How to Shoot Product Photos for E-Commerce and AI

Jun 9, 2025

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.

Want to Go Deeper? 

📸 How to Take a Great Product Photo With Your Phone  

🧾 How to Brief a Photographer for a Shoot  

💡 How to Upgrade Your Phone Shoots for $200

Get Started With Pixii → 


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.

Want to Go Deeper? 

📸 How to Take a Great Product Photo With Your Phone  

🧾 How to Brief a Photographer for a Shoot  

💡 How to Upgrade Your Phone Shoots for $200

Get Started With Pixii → 


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