Product photography is one of those jobs that gets much bigger when you're making lots of products in lots of different fabrics. I photograph every individual version I sell at Momako Designs, so I've learned to keep the process fairly simple.
For me, website photography and social media photography also have completely different jobs. My website photos are clean and consistent. Social media is where I get more creative.
My website setup stays pretty much the same
I use a camera for my website and take my photos on my cutting table with a two-sided backdrop. It's textured rather than plain white, which I used to prefer, but still neutral enough that the product is the focus.
Once I decide how I'm going to photograph a particular product, I generally stick with the same setup and angles for every version going forward. Since I make at least one of each product and print combination, I can photograph it once and hopefully never have to do it again.
Natural light determines when I can shoot
I only use natural light for website photos, and I've found that somewhere around 11 a.m. to 3 or 4 p.m. works best for my setup. Earlier light can look too cool, while later afternoon sun starts creating harsh shadows and lines.
I try to photograph social content during the day too, even if I'm shooting indoors. My sewing room is brightly lit so I can work, but good sewing light and good photography light are apparently two very different things.
Packing paper is surprisingly useful
I stuff bags before photographing them so they hold their intended shape and have enough stability to position easily. Usually that means packing paper from Amazon boxes or the paper I buy in bulk.
The stuffing isn't just for photos. Once it's in there, it stays through storage and in-person markets, and the customer eventually gets the bag with the stuffing still inside.
For website photos, I focus on clearly showing the product and any details someone might want to see before buying — interiors, pockets, hardware, zippers, or other features. I generally center the product and don't worry too much about creative composition.
Editing is mostly about accuracy
I edit my website photos in Lightroom, and one of my biggest priorities is getting the color as close to real life as possible.
Olive greens are especially difficult. My camera tends to make them look much grayer and more washed out than they actually are, so I'll adjust the color and white balance until the photo looks closer to the fabric in front of me.
I'm not trying to make the product look better than it does. I'm trying to undo what the camera did to it.
Social media is where I have more fun
For social media, I mostly use my phone and usually start my edits with Lightroom presets. I'll photograph indoors or outside depending on the weather, what I'm doing, and how bothered I can be that day.
It's also where I'm more likely to think about composition, take lifestyle photos, show a bag being worn, or make videos. Worn photos take considerably more effort when you're also the person who has to get dressed, do your hair, set up a remote, and actually be in them, so I don't do that for every website listing.
Website photography is mostly about giving someone a clear, accurate look at what they're buying. Social media can do everything else.
And that division works pretty well for me — especially when I have a whole stack of new products waiting to be photographed, edited, and listed.
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