How do I shoot clothes on my website?

When you photograph clothing for your ecommerce store, you certainly want to get it right.

The internet is vast. And since COVID-19, offline stores were closed for a while, people cannot go out and shopping, more and more purchasing made online, so having wonderful clothes photos on your website will be very important.

Hiring a professional team to photograph your products is one option. But many people don’t have the money in their budget to hire a professional team. Fortunately, you can learn how to take professional quality pictures yourself as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort.

1. Decide on how you want to display your products

Hire a model

If you have the budget, hire a model.

Models can strike any kind of pose or work with any kind of angle that flatters your piece of clothing. This will help you create the perfect in-context shot of your product which you can use on your ecommerce store and also on social media…

If you don’t have the budget to hire a model, Use an invisible mannequin

When it comes to product photography, displaying a product in a more realistic form such as a mannequin can be of great value to your customers.

Online shoppers are more likely to buy an item of clothing if they can visualize how it’ll look when they wear it.

A mannequin will give your products a realistic human shape without the hassle of finding a model for each photoshoot. You can remove the background from each photo later for a professional touch.

Avoid amputated arms, unless you’re shooting something strapless. It will take lots of time and skill to give a dangling, empty sleeve a realistic form on Photoshop, whether you have the background removed or not.

2. Prepare your clothing photography equipment

The equipment you need doesn’t need to break the bank or be expensive. Digital cameras are coming down in price and smart phone cameras are getting better and better.

Here’s a list of photography equipment you will need:

Camera

Having the correct camera can make the difference between a professional looking photo or an amateur one. Mirrorless is by far the best type of camera to photograph clothing due to their newer technology, studio lighting connectivity, and physical lighter weight when compared to traditional DSLR cameras, but don’t be fooled into buying one if you don’t need to. Your smart phone can work just as well.

Lighting Equipment

For clothing photography, lighting is essential. Potential buyers want to see all the details of the item so it is critical to obtain lights which will talk with your camera. To begin with, I would recommend selecting a light kit which contains three lights so a three-point lighting setup can be implemented (one key light, one fill light, and a back or hair light).

If you decide to use a smart phone for your photography then investing in a continuous light kit is the way to go as there is no need to sync the light to the camera’s shutter. You can also use this type of lighting kit with a mirrorless camera, but better results are achieved with a traditional studio lighting setup and a wireless trigger.

Tripod

Selecting a sturdy tripod is a must for studio photography as it eliminates any unwanted camera shake caused by hand holding your camera.

Mannequin or Model

Mannequins can provide added benefits to the overall style and keep your budget low.

As I mentioned before, make sure to get a mannequin without amputated arms or legs, the mannequins have many removable pieces will be much better, the invisible ghost mannequin will be the great option, we have many ghost mannequins for your choosing.

http://www.afellow-mannequin.com/collection/ghost/

While using a model can be expensive, the added benefits a professional can bring to a shoot sometimes outweigh the cost.

For instance, a professional model will be able to change their body to compliment the clothing they are modeling, whereas if it were on a mannequin, you would have to pin the garment for the same effect.

A model can also bring natural movement to the clothing which the buyer can relate to. Also having your model pose in an outdoor location might suit your brand better than an indoor studio environment.

Lifestyle apparel images are growing in popularity, so it just depends on the overall look and feel you are going for.