Why would I write a blog post about Cell Phone Product Photography?

Yes, I’d LOVE it if masses of businesses came to me to shoot their products.  But I also realize not every business can afford that, have the time, nor would I have the time to shoot every single product for every local business.  While a well photographed, high resolution image IS critical in many cases, it’s not always necessary for quick posts to social media.  Many businesses have a high turnover of unique items, some businesses don’t even have products – but want to show off work in the field and behind the scenes types of images. Are you a hair stylist, nail salon, cabinet maker, or pet groomer and want to show off recent client work without making the customer wait for a professional photographer? This post is for you.

Cell phone cameras have come a long way in a short period of time.  While I do recommend hiring a professional for head shots, catalog/printed advertising, and other uses where a high resolution and high quality image is needed, cell phones are great for every day shots.  They are usually on hand, easy to use, easy to quickly share to social media, or even a quick email to customers.

This doesn’t mean that your images need to look sloppy, or like they were shot on a cell phone.

Why should I bother?

Your customers. like everyone else, are bombarded by images all day long.  They are in TV, magazines, billboards, and of course all over the internet.  You want to stand out – look professional and quickly grab your customer’s eyes.  In a good way!!  These days the adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” is more true than ever.  Depending on who’s data you believe and what you consider an ad, Americans see between 400 and 5,000 ads a day..  A quality image will make your product feel more expensive, while a poor image cheapens it.  Have you ever looked through Yelp reviews?  While it’s nice that customers add photos, sometimes (especially for restaurants) their photos make the product look nasty!  Milk should not be green!  Dark dingy images, poor color control, awkward composition all can negate a great review.

Fortunately it’s not that hard to elevate your photography.  It does take a bit of practice, a bit of trial and error.  While there are some tools and props that can help, they aren’t necessary, and can be very inexpensive.

Stay tuned

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