Charles Nucci: Don’t believe these myths about ecommerce photography

We are reaching an era where the world of ecommerce is gradually taking over the high-street, with more and more customers turning to the internet to satisfy their shopping requirements.

It means that companies are gradually spending more and more on their website, and this is where product photography steps in. According to Charles Nucci, this is something that can transform profits and brands need to take full advantage in order to do this.

However, the field is blighted by a lot of misinformation. Through today’s post, we will now dissect some of this information and smooth over some of the myths that have arisen from this section of the ecommerce industry.

Myth #1 – Ecommerce sites always use genuine photography

This first myth might raise a few eyebrows, but give us time.

Despite the main message of this article being that you should invest in a professional photographer for your ecommerce project, some of the biggest brands in the world don’t actually do this.

For example, one of the biggest furniture shops in the world have used over 75% of photos in their catalogues as 3D renders. This is partly because of time, which we will come onto in our next myth, but also the 3D factor. There are different ways to convey a product to a customer, and more brands are tapping into 3D renders in a bid to exploit this.

Myth #2 – Ecommerce photography is a quick process

It is amazing to see the number of ecommerce brands who leave photography as a final thought. They may have spent millions on their premium ecommerce platform, but when it comes to handling the photos this is left until the last minute and ultimately, the job isn’t completed properly.

Unfortunately, this is a slow process. The fact that a lot of ecommerce sites are not able to use genuine photography, and have to turn to CGI, should highlight this. For example, if we turn to the furnishings professions, and hone in on curtains, a lot of companies will simply Photoshop different curtains into a window in a bid to save time. Of course, they will need to hire a professional photographer to deal with the initial environment, but beyond that it’s just much quicker to drag and drop curtains in on Photoshop.

Myth #3 – Photography is a simple process

Again, another reason why a lot of companies hire photographers for days at a time is because shooting for ecommerce is not a simple process. You not only need to transport the products in question to the set of your choice, but you have to design the set as well. When this is combined with the costs and time of editing the images, things suddenly become a lot more complicated.

This is another reason why brands are starting to plan their photography schedule a little more. It’s something that can sell them more products – but at the same time it has to be done a long time in advance.