How to Shoot Product Photos for E-Commerce and AI

Big brands do 400+ photoshoots a year. Don’t have the budget for that?

Let Pixii be your secret weapon.

Get 1 clean photo and turn it into 100+:

• Lifestyle shots

• How-to graphics

• Ads and social posts

• Amazon, Shopify, and TikTok Shop listings

This is how David takes on Goliath.

Shoot once. Use everywhere.

What to Get

(Screenshot this. Send it to your photographer.)

• Real product, clean and sharp

• Full product in frame (no cropping)

• Front-facing or ¾ angle

• Neutral background: white, beige, or gray

• Soft shadow on the surface

• Multiple angles (front, back, detail, angled)

• High resolution (min 2000 px wide)

• No filters, no compression

What to Avoid

• Cropped or partial products

• Harsh flash, deep shadows, blown highlights

• Busy or textured backgrounds

• Props in the hero image

• Top-down shots

• Over-edited or heavily color-shifted images

Deliverables Checklist

1. Hero Shot

• Straight-on or slight ¾ angle

• Full product, in focus, centered

• Plain background, soft shadow

2. Alt Angles

• Side and back

• Close-up for texture or labels

• One wide frame with negative space (good for text overlays or AI crops)

3. Export Specs

• 2000 px or higher

• Full-res JPG or PNG

• Consistent lighting across every image

• No aggressive compression, no auto color edits

Core Principles

• Keep it clean – E-comm buyers trust clarity over creativity

• Shoot like a template – Consistency across products shows professionalism

• Avoid distractions – Props distract buyers, get flagged by algorithms (esp. Amazon), and confuse AI

• Think reusability – One good shoot can power Shopify, Amazon, Meta ads, and more

Photographer Appendix (Tech Reference)

(You probably know this. Including for reference.)

Camera Settings (Ideal)

• Shoot RAW for color flexibility

• Lens: 50 mm or 85 mm prime (on full-frame)

• Aperture: f/8–f/11 for full sharpness

• ISO: ≤ 400

• Shutter: 1/125 or faster

• White balance: lock at 5600K or use gray card

• Color profile: neutral/flat (no built-in contrast or sharpness)

Lighting Setup

• One soft key light at 45° (LED panel or softbox)

• One fill light or bounce board on the opposite side

• No mixed lighting temperatures

• Keep shadows soft but present. Levitating product confuses algorithms.

Framing & Background

• White or neutral paper/foam board

• Avoid seamless sweeps (the horizon between floor and wall helps AI understand the product’s physics)

• No tilt, no vignette

• Leave margin on all sides

Extra Credit

• Third rim light for subtle edge separation

• 360° turntable sequence if needed

• Duplicate key shots on light gray as backup

This one shoot should give you 20+ pieces of usable content.

Related Guides

• How to Take Great Product Photos with Your Phone →

• Build a DIY Photo Setup for $200 →

• Generate Variants with Pixii AI →