A guide to product photography for e-shops: from SKUs to files

Product photography for an e-shop calls for consistency across categories, not just a good camera. A visitor moving from page to page should see one shop, not a collage of different shoots.

Most of the work happens before the lights go on. The clearer the preparation, the fewer retakes and corrections you will need.

Start with the SKU list

Make a file of all the product codes to be photographed. For each code, note the category, the colours or variants, and whether there is already a photo that can be kept.

Variants need care. A shoe in four colours may need a full set of shots in the main colour only, and one or two shots in the others. A garment with a different texture in each colour may need a full set for every colour. This decision has a direct effect on time and cost.

Group the product codes by category and size. The shoot moves faster when products that share the same setup are photographed one after another, without changing the set every so often.

Also check that the samples are in good condition: clean, ironed, without labels that shouldn't be visible. Anything fixed before the shot doesn't need fixing in editing.

Agree the specification for each category

For each product category, you set a few basics from the start:

• Background: white, coloured or a styled set, and whether it stays the same across the whole catalogue.
• Main angles: for example front, side, back and detail, in the same order for every product code.
• Aspect ratio: square, portrait or landscape framing, depending on the e-shop template and the channels where the images will be used.
• Position and size of the product in the frame, so that products appear in the right proportion to one another in the listing.
• Shadow: whether to keep a natural shadow under the product or isolate the product completely.
• Level of editing: basic colour correction, clean-up or more detailed retouching.

These decisions reduce retakes and make the result more uniform. Some categories need special treatment. Jewellery, glass and reflective surfaces need more work on lighting and editing, which is worth knowing before you fix a schedule. If you also sell on marketplaces, check their own background and dimension requirements in advance, so you don't need a second round of editing.

The best catalogue photography is the kind that needs no explanation: every product code looks as if it belongs to the same series.

Files ready for the e-shop

Delivery doesn't end with good-looking images. The final file needs the right name, a suitable size and descriptive alt text.

• Naming: with the product code, the colour and the shot number, so your team can upload the images without hunting for them.
• Size: large enough for zoom and light enough to load quickly on a phone.
• Alt text: a short description of what the image shows, useful for accessibility and for search.

File names and alt text don't replace good photos, but they help you manage the catalogue and make later updates. When new product codes are added, the same specification lets you carry on without starting from scratch.

If you'd like a first idea of the cost, the THPAUL Studio cost estimator takes into account the product category, the number of SKUs and the shots per product code. The estimate is indicative. The final quote depends on the product codes, shots and editing that are agreed.