How To Capture High Quality Product Photos With Your Smartphone Camera
Almost everyone fancies a new fancy high-end DSLR Camera but what keeps most of them back is the money that needs to be invested into buying one. Do you actually need a DSLR or is there any other alternative that you can use? Yes, there is, and it is you all the time – your smartphone. Learn
How To Capture High Quality Product Photos With Your Smartphone Camera.
Gone are the days when mobile phones had pathetic cameras. With the advancement in technology and the ‘hunger’ for more high-end features in a pocketable device, smartphones have excelled exceptionally. Apple, Sony, Samsung, LG, and others have made absolutely wonderful phones with features and cameras that rival DSLRs with wonderful clarity but are very easy to use too. Talking about this a thought randomly came into my mind that a smartphone has literally taken the place of almost every gadget we required in the past – calculator, digital diary, writing pad, watch, camera and so much more. Isn’t it?
Now let’s talk about how you can take wonderful photos with your own smartphone. How to do it all. Let’s learn it now….
What all things are required for this? The smartphone with a good camera. I have used a lot of phones, and i mean really a lot of them from almost all top companies, and my conclusion is that Samsung and Apple phones have the best cameras. It has been only recently that LG has started making good camera phones too. If you have a high-end phone then you are sure to get an outstanding camera.
Backdrop – The best backdrop for a product photograph is either White or Grey. Though I prefer White in all of them. The product comes out beautifully, rather gracefully. But it is up to your needs and the requirements of the shoot. But remember always choose a pure white or a light grey background. You can use a sheet, rolled paper, foam board or simply a plain white wall. The best way is to make a ‘sweep’ so that your backdrop is not only behind the product of which you are taking the photograph but also underneath it as well. This will greatly help in speeding up your post-production work too. Time-saving is much important.
Table – Always use a table when taking photos. A high enough table on which your product sits so that you can comfortably take proper photos. This is of utmost importance. For steady photos, you can use some sort of image stabilization equipment and also a table can be used as a platform to prop your smartphone. You can also use a tripod for the same.
Light – Light is very important and you know the reason why is this so. Don’t you! The best and easiest source of light is the natural light that comes through the room window. Direct sunlight will make the photos bad. Avoid it. Set up your equipment and the product near a large window and allow an ample amount of light to fall on it. If you have trouble finding natural light, maybe it’s dark or the windows are not in the proper direction, then you may use artificial light like a large lamp or you may also consider buying a cheap softbox or even renting one. You can also consider creating one of your own.
Product – Remember the product is the centerpiece, the main object here. Leave out all the extra details and props. If you certainly have to use a prop for some products like utensils etc then only use it or else ignore it completely.
Stable Photos – As I wrote above that this is much needed so that proper photos are taken. If your hands or your camera shakes then all clarity will be lost. Smartphones nowadays have image stabilization, but without a tripod, your photos will always be undesirable. After all, you aren’t taking some random pet photos or a selfie.
Lenses – Especially for iPhone you can buy various lenses. When I first came to know about it I laughed. I mean such a small camera and attach lenses to it. The very thought of it is somewhat funny. But in practicality, it is not. They are very effective indeed and help significantly in taking absolutely amazing photos with your smartphone. Macro lenses and telephoto lenses are very popular.
Apps – The default camera apps are generally fine, especially in the case of an iPhone or a high-end Samsung phone. Both are awesome. Nowadays many other companies also make great camera phones. But if you find them not feature-rich then you can use any other from the respective application stores of the platform.
Edit Me – To edit photos taken by your smartphone, the best way is to do it on a computer using Photoshop. But if that is not possible then fear not as you have amazing mobile apps for the same. Adobe Photoshop Express, Adobe Lightroom, and Snapseed are some of the best apps.
Share Me – After editing now is the time to share on social networks. You can use social network apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for this.
Some Tips – Before starting your photoshoot do not forget to keep your phone in Airplane mode. No calls, texts, notifications, etc will only make your work easier and better too. You won’t be distracted by doing so. Also, be patient, not all photos come out elegantly and you need to retake them a couple of times. Be calm and give it some more time.
Photo taking is an art and it’s fun to do so. With the correct smartphone camera and the equipment highlighted above you can create DSLR quality images in no time and at the same time save so much money.
Give it a try, you won’t be sorry!
