{"id":7798,"date":"2021-11-26T06:53:16","date_gmt":"2021-11-26T06:53:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/?p=7798"},"modified":"2025-04-14T22:38:26","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T22:38:26","slug":"diy-guide-to-amazon-product-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/diy-guide-to-amazon-product-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY Guide to Amazon Product Photography: 7 Need-to-Know Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don\u2019t need to be Ansel Adams for amazing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/services\/amazon-product-photography\"><strong>Amazon photography<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 you don\u2019t even need to know who Ansel Adams is! You can still take great Amazon photos at home no matter what level of photographer you are; when it comes to DIY Amazon photography, even expert sellers can be beginners.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So here, we explain how to take Amazon photos at home like a pro. We combine both beginner and advanced advice so you can get that studio look right in your living room. Follow the 7 tips below and see for yours<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">elf how better pictures don\u2019t just impress shoppers, they also increase conversions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Review Amazon Product Photography Requirements<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First things first, your Amazon photography needs to comply with the official <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Amazon product image requirements<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These include a mix of technical requirements and content standards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you can check the link for a complete list, here\u2019s a quick summary of the more important ones:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">minimum of 1000 pixels on either height or width<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sRGB or CMYK color modes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TIFF, JPEG, GIF, or PNG formats<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">file names must include the product identifier (ASIN, UPC, etc.), followed by the file extension (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.jpg<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.png<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, etc.); example: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">B000123456.jpg<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the main image must fill 85% of the frame and be in focus<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the main image must be set against a true white background (RGB: 255, 255, 255)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the main image cannot contain additional text, graphics, or inset images<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The requirements for the additional images are more lenient, which is how sellers can post infographics, charts, and images of the product in action. However, the main image has more precise guidelines, and that\u2019s what we focus on here.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Use the Right Equipment\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using the right equipment is one of the best ways to avoid the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/mistakes-every-photographer-do-while-clicking-products-for-amazon\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">common mistakes in Amazon photography<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Taking pixel-perfect product photos requires some investment, but not as much as you might think \u2014 you can scale costs up or down depending on what you have available.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Specifically, for the best DIY Amazon photos, consider these tools:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a high-quality camera, ideally <\/span><b>mirrorless<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><b>DSLR<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; some phone cameras with good specs can do in a pinch, but they won\u2019t provide the same detail as high-end cameras, and those details are what shoppers want to see\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a white background; to cut costs, you can either use a <\/span><b>white seamless paper roll<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as a backdrop, or create your own cheap <\/span><b>white box<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Create-an-Inexpensive-Photography-Lightbox\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">using household supplies<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">artificial lighting, ideally <\/span><b>LED<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><b>incandescent lamps<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a camera <\/span><b>tripod<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to reduce blurriness<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, you can use extra equipment like a <\/span><b>softbox<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><b>reflectors<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for even better image quality, but those aren\u2019t essential. And don\u2019t sweat too much over which lens to use \u2014 <\/span><b>standard lenses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> work best for Amazon photography, and wide-angle lenses are not recommended.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Set Your Camera Settings Correctly<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After gathering the right equipment, you next have to learn how to use it. In particular, you should familiarize yourself with your camera to get your Amazon photography just how you want it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re using a proper camera (as recommended), it\u2019s best to adjust the settings manually. Assuming that you\u2019re shooting against a white background or white box, try to apply these settings:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>ISO<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">100<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Aperture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">between f\/8 and f\/16<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Shutter speed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1\/200th<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re using a proper camera or a phone camera, you always want to switch to the RAW format. The RAW format gives you the highest quality possible to preserve details best (the largest file size possible, too, but you can fix that later). It also works better for perfecting the white balance later in a photo editor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Fill the Frame<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moving away from the technical aspects of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/services\/amazon-product-photography\">Amazon product photography<\/a><\/strong>, let\u2019s talk a little about <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">what makes a good photo. Typically, you want the subject of your photo \u2014 in this case your product \u2014 to fill the majority of the frame. As per the Amazon photography requirements, the product needs to fill at least 85% of the main image without being cut off.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While this is a standard tip for all photography, it is especially relevant for product images. Shoppers rely on pictures to gauge the size of the product, and because the main image isn\u2019t supposed to have any other objects in it, there\u2019s no other frame of reference. Filling most of the image frame gives shoppers a more accurate idea of size because the product doesn\u2019t appear too big or too small.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you take the shot, make sure the product is adequately framed in the preview window. For minor adjustments, you can zoom in and out on the product, but feel free to move the tripod around as well until you find the perfect angle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. Show Multiple Angles<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although it\u2019s not a requirement, showing multiple angles of the product against a white background is still a best practice for Amazon product photography. This gives the shopper a more three-dimensional idea of the product, which in turn nudges them closer to a sale.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you have your white background or white box set up with all the necessary lighting, why not experiment with different angles? You\u2019re only required to have one main image with a white background, but you can still upload different angles as additional photos.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can even go the extra mile with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/services\/product-3d-rendering\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Amazon product 3D rendering<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which \u2014 when animated \u2014\u00a0 create a more interactive feel to seeing a product from multiple angles. These take a little more work to create, but early implementation on Shopify has already <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shopify.com\/blog\/3d-models-video\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"broken_link\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">increased conversion rates by 250%<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6. Learn How to Edit Amazon Photos<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even professional photographers have trouble getting pictures right on the first shot. Photo-editing software like Photoshop or the free-to-use GIMP can help you correct minor errors in your DIY Amazon photography and give them a general polish with after effects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Photo editors can\u2019t help with major problems like focusing, but they can swiftly fix minor issues like cropping, blemishes, and color correction. For <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/services\/amazon-product-photography\"><strong>Amazon product photography<\/strong><\/a>, photo editors are incredibly convenient at getting your white backgrounds truly white, making up for any discrepancies with your camera\u2019s auto-white-balance features.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learning how to edit Amazon photos comes with its own learning curve, especially if you use professional software like Photoshop. However, the basics are easy enough to figure out, and the better you get at taking pictures, the less editing you&#8217;ll need afterwards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7. Consider Alternative Styles for the Accompanying Photos<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we mentioned earlier, the guidelines are strictest for the main product image. The accompanying photos, on the other hand, allow for much more creative freedom so you can play around with other sales tactics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While a straightforward photo with a white background presents a clear image of what the product is, you can use alternative styles to show off the product in other ways. In particular, consider these:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Candids <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 Show the product being used by actual people. Photos with happy people in them encourage more sales, not to mention they help explain <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to use the product.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Secondary objects <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 Place secondary objects next to the product, such as a coffee biscuit next to a mug, or a peppermint leaf next to a box of mints. This makes the photo more interesting and influences how people interpret them, plus provides a good frame of reference for the product\u2019s size.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Play with focus <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 You can get artistic with your DIY Amazon photography, such as getting an extreme close-up where only part of the product is in-focus and the rest is blurry.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Videos<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/amazon-product-videos\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Amazon product videos<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are proven to increase conversion rates by showing the product in motion.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Graphic-photo hybrids <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 It\u2019s common in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/services\/amazon-product-photography\">Amazon product photography<\/a><\/strong> to include one or two images with overlaid text and\/or graphics. Images like infographics, comparison charts, and before-and-after pictures help explain the value points of your product if the visuals alone aren\u2019t enough.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Product packaging<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 A lot of shoppers like to see the product packaging before they buy something, which can be advantageous if the packaging itself explains some of the benefits of your project.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essentially, once you have a standardized main image, you\u2019re free to experiment with your accompanying image. Think about the advantages of the particular product you\u2019re trying to sell and see if you can come up with some unconventional Amazon photography to best show it off.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DIY Amazon Photography vs. Hiring a Professional<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing how to take Amazon photos at home is only half the battle \u2014 you still have to actually do the work. For starters, you have to gather equipment, whether buying or renting and from there you still need to learn how to use it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Professional cameras can add meaningful details to your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/services\/amazon-product-photography\"><strong>Amazon product photography<\/strong><\/a>, but <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">only<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if you know what those little buttons and dials do. Meeting the bare minimum for DIY Amazon photography is hard enough, but to truly optimize the images you need to learn a lot more than can fit in a single blog post.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lot of sellers prefer to simply outsource their Amazon photography by hiring a professional. <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/services\/amazon-product-photography\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amazon product photography<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> services like ours do all the work for you. Simply explain to our representative what you want (and in some cases send us a sample), and after around 7-10 days we\u2019ll send you at least seven top-quality images taken by professional photographers at our own studios.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sure professional services cost more but think of what you save by not buying expensive cameras, lights, and other equipment. Our Amazon photography staff are all professionals as well \u2014 you don\u2019t need to learn about camera controls or how to edit Amazon photos because our team is already experts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re interested and want to hear a quote, schedule a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/calendly.com\/curtisamzonestep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">free consultation call<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> now, up to 60 minutes. We\u2019ll answer all your questions and explain how we can help!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You don\u2019t need to be Ansel Adams for amazing Amazon photography \u2014 you don\u2019t even need to know who Ansel [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7799,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[493],"tags":[397,623,639,702,704,703,655],"class_list":["post-7798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-photography","tag-amazon-photography","tag-amazon-product","tag-amazon-product-photography","tag-amazon-product-photography-requirements","tag-amazon-product-photography-services","tag-review-amazon-product-photography","tag-tips-for-amazon-product-photography"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7798"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7798\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10374,"href":"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7798\/revisions\/10374"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amzonestep.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}