The word photograph comes from two ancient Greek words; photo for light and graph for drawing. “Drawing with Light” is a way of describing photography. Photographers, through the lens of their cameras, can create the art of their thinking. This can represent the imagination of the specific individual which they want to deliver to their viewers.
Nowadays, the business has reached that platform where the consumers want every detail of the product before buying that item. They have the urge for the artistic form. For this reason, they want to discover the perception of the seller behind their very own brainchild of his.
Consumers need to see what they are purchasing before they make a buy, and without the option of trying it on, the photographs of the products become a vital element for persuading them. Consumers want to imagine the product in detail, which leads them to buy that specific item. The more context the seller would make sure in the product photography, the larger consumers will relate to that product and eventually end up buying that product. The photographs of the products refer to the first impression about the specific products to the consumers. If the seller wants to convince the customers to buy the clothing items, good photography can done half of the job.
Taking pictures of Clothing
Clothing photography is a little bit hard in reality, but if you try with dedication and follow the proper way, the result will lead to success.
✔️Prepare the Clothes
The initial step to taking the pictures of clothing which are supposed to be sold is, preparing the clothes to be photographed. The clothes have to be cleaned as well as the seller also has to pay attention to the buttons which should be in place. Another important thing to be noticed is the loose threads. If there is any loose thread, that has to be fixed in the very first place. This preparation of clothing will save time from re-shooting.
✔️Studio and Equipment Setup
The studio works as a metaphor, it doesn’t need to be a professional one rather, the photographer can select the desired open space. One has to make sure that the area should be cleaned of any unwanted items. The camera setting has to be given the top priority because the latter part of photography depends on this notion. As soon as the camera is set and the studio setting is ready, we can proceed to the next step. The photographer should start the photography session by taking the test shots to ensure the setting is right or not.
On the other hand, one can also use a tripod. Selecting a sturdy tripod is very beneficial for studio photography because it can easily eliminate the unexpected camera shake caused by the hand holding the tripod. The photographer also has to take care that the batteries are well charged, and carry extra batteries in case they are needed, the memory cards, and other accessories as a backup in case they need those things during the shoot.
✔️Perfect the lighting
The lighting plays a major role in how the photographs would look. The photographer can use both natural light and artificial light. If natural light is the medium, the photographer has to pay attention to the sunlight and its area coverage. On the other hand, artificial light can be mentioned by the light-box, keeping consistency throughout the photography session.
A lighting kit for beginners contains three lights so that you can implement a three-point lighting setup such as one key light, one fill light, and a back or hair light. If you finally decide to use a smartphone, you should choose a regular light kit as there is no need to sync the light to your camera’s shutter.
✔️Style the Clothes
The clothes have to be shown in different dimensions and styles. This will make sure that the consumers can get to know more about the products they are buying. The styling of the clothes can be done in many ways, flat laying or modeled by a person or could be a mannequin as well. Hiring a model can give the consumer a strong idea about the product in a real-life setting. Here we can mention another point; the model can be the seller himself/herself, also can be any friend of theirs. On the other hand, a mannequin can give the clothes a realistic human shape without the hassle of finding models.
Then a few things have to be checked. The photographer has to check if the buttons are in the right place and buttoned up, if your item has tassels or ties, make sure they are styled neatly, make sure the sleeves are not only neat but consistent too, and check if they are any stains in clothing and remove them.
✔️Take the Photos
This step is the most important. The fundamental part of product photography is the clothes that’s why the consumer should get the proper view of every detailed part of the product. The camera position has to be made sure as well as the models. The best option to take the perfect photo to sell the product is to take a bunch of photos from various angles and postures. Then it will be much easier to choose the best photo among them.
✔️Edit the Photos
The final step of the process for taking photos of clothes to sell is to edit the photographs. Editing the pictures doesn’t mean adding any sort of filters but rather correcting the lighting, and they are all consistent and of the same quality.
The pictures should be cropped properly. Consumers want the real color of the product. For this reason, the color contrast should also be taken into consideration. On the other hand, the seller has to make sure that the photograph shouldn’t indicate any fake attribute of the cloth by editing too much.
Important Factors to Consider
✔️Creativity
The more creatively you can represent your pictures of clothes for your audience, the more you raise the chance of generating leads. The market has many options for consumers. For this reason, if you want success in this field, you have to be unique and creative. This attribute will distinguish you from the other sellers.
✔️Model or flat lay photography
Flat lay photography or tabletop method refers to the technique by which photographs are taken on a horizontal surface. On the other hand, model photography requires a model to be photographed along with the product. Flat lay photography requires a simple setup; this method gives the freedom to the photographer/can add versatility to style and creative arrangements. This method is not suitable for more oversized items.
On the other hand, to give the products a more editorial feeling, the presentation with a live model is best. It not only shows how products look on a human body but also how they are meant to be used and styled.
✔️Background is key
This is very important. It makes you look professional, which is key to selling those products. The most important rule to selling the products is the pictures. So the photographer has to make sure there’s nothing in the background. He/she needs to buy a plain wood background. If they don’t want to invest any money for the background, they can simply use any plain white or black clothing. They just need to ensure that the background is clean.
✔️Details have to be considered
The details of the photographs must be considered. The details convey in-depth information about the cloth. The cloth can have a zipper or buttons, there can be any sort of embroidery works, and it can contain patchwork; these are some of the special attributes that could be photographed. The more details you showcase within your product imagery, the less likely customers will be to return the items.
Mistakes to Avoid
✔️Bad Lighting
Lighting is one of the most important aspects of product photography. Bad lighting can ruin the photographs of the clothing.
So, the solution is to ensure the consistency of lighting during the photo shoot and also make sure that they don’t leave a shadow that will eventually cover the details of the cloth.
✔️Ignoring the Impressive Features
The first job of the photographer is to recognize the main subjects of the product. The important features often remain unnoticed due to this mistake. The seller has to know what makes the product stand out from its competitors. The interesting features have to be photographed differently.
✔️Unprepared Clothes
Another mistake goes with the unprepared clothes. This step is given less importance during the whole photo shoot. For this reason, the actual outcome of the product to sell also loses its appeal. Before the photo shoot, the clothes have to be well prepared. The seller can hang the clothes and inspect if there are any sort of issues that may have been missed in the first place
✔️Overcomplicating the Photos
Overcomplicating images means adding too many things to the photograph. This often takes the viewer’s eye away from what they should look for. For this reason, a picture shouldn’t contain any sort of overpowering elements.
FAQ
Final Words
Taking pictures of the clothes to sell is an important task for every seller. The seller has to remember the necessary steps. The clothing has to be made ready for the product photography, the lighting has to be consistent, and the important details of the clothing have to be photographed. Lastly, the edit should be realistic. The photographer also has to notice the mistakes that are often made and has to take necessary solutions to that problem.
In fine, we can say that how to take pictures of clothing to sell has to determine whom to reach by the specific product. This will show the path and how to execute the plan of the photography. If the consumer is a child, the setting will be different than the adults. Thus, the photos may not be perfect in the first place, but by following the necessary steps, the skills will improve.
You may also read:
1. Excellent Ideas For Shoe Photography: Exposure Guide in 2022
2. Everything You Need to Know About Clothing Photography: An Ultimate Guide
3. 21 Unique But Easy To Create Family Photoshoot Ideas in 2022
