly. Avoid adding promotional text, watermarks or graphic sales messages to that product image. Google provides separate guidance for additional and lifestyle images; see its current product image requirements before export and submission. Requirements can change, so do not rely on an old specification copied into a previous brief.
Keep clean master files and make separate derivatives for the required crops and placements. An advertising layout with a headline should not become the only available version of the product photograph.
Agree delivery and retouching in the brief
Specify what the photographer or production company will deliver rather than assuming that every edit, crop and file format is included.
- Product identifiers, shot types and the number of approved images.
- Background treatment and consistent framing across the range.
- Retouching scope, including dust removal and any more involved work.
- Required dimensions, aspect ratios, file formats and naming conventions.
- Who approves the images and how feedback will be collected.
- Usage rights, delivery dates, revision rounds and storage responsibilities.
Retouching should preserve an accurate representation of the item. Discuss changes that could alter colour, material, fit or included features before they are made. Preview exports in the actual website layout and on a phone, checking sharpness, crop and loading performance.
When is product video useful?
A short video can explain movement, assembly, operation or a feature that is difficult to communicate in a still image. Plan it alongside the photography if both are required: lighting, styling and product handling may need to accommodate motion as well as individual frames.
Give every clip a specific purpose. A demonstration, a close-up of a mechanism and a social campaign edit are different deliverables. Agree the duration, framing and any captions before filming.
A final checklist before publishing
- Does each image match the product and variant on the page?
- Can shoppers understand the important details and scale?
- Are naming, crops and colour treatment consistent?
- Do the exports meet the current requirements of their destination?
- Have you checked the mobile layout and written useful image descriptions?
- Are approved masters stored separately from web and advertising versions?
If you need production support, Tomorrow’s Creative provides ecommerce photography services and product photography and video services for brands, retailers and agencies. Share the product list, intended channels and required delivery date when discussing a shoot.