You have a product. You need photos. You've never done this before. Here's exactly what to do, step by step, with timing for each step.
Before You Start (10 minutes)
Gather Your Equipment
- Your phone (any phone made after 2020 is fine)
- A window with natural light
- A white poster board or large white paper ($3)
- A white foam board or white cardboard ($3)
- A phone tripod or stack of books to prop your phone
Prepare the Product
- Remove all packaging, tags, and stickers
- Clean the product (microfiber cloth for electronics, lint roller for fabric)
- If it's clothing, steam or iron out wrinkles
- If it has batteries, charge it
Set Up the Background
- Tape the white poster board to a wall, curving it down to the table surface
- This creates a "sweep" — a seamless white background with no visible edge
- Position the setup near a window (within 3 feet)
The Shoot (15 minutes)
Camera Settings
- Open your phone camera
- Turn OFF flash (always)
- Turn OFF HDR (it over-processes product photos)
- Set to the highest resolution available
- If your phone has a "Pro" mode, set white balance to "Daylight" or 5500K
Lighting Position
- Window on your LEFT side
- Foam board on your RIGHT side (this bounces window light back, filling shadows)
- Product in the center of the sweep
The 7 Shots
Shot 1: Front (Main Image) — 2 minutes
Phone at product eye level, directly in front. Product centered in frame, filling 80% of the image. This is your most important photo.
Shot 2: 45° Angle — 1 minute
Move your phone 45° to the left and slightly above. This shows depth and dimension.
Shot 3: Back — 1 minute
Move behind the product. Shows the back design, labels, or ports.
Shot 4: Detail Close-Up — 2 minutes
Get close to the best quality indicator (stitching, texture, finish, buttons). Use your phone's macro mode if available.
Shot 5: Top-Down — 1 minute
Hold your phone directly above the product, looking straight down.
Shot 6: In-Use — 3 minutes
Hold the product in your hand, or place it in a natural setting. Show how it's used.
Shot 7: Scale Reference — 1 minute
Place a common object (credit card, pen, your hand) next to the product.
Total shooting time: ~12 minutes
Post-Processing (10 minutes)
Step 1: Transfer Photos
Send photos to your computer (AirDrop, email, or USB cable).
Step 2: Background Removal
Upload all 7 photos to pic1.ai. The AI removes the background and gives you clean product images on white.
Step 3: Quick Check
Review each processed image:
- Is the product fully visible? (no clipped edges)
- Are the colors accurate? (compare to the real product)
- Is the image sharp? (zoom in to check)
Step 4: Export
Download the processed images. They're ready to upload.
Upload (5 minutes)
Amazon
- Main image: Shot 1 (front, white background)
- Gallery: Shots 2-7 in order
- Size: 2500×2500 minimum
Shopify
- Main image: Shot 1
- Gallery: All 7 shots
- Size: 2048×2048
Etsy
- Main image: Shot 6 (in-use — Etsy prefers lifestyle)
- Gallery: Shots 1-5, 7
- Size: 2000×1500
Total Time: 40 Minutes
| Phase | Time |
|---|---|
| Preparation | 10 minutes |
| Shooting | 15 minutes |
| Post-processing | 10 minutes |
| Upload | 5 minutes |
| Total | 40 minutes |
Your first shoot might take longer as you figure out positioning and settings. By your third product, you'll be under 30 minutes.
Common First-Timer Mistakes
Using flash. Phone flash creates harsh, unflattering light with strong shadows. Natural window light is always better.
Shooting on a bed or carpet. Textured backgrounds are distracting. Use a smooth white surface.
Too far from the product. Get close. The product should fill most of the frame. You can always crop, but you can't add detail that wasn't captured.
Shooting in direct sunlight. Direct sun creates harsh shadows. Shoot on a cloudy day or when the sun isn't directly hitting your window.
For the next level, check out my $47 lighting setup. And for batch shooting multiple products, here's the assembly line method.