What is Product Photography?
To begin with, product photography is all about showing off your items in their best light—quite literally! It’s the art of taking clear, detailed photos of your products to help them sell online or in catalogs.
What exactly is it?
In short, product photography focuses on capturing standalone items against clean backgrounds. The goal is simple: show customers exactly what they’re buying.
These photos need to be:
- Clear and sharp
- Well-lit to show true colors
- Detailed enough to see features
- Professional looking to build trust
Types of product photos you might need:
For instance, product photography can include:
- White background shots – Clean images for product listings
- Detail close-ups – Showing texture, materials, and features
- Scale images – Photos that show size compared to common objects
- Group shots – Multiple products displayed together
- 360° views – Images from all angles
The technical side
On a more technical level, product photography involves lighting setups, cameras, and studio equipment. Most product shots need:
- Consistent, even lighting (often from multiple sources)
- Tripods for sharp, clear images
- The right camera settings for perfect focus
- Simple backgrounds that don’t distract from the product
- Proper angles to show important features
Ultimately, good product photos show items clearly so customers know exactly what they’ll get when they buy.
What is Brand Photography?
On the other hand, brand photography goes beyond simple product shots to tell your company’s whole story. It captures the feel, values, and people behind your business.
Unlike product photography, which shows what you sell, brand photography shows who you are. It includes:
- Team members in action
- Behind-the-scenes moments
- Your workspace atmosphere
- Lifestyle images showing your products in use
- Images that reflect your brand personality
As a result, good brand photography creates an emotional link with customers. When someone sees your brand photos, they should immediately get a clear sense of what working with you would be like.
The best brand photos aren’t stiff or formal. Instead, they show real moments that connect with your ideal customers. They help people trust you before they even reach out.
👉 Quick Tip: Brand photos work best when they match the tone of your written content. If your website copy is casual and fun, your photos should be too!
In addition, brand images often include people, places, and experiences related to your business. They paint the bigger picture of what makes your company special and different from others.
The Main Differences Between Product and Brand Photography
In many ways, product photography and brand photography serve different goals in your marketing toolkit. Let’s break down what sets them apart:
Focus and Intention
To start, product photography zeroes in on the item itself. Its goal? To show your product clearly and make people want to buy it. By contrast, brand photography has a bigger job—it shows what your business stands for and feels like.
Subject Matter
- Product photos feature: The product alone, from different angles, with clean backgrounds
- Brand photos include: People using products, behind-the-scenes moments, team members, and workspace shots
Storytelling Elements
In essence, product photos tell a simple story: “Here’s what you’ll get.” Meanwhile, brand photos tell a deeper story about who you are as a company.
👉 Quick Tip: Think of product photos as the “what” and brand photos as the “why” of your business.
Visual Style
Finally, product photography tends to be consistent and neutral. In contrast, brand photography has more personality and matches your brand’s unique style and colors.
In other words, brand photos create feelings and connections that product-only shots can’t achieve on their own. Together, they give customers the full picture of what buying from you will be like.
5 Must Have Brand Photos – Free Guide
