11 simple tips on how to take better pictures to sell goods

If you have an ecommerce store or want to showcase items for sale on your site, it's important to learn how to take product photos that truly showcase just how amazing your products are. In this guide, you’ll find tips and tricks to take better product photos and drive sales.

Why quality product photos matter

Clicking the button of your camera is easy, but using your camera effectively is something you need to master in order to stay competitive in the world of selling products online.

A stellar photo can be the difference between you making a sale or losing that sale to your competitor instead.

Consider the fact that whenever you're shopping for goods online, you're probably paying close attention to the images you're seeing — often without even realizing it. When a business takes the extra step to make sure its images are the best they can be, it tells you that they genuinely care about what they're selling and the people they're selling to.

Product photos give your website visitors the first impression of what their interaction and transactions with you will be like.

Quick-start product photography guide for beginners

If you’re new to product photography, it’s easy to overthink the process. The fastest way to get started is to focus on consistency and clarity first, then refine over time. Start by choosing one product and creating:

One clean, white-background image for your main listing photo
One lifestyle image showing the product in use
One close-up highlighting a key feature or material

Once you’ve established a simple setup that works, apply the same lighting, angles, and background across your other products. This approach helps you launch faster while creating a cohesive look across your store, even if you plan to upgrade photos later.

DIY end-to-end ecommerce photography workflow

High-quality product photography isn’t just a “nice-to-have.” Research consistently shows that compelling product images can increase conversion rates by up to 30% compared to low-quality imagery.

Here are the steps you’ll need to level up your photo skills.

1. Set up your studio

When setting up your photography space, your goal should be to maximize light and minimize distractions. Some suggestions on how to get consistent light and clean backgrounds for catalog-ready shots are:

Shoot near a large window for soft, natural light.
Use a white sweep (a backdrop that curves seamlessly onto the floor) or a clean white sheet on a table to eliminate busy backgrounds.
Create an L-shaped setup between the backdrop and the table so products sit naturally against it.
Add a reflector opposite the window to bounce light and reduce harsh shadows. White poster board works great if you don’t have a reflector.

2. Focus on style and composition

Strong product photos balance clarity with creativity. Your main image should clearly show what you’re selling. Additional styling and composition choices in subsequent photos help shoppers understand how the product looks, feels, and fits into real life.

Use plain white backgrounds for your primary product images. This keeps focus on the product and meets most marketplace standards.
Mix in lifestyle shots that show the product in use to help customers imagine owning it.
Try different compositions like:
- Diagonal compositions: eye-level shots with depth.
- Flat lay (C-shape) layouts: great for accessories or bundled products.

3. Get the lighting right

Lighting has a major impact on how your product looks online. It affects everything from color accuracy to texture and overall perceived quality, so focusing on your lighting setup is crucial.

Natural light near a window offers soft shadows and natural color.
If shadows are heavy, use a diffuser (like a sheer curtain) or add reflectors.
For artificial lighting, two softboxes as key and fill lights balance shadows for consistent results.

4. Learn your camera settings

Using the right camera settings ensures your product photos stay sharp, evenly lit, and consistent across every image on your site. Steady, well-focused images make products look more trustworthy. You don’t need a professional camera, but you should:

Use a small aperture (higher f-stop) to keep the whole product in focus.
If shooting with a phone, use portrait mode for natural background blur or apps that let you lock exposure and focus.
Consider using a tripod to prevent blur and keep images consistent across shots.

5. Plan out your positioning and reflectors

Careful product placement and strategic use of reflectors help control shadows, highlight details, and create a more polished look.

Place the product near your light source (window or softbox).
Use reflectors to fill shadows and bring out detail.
For shiny products, shift angles slightly to avoid glare.

6. Shoot from multiple angles

Showing your product from several angles gives shoppers the visual confidence they need to understand its size, features, and intended use. In fact, studies suggest 33.16% of shoppers prefer multiple photos, and 60% prefer 360° views over a single image. With that in mind, you can:

Take standard front, side, and back shots.
Add close-ups of textures or details.
Include group shots for bundles or accessories.

7. Review and retouch product photos

Reviewing and lightly editing your photos after the shoot helps create a cohesive catalog without diluting how accurately your products are portrayed. After shooting:

Review images for clarity and consistency.
Adjust white balance, sharpness, and contrast so colors look natural.
Use free tools (e.g., GIMP, Canva) or AI-assisted editors to speed up retouching.

8. Optimize images for the web

Optimizing your images for the web improves page load times, supports search visibility, and ensures your photos look great on every device. To do this:

Compress images to balance quality and load times. Slow-loading pages lead to higher bounce rates.
Add SEO-friendly alt text that describes the image using relevant keywords.

Not all platforms display images the same way, so it’s important to tailor your photos to where they’ll appear. For ecommerce storefronts:

Square images (1:1 ratio) work best for product grids and category pages.
Larger image sizes support zoom features, which help shoppers inspect details.
Consistent backgrounds and angles improve browsing flow.

For social media and ads:

Lifestyle images often outperform studio shots because they feel more relatable.
Vertical or slightly cropped images tend to perform better on mobile feeds.
Text should stay minimal so the product remains the focus.

Using the same base photos but adapting crops and layouts for each platform saves time while keeping your brand visually consistent.

9. Expand your photography styles

Using a variety of photography styles helps tell a fuller product story and keeps your listings visually engaging for different types of shoppers. Consider including:

Lifestyle photography to show products in context.
Detail shots to emphasize texture and features.
Flat lay and macro shots to add visual interest.

10. Consider scenarios for hiring pros

Many small businesses start with DIY photography, especially when budgets are tight. DIY setups often cost under a few hundred dollars and work well for simple products and smaller catalogs.

Professional photography typically costs more, but can be worth it when:

You sell high-value or highly detailed products.
You need consistent imagery across a large catalog.
Your products require advanced lighting or styling.

Professional shoots can range from a few hundred dollars for small batches to several thousand for large catalogs. The decision often comes down to balancing upfront cost with long-term brand impact and time savings.

If you decide to work with a photographer, look for:

Portfolios that include products similar to yours.
Clear pricing and deliverables, including the number of images and file formats.
Usage rights that allow you to use photos across your website, ads, and social channels.

A good vendor should understand ecommerce needs, not just photography aesthetics.

11. Organize and display your high-quality product photos

Once your product photos are ready, having a reliable system to manage and publish them is key. GoDaddy’s Online Store makes it easy to upload, organize, and display your product images across your storefront without extra tools or technical setup.

You can add multiple images per product, arrange them in the order shoppers see first, and maintain a consistent look across product pages. These tools help your photos work harder by improving visibility, usability, and overall shopping experience.

Troubleshooting tips

Even with a solid setup, small issues can still pop up during or after a shoot. Knowing how to spot and fix them saves time and helps keep your product images consistent.

Blurry photos often come from camera movement or low light. Use a tripod or stable surface and increase shutter speed or ISO if needed.
Harsh shadows usually mean the light is too direct. Add a diffuser, move the light farther away, or introduce a reflector to soften the contrast.
Glare on shiny products can be reduced by adjusting the shooting angle or slightly repositioning the light source.
Distracting backgrounds take attention away from the product. Stick to clean, neutral backdrops and limit props to only what adds context.
Inconsistent colors across images are often caused by changing light conditions. Lock your white balance and keep lighting consistent between shots.

Treat troubleshooting as part of your regular workflow. Small adjustments can quickly turn an almost-good photo into one that’s ready to sell.