A product can have twenty photographs and still leave a customer unsure how big it is. Before arranging products on a shooting table, write down the questions a buyer still needs answered. The inside of a bag, a ring on a hand or a bottle's pump can each justify a separate shot.
1. Build the brief around customer questions
Create a record for each product: product code, colour, size, distinguishing feature, sample to be photographed and intended placement. Flag variations that look very similar. The item shown in the photograph should match the variant selected on the page. If the packaging has changed, confirm which version customers will actually receive before the shoot.
Gather questions from sales and customer support. A lamp's cable exit, a cosmetic applicator or a bag's compartments may matter. On the reference board, include the question to answer alongside the lighting you like. That connects the visual direction to the material the team needs to deliver.
2. A shot list for product pages and advertising
The table below is a starting point, not a requirement to give every product the same number of photographs. A simple object may be clear from a few angles. Something that opens, attaches or contains several parts may need more explanation.
| Shot | Question answered | Production note | Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean main image | What am I buying? | Show the whole product, a clear shape and a consistent background | Product listings and product page |
| Side, rear and interior | What is on the side I cannot see? | Show fasteners, lids, pockets or connection points | Product gallery |
| Material and detail | How is it made and what is the surface like? | Move closer to stitching, texture, joins and finish | Product description and detail-led ads |
| Scale reference | How big is it in real life? | Show it in a hand, on a person or within a meaningful setting | Size assessment |
| In use | How will I use it? | Show the actual action and the parts it requires | Product page and social content |
| Campaign hero | What story does the product belong to? | Plan the concept, composition and space for copy | Advertising and campaign pages |
| Package contents | What comes in the box? | Photograph included parts separately and together | Product page and support content |
3. Check visual quality alongside product accuracy
Removing dust and changing the character of a product are different retouching decisions. Erasing fabric texture, turning a matte surface glossy or inventing a seam can make the image depict a different item. Keep the physical sample available during approval and check colour, logo, proportions, component count and finish together.
When campaign props are not included in the sale, avoid a composition that leaves their status unclear. An AI-generated setting or background still requires a separate product check. An image representing a physical item should not be presented in the same way as a conceptual design proposal. Record what was created in each frame and which sample was used as the reference; that makes approval easier to follow.
4. Jewellery needs more than a close-up
For a ring, plan a main view, side profile, stone setting, band thickness and a shot on a hand. Earrings need their fastening and how they hang on an ear. A necklace needs its length shown when worn and its rear fastening. A macro frame explains workmanship; a worn image helps establish scale. Magnification is not a substitute for measurement information.
Do not change a stone's cut, colour or the number of stones just to make it sparkle more. When refining reflections in the metal, preserve the real shape. Distinguish a single item from a pair and make relevant size options clear. Across a collection, agree on hand position, lighting direction and the size of the item within the frame so customers can compare different pieces.
5. Plan crops and delivery while you can still shoot
One horizontal photograph may not become a convincing vertical ad. Share the intended page areas and advertising placements before production. Decide how much space the product needs around it, where the headline will go and which images will sit alongside motion content. Where necessary, shoot separate horizontal and vertical compositions from the same setup. Do not squeeze the product into a shape it does not have just to fit a crop.
Separate the clean master, web-ready versions and approved crops in the delivery list. Include product code, colour, angle and version in filenames. Request outputs that match the dimensions and formats used by the website. Keep approved files in one location so current images do not become mixed with earlier versions.
6. Close the shoot with an acceptance checklist
- Does every product have its main view, necessary angles and details that answer customer questions?
- Do colour, material, apparent size and visible accessories match the product being sold?
- For jewellery, have the stones, fastenings and scale when worn been checked separately?
- Does the planned crop preserve the space reserved for advertising copy?
- Do filenames match product codes, and is the version for publication clearly identified?
- Have the images been reviewed together on the actual product page and on a phone?
Compare photography proposals by more than the total number of images. Compare which customer questions each shot answers, plus preparation and retouching scope. Any effect on sales also depends on price, traffic and page content; photography alone does not guarantee an improvement. To plan a product shoot with El Chedo, include your product list and example placements in your project brief.