Have you ever noticed that almost every eCommerce site uses photographs with a white background?
Do you know the reasons behind it?
Product photographs are the first thing that can impress or disappoint your customers. For that, professional-looking photographs with zero visual noise, like having a white background, should be used to steal the hearts of the customers.
Products on white background look simple yet lucrative as the features of the products become more prominent with a complete focus on the product. It also helps to maintain branding consistency and develop trust in the product.
Let’s dive in to learn more about white background product photography.
What you’ll learn in this article
- 1 Why Should You Use White Background for Product Photography?
- 2 What Types of White Background Should be Used for Product Photography?
- 3 Tips to Get White Background Product Photography
- 4 How Do You Edit White Background Product Photography?
- 5 Who Provides White Background Product Photography Service?
- 6 FAQs on White Background for Product Photography
- 7 Conclusion
Why Should You Use White Background for Product Photography?
The reasons behind preferring a white background for product photography include-
Easier to Edit: During post-production, it often becomes necessary to remove the background or edit the photographs to make the details vivid. Because of that, working with a white background makes the work a lot easier. Also, the process of changing backgrounds to different colors is way smoother on a white background.
Highlighting the Product: Colorful backgrounds sometimes create noise in the photographs that may divert the focus from the product. That’s why a white background is ideal for making the product’s details prominent, as it minimizes distractions from the photographs and helps to divert the focus solely on the product and enhance its details.
Provides a Professional Look: A white background looks more professional than any other color. It also looks organized and helps to maintain consistency with all your products. As the white background is less distracting, customers can keep track of their choice as there will be a flow in the photographs.
Show the Genuine Color of the Product: To gain the long-term trust of the consumers, it is important to provide photographs that show the genuine color of the product. If a colorful background is used, then it may influence the original color of the product in some cases. So, using a white background is a safe option.
What Types of White Background Should be Used for Product Photography?
Here are some recommendations that may be considered the best white background for product photography.
White Wall
A white wall is common in every house or office. If you don’t want to spend a penny on your backdrop, then using a white wall is a good option. Just select an empty wall and use that as the most cost-effective white background. However, be aware of the textures.
Foam Board
If you want to photograph small products on a tabletop, then you can use foam boards. It is an affordable option and easily available in stationery or online shops. They may come in different sizes. So, you can purchase 3-4 boards considering the size of the table and the products.
V flats
Large pieces of foam boards known as V-flats are usually placed in a V shape to utilize the lights properly. Such large pieces of foam boards are not available in the crafts store. However, it is generally used by professional photographers who have a studio.
Seamless White Paper
Seamless white papers are one of the most convenient and cost-effective backdrop items considering their size, price, and quality to provide professional-looking photographs. Also, light is evenly distributed as the surface of the paper is smooth and non-reflective. However, humidity can ruin it easily, so it must be stored properly.
White Curtain
A white curtain is another cost-efficient alternative for creating a white background. To make the backdrop look brighter, it can be hung on a backdrop stand in front of light sources like a window or any lamp. However, fabrics can get wrinkles or stains easily. So, it is hard to maintain.
Cyclorama Wall
If you have a studio, you can think of building a Cyclorama wall which is a seamless white wall. This is the best option for achieving professional-quality white background product photography. However, you can rent a studio as well if you don’t have the financial ability to construct one.
You May Also Read: The 11 Best Backgrounds for Jewelry Photography
Tips to Get White Background Product Photography
How to get a perfect white background in product photography is a common question as white background is regarded as the standard for eCommerce photography like Amazon products or other leading sites.
Consider the following aspects while capturing your products on a white background.
1. Consider The Product Itself
The key focus in the case of product photography is to present the product precisely. Hence, apart from thinking about the background, we have to identify the best placement and angles that will capture the product in the best possible way. Also, consider if the white background compliments the product or not.
2. Use a White Piece of Paper in the Background
A white background is perfect to control distraction in a photograph. It also complements the different colors available in the frame and does not interfere with the subject. The best part is that any camera can be used to capture high-quality photographs using white paper in the background.
3. Shooting With a Camera and Lenses
To capture the details of the product on a white background, it is essential to adjust the camera settings considering the light condition. Therefore, standard lenses and cameras with a good processor and sensor should be used.
Aperture f/22, ISO 100, and shutter speed 1/250 are considered ideal camera settings for product photography on white background in most cases. However, you can adjust it depending on your ambiance.
4. White Balance in Camera Settings
Fixing the white balance is crucial to avoid blue, orange, or other color casts on the products in the case of white background product photography. Though digital cameras can detect white balance in most cases, sometimes they can mess up due to the lighting. So, gray cards can be used for accuracy.
5. Lighting Setup and Position for White Background
The secret of capturing perfect photographs on a white background lies in the proper placements of lights and utilizing shadows to the advantage. Both natural and artificial lighting can be used if you know how to place your products and lights.
Natural light is quite tricky to work with. As the tone of light changes with the duration of the day, it requires extra effort to find the duration of neutral light. Diffusers and reflectors can be used to control the shadow and intensity of the sunlight.
Artificial lights are easier to work with in comparison to sunlight as the intensity and temperature can be controlled as per the requirements. A three-light setup is considered ideal for product photography. For that, two lights are placed on both sides and the other one at the top facing the product.
6. Control Light with Modifiers
Light can be controlled with modifiers which include diffusers, reflectors, and flags. Among diffusers, a scrim can be placed in the windows to diffuse natural light. Besides, for artificial lighting, softboxes and umbrellas can be used as their sheer fabric spreads light evenly.
However, light leaks out through the sides of the umbrellas, which may decrease the intensity of the light. So, softboxes are a better option as a diffuser to modify the light for their enclosed sides.
Moreover, any white solid material can be used as a reflector as light reflects back from a white surface. On the contrary, any black material i.e., a curtain, is called a flag. It can be placed in front of your light source to absorb light from other sources.
7. Light Your Background With Off-Camera Flash
Overexposing the background with an off-camera flash can give a white background effect. For that, the subject should be positioned far from the background, and the off-camera flash should be placed behind the subject facing the background.
While taking shots, the built-in flash should be turned on, which will trigger the off-camera flash to make the background appear white in color.
8. Avoid Overexposed in Background
Excessive reflection from white backgrounds will create an overexposure effect. That’s why to save the photograph from being washed out; the background lights should be adjusted till the lighting seems optimum for the subject. The overexposed light will lower the photo quality by blurring the details of the products.
9. The Angle You Use to Position
Variations in angles bring notable changes in a product. For that, it is crucial to take shots from every possible angle to bring out the finest side of the product. Moreover, having photographs from different angles will give a 3D look to the product.
How Do You Edit White Background Product Photography?
To get flawless product photography, retouches are essential to remove all the imperfections related to lighting, framing, or even colors.
The following things can be considered while editing your photographs:
Remove spots
The first thing that you should look for in your raw photograph is spot, dust, fiber, or anything on the background, product, or the base that might ruin the photograph. Simply remove them with the eraser tool of the editing app.
Adjust background exposure
Sometimes the background may become overexposed or underexposed. That’s why it is important to check if the background has your desired white color. If not, adjust it to your preference.
Adjust color
To make the color of your product vibrant, you have to adjust the brightness, contrast, exposure, highlights, saturation, and warmth. Do not overdo the color adjustment or else it will change the original color of the product. Keep the color as realistic as possible.
Incorporate shadow
Removing all the shadows will make the product look artificial. Therefore, to give a realistic view of the product, incorporating some natural shadow is a good idea. However, make sure the shadow is on the base rather than in the background and looks genuine.
Erase background edges
The most important thing to consider is to remove the edges of your backdrop. For that, the photographs should be cropped in such a way that only the product is visible along with a white background. There shouldn’t be even the slightest hint of the backdrop in the photograph.
Also, you can change background color in photoshop by doing it yourself or outsource image background removal service for vast project.
Who Provides White Background Product Photography Service?
Working with a white background may sound easy. Still, to bring out the best of the products, specialists with expertise in every element of product photography can ensure better quality and clarity considering their professional settings and equipment.
We have some recommendations for white background product photography services that you can hire if you need professional help for your product photography.
1. Product Photo
Product Photo is one of the reliable eCommerce photography services that you can opt for to create photographs on a white background that will drive your sales. They serve both small and big companies worldwide at an affordable price.
The best part is you don’t have to pay in advance for orders below 250 photographs. Moreover, before shooting the entire product, a small number of photographs will be given to the new customers for approval to understand their preferences.
The pricing for white background product photography depends on the number of photographs. The highest price per photo is $25 for 1-5 photos. However, if you order more than 700 photos, it will cost only $7 per photo. A detailed price list is available on their website.
You can place an order online by filling out a form with all the necessary information. Based on that, they will send you a confirmation email with their shipping address. They will verify the product condition and other queries with you once they receive your product.
After the shoot, they will email you the proof with your invoice for payment. You can expect to receive your delivery within 5-7 business days for below 200 photographs. You have the option to cancel the order if you are not satisfied with the result until no file is delivered to you.
2. Square Shot
Square Shot provides a transparent photography service. Their service from start to the end is tracked and controlled. Also, their price is fixed with no hidden charge. Their wide category of services includes standard, paired products, groups, ghost mannequins, hand models, and accessories like jewelry & watches.
To get their service, you first need to fill out their intake form with your project details. Then, they will give you a proposal. If you agree, ship your products to them. For transparency, they will verify the product. To understand your requirements, test shots will be provided. Then, make the payment.
Their price per image starts from $50. For non-members, the minimum order is $300. They also offer 2 membership plans ‘growth’ and ‘enterprise’ for 6 months and 1-year, where you can enjoy 20% and 30% discounts with no minimum order. They also have a price calculator for your convenience.
They usually deliver up to 50 photographs within 8 business days. However, it takes 4 business days to deliver rush orders. Moreover, you can request revisions within 5 business days of receiving the approval link. They also have various product return options.
3. Pow Product Photography
If you are looking for an expert beauty product photography service, then Pow Product Photography is the one that can help you to slay the competition in the beauty product industry. They will provide you with high-resolution photographs and amazing customer service. You can test 1 photo for free before taking their service.
On the first order, you can get a $50 discount. They take 7 business days to deliver 1-25 photographs which will cost you $49.99 per photo, and 10 business days for 26-50 photographs with a cost of $44.99 per photo. You will have to contact them for a customized price for over 50 photographs.
There are 2 standard file types which are Jpeg for universal website use and Tif (master file) that can be converted to any other file type. However, only one will be free for you. If you want both files, then you will have to pay an additional $5 per photo.
For group photos, up to 5 items are free. An additional $20 will be charged for 6-10 items and a customized price beyond that. In most orders, they provide free return shipping, which is a great offer compared to other companies. Also, you can use their photographs forever worldwide without any copyright issue.
In case of emergency, you can opt for their rush-hour service, which will cost an additional $20 per photo for 3 business days rush and an additional $60 per photo for 24 hours rush. They also provide free redoes upon giving clear direction where most other companies will charge you for that.
4. Pencil One
Pencil One is one of the trusted product photography services that will bring your products to life at a flat rate. Their specialty is that they are enthusiastic about capturing every detail of the product by taking 360-degree images.
They offer a free product shooting session where you will get a photography consultation for 15 minutes, along with a free product photography portfolio and 3 product photos for free. To grab this offer, you need to register on their website.
To know their pricing, you have to fill out a form with your product details. Nevertheless, they provide service at a reasonable price. For a high volume of photographs, you will get discounts per photograph.
5. Product Photography
Product Photography is an expert product photography service that produces professional photographs for websites, eCommerce platforms like Amazon, and many more.
Their service is very affordable. Their classic photographs start at $30 per photo. They also offer photography packages which can save you 20% cost. Among the packages, the Amazon product photography package starts at $545, and Infographic design and photography costs $395 per infographic.
Generally, their turnaround time is within 2 weeks except for holidays. However, for large orders, the time may increase. They also have a delivery time tracker to let you know about the status of your order.
For orders, you have to fill out their form. They will provide all the necessary information for shipping and price in the invoice. Make the payment and ship your products. Nevertheless, the first order requires to be above $190. There are no requirements for recurring customers.
FAQs on White Background for Product Photography
Which background is best for product photography?
For product photography, it is recommended to keep the background plain. For that, a white background is the best option to give the photograph a clean and simple look.
Why does my white backdrop look gray?
Your white backdrop looks gray because of being underexposed due to a lack of proper lighting. Make sure to set up your lights in a way that light is evenly distributed on your background.
How do you get a white product on a white background?
To shoot a white product on a white background, the lighting should aim toward the background rather than the product to make it brighter. This will move the product to a grayish tone and make the details of the product distinguishable from the background.
How do you stop a white background from shadowing?
To stop a white background from shadowing, you have to place your subject a bit far from the background and the light on one side of the camera. Then place a V-flat or any other reflector on the opposite side of the light to bounce back the light on the subject and background from the other side.
What can I use instead of a backdrop?
You can use paper, fabric, curtain, wall, foam board, poster board, and tabletop instead of a backdrop. You can also use reflectors, diffusers, or high-powered flashlights to illuminate your background, which will provide a backdrop effect.
Conclusion
If you are looking forward to having protographs that will drive sales of your products, then you should definitely try out the white background for your upcoming product photography.
We believe our article has provided you with better knowledge about using the white background for product photography. Keep utilizing this knowledge. Happy shooting!
