Photographing Small Objects for Online Store: Tips & Tricks

The macro photography of products is a type of shooting relevant enough to highlight some of them. This is the case for jewelry, watches, mechanical parts, eyewear... For e-commerce, quality control or for internal distribution, it is important for you to create an advantageous communication around your pieces. To do this, you need to have the right equipment and the right working environment! Discover the different solutions from the mini studio to the e-commerce photo studio kit.

What questions should you ask yourself to start your visual project?

As always, first and foremost, you need to ask yourself the three big questions. For what? For whom? and how? In order to find the best solutions adapted to your technical object photo project.

• First case: I am a manufacturer of small mechanical parts. I need to take photos for quality control for my customers and want to internalize the shooting process.
• Second case: I am a young watch designer. I am starting out in my business and I have just created my website. I would like to do photos for my e-commerce, social networks and press communication.

Let's go look for the answer to the “how?” ”

Depending on your project, your resources or your level in photography, you can find a solution for in-house product photography adapted to your business, your budget and your technical knowledge!

The most important To get started, it's to find the right one bright environment to photograph your products. To also find the good camera and The right lens.

Which lighting environment for photographing small objects?

Macro photography adapts to all types of light. It is practical in the studio and outside. For those outside, prefer natural lighting (or strong but diffuse lights).

Let's get more into the Details of a studio setup. To create diffused light, several ways are available to you:

• The open studio with flash and diffusers (umbrellas, light boxes, layers...)
• Light boxes
• Handmade lightboxes with flash and diffusers

The option of light boxes for the photo of technical objects

If you don't want to start building your studio, know that there are all kinds of light boxes on the market. For macro photography you don't need large boxes. Opt for boxes composed of LED lighting. The color temperature of the LED is equivalent to daylight, you will get a better rendering. Neon light boxes will look more yellow and less appropriate to object photography. On the other hand, some manufacturers mix in their boxes the LED light and neon lights. Avoid choosing these models because it is important to Do not mix light temperatures. Indeed, the color balance on your photos will be more difficult to work with. In addition, they are two different technologies that will not age in the same way.

Choosing homogeneous LED lighting will make it easier to work on the color balance of your photos

The advantages of a light box

These light boxes provide a powerful light environment in a fairly compact configuration. They will save you space. For novice people who do not know the photo of technical objects, you will find a ready-to-use solution. It will allow you to have a professional light result on your photos.

Multiple possibilities for your photos

On some boxes, it is not possible to vary the intensity of your lighting. However, Depending on your budget, try to choose boxes where the light can be controlled. You will have more opportunities to create photos with different atmospheres. Finally, nothing prevents you from adding a few sources of outdoor light yourself. This is as long as they remain at the same temperature as the lighting in your box. So, use ring flashes that you can attach directly to your lens.

Artisanal lightboxes

If you cannot find lightboxes adapted to your project and/or your budget, you also have the option of build a mini photo studio yourself ! The base of the light box is very simple: it is composed of 5 white walls. These walls can be made of different materials, cardboard or fabric or layer... anything that will allow you to reflect and/or diffuse light!

Clean photo rendering, simplified manipulations

To have a clean look and easy handling, we advise you to make this box with white feather cards (you will find them in any hobby and creation store). They are inexpensive, light and modular, you can couple them with layers (for example to light your products from the back) or fabric (which can be used as a cyclo).

The e-commerce photo studio kit: for larger technical products

It meets the mobility needs in a warehouse and those related to large volumes of technical parts to be photographed. It differs from the previous solutions and will be used for technical objects of larger dimensions. The e-commerce photo studio kit is a set including: lighting (separate lamps), packshot photography software, tripod and camera.

The e-commerce photo studio kit includes mobile LED lighting that will thus adapt to different types of products.

Below some examples of configurations that you can achieve.

Example 1

A box base with 5 white cards and front lighting

Example 2

Box base accessorized with a cyclo, which will allow you to erase the line of demarcation between the two feather cards in the background when shooting.

Example 3

The modular housing, you can remove one of the boxes in order to place your lighting or even your camera differently:

AAs you can see, the modular aspects of your box are endless!

The open studio with flash lighting and diffusers

It will allow you to modulate your light even more. With this solution you will not have boxes around your subject. You can bring your flashes and diffusers closer at different distances from your object. You will be able to also create more directional lights ... To soften the intensity of your flashes, use layers or diffusers (softboxes or umbrellas often sold in kits with the equipment). If you are creative, comfortable with photographic equipment and you like to do research, light and composition tests on your objects, we advise you to go with this option, this type of configuration will give you great freedom!

In conclusion

You will find different types of equipment on the market that will allow you to adapt your budget to your project, whether you are a handyman, a photography lover or not, there is no shortage of solutions!

What are the lenses for macro photography?

To practice macro photography, macro lenses are obviously essential! You will find them at all camera equipment manufacturers. Why macro? Because they allow you to take photos at a very close distance from your subject. With this type of equipment you can take photos on a scale of 1 and bring out the smallest details of your rooms.

Fixed lenses for macro photography

Macro lenses are for the most part fixed lenses. You can find zooms equipped with this technology, but we advise you to choose fixed ones, because, more sensitive to light, they will offer you better image quality and impeccable sharpness on your photos. It is therefore preferable to equip yourself with a lens from the same brand as your camera, otherwise you will have to add adapters (extension rings) which will make you lose a bit in quality. However, some manufacturers, such as Sigma, offer lenses that are compatible with multiple brands.

Which camera for macrophotography of objects?

Pick a SLR camera. Indeed, the quality of your camera is as important as the quality of your lenses. A super SLR coupled with a low-end macro lens will give you mediocre image rendering, and vice versa! A wide range of cameras are available on the market. Therefore, when making your purchase, do not hesitate to seek advice from specialists in store. They will give you all the information according to your budget.

The last essential element that should not be overlooked: the tripod

Product photography and more specifically the macrophotography of objects, are carried out using a tripod. As for lenses and cameras, you will find all types of tripods adapted to your budget and your e-commerce photo studio kit. Don't overlook its robustness. It must therefore absolutely be able to support a load of at least 2 kilos. This is in order to be able to support the weight of your camera and lens.

Finally, happy photo shoot everyone!

Discover our article on jewelry photography