Do you want to capture the attention of your customers with the best clothing photographs for your store? After all, as an online store, you must focus on visuals and aesthetics. If you want to create the best clothing photographs, you will have to implement some excellent tips.
The top clothing photography tips include utilizing a mannequin or model, doing flat-lay photography, removing distractions, focusing on the main features, and much more. As you implement each tip, you will get the best result for your clothing photography.
That is why if you want to have the best clothing photography shoot, you are in the right place. Here are all the top tips you can implement to get the most out of your shoot.
1. Utilizing A Model Or Mannequin
Of course, the first thing you need to do is decide whether you will use a mannequin or model to shoot your clothing items. Using a mannequin will give them a context of what the clothing item will look like on them. You can choose between an actual mannequin or a ghost mannequin effect.
The key is to help your customers visualize what all the products will look like once they wear them. On the other hand, you can also utilize a model to achieve this objective. Hiring a model means you will get a level of professionalism and realism that is not available with a mannequin.
In the long run, hiring the right models can enhance your branding to reach all platforms of your liking. Besides that, models will have the knowledge to help you showcase your products in a much better light. Of course, hiring a model also costs more.
That is why you must decide if you are willing to pay the higher price of opting for a model. If you are on a tight budget, then getting a mannequin will be better for your budget. If you require high-quality images and don’t mind paying more, then a model is the right choice for you.
2. Flat Lay Photography
One of the best photography styles for clothing items is flat lay photography, which is why it is the top tip you must incorporate. The photography is ideal for a full set of clothes. That is because you can give your audience a flat view of the entire set while using this style.
It will also look good with various clothing items, such as socks, trousers, and much more. If you want to get some great flat-lay photographs, then you will require a large white paper or sheet to lay. After that, you must ensure that all the clothes are ironed and in great condition.
You can then lay the clothes and take pictures of entire sets or clothing items. Remember that this is also one of the most cost-effective methods for your clothing photography. We recommend that you make the clothing items look as aesthetically pleasing as you possibly can.
You can find other products that will complement the clothing items and include them in the photography. Once you do, you will create a great aesthetic that will help you get the best product photos in no time.
3. Remove All Distractions
It is crucial that your clothing photographs don’t include too many distractions. That is because it will take the attention away from your products. You can also take out any stickers or labels that might come in the picture so that there are a few distracting elements in the picture.
The key is to offer a fresh image to your target audience. If there are too many distractions, they will probably not end up buying the product, as too many things will be fighting for their attention. The background should also not have too many distractions.
You can use a solid color or white background（Learn what a white background photo is） to enhance your clothing photography. Doing this will guarantee that the focus remains on the clothing items and how they look. So, don’t forget to create a clean set for your clothing photographs.
4. Focus On The Main Features
Not all your clothing will be basic. Most of your clothing items will have some highlighting features that make them unique. That is why your focus must remain on the most important features of your clothing items while doing photography.
That is why you must ensure to include these details so that your photographs look eye-catching. Of course, there are also clothing items that have exquisite details. For such clothing items, you need to put a lot of focus on each individual part.
So, think about what makes your clothing items unique and then decide to take pictures highlighting such features. In the end, your audience should understand exactly what they will get from the product. That is the art of creating the perfect clothing photographs in no time.
5. Take As Many Images As You Can
In the moment, your pictures may look great to you, but later on, there might be some imperfections that will hinder you from using the pictures. That is why taking as many pictures as possible is the key to making the most of your clothing photography. For each clothing item, you must take a few shots to see what they look like.
You can also experiment with distances, angles, and shots to see which one suits the clothing item in the best way possible. The more images you have, the more freedom of choice you will get. So, don’t forget to take a lot of images for each item and then decide which ones to choose for your store.
One of the best things you can do with product photography is getting creative. You don’t have to opt for white backgrounds or mannequins and models. Instead, you can find other ways to showcase your clothing in the best way possible.
（Click to learn what is creative lifestyle photo.）
For example, you can hang the apparel on a hook or a solid color background and then take a picture. This is an affordable method that will guarantee your clothes look great and you won’t have to spend too much. On the other hand, if you want to shoot clothing items made of lightweight material, then hanging them is a great choice.
These include materials such as silk, as they can wrinkle easily during the shoot, and you might have to iron them again. If you hang the clothing items instead, then they will not wrinkle at all. Of course, you can find other creative ways to showcase your clothing items too.
7. Try Out Street Fashion Photography
Do you want to tell your audience that your clothes look great and are comfortable? If you do, then doing street fashion photography is one of the best things you can do. You will not require any scene, setup, props, or anything else.
The only thing you will need are models, and you can take them to the street for a photo shoot. If you sell clothing items such as jeans, casual shirts, baggy hoodies, sweatshirts, and much more, then you can opt for this kind of clothing photography. It will give the idea of staying comfortable while looking excellent.
You can also style the clothes in such a way that they add more character to your photographs. Once you do, you will have some of the best photographs for your brand that you can even use for your social media platforms. Such pictures are ideal for a website and social media, as they are fun and creative.However, the disadvantage is that the cost will be relatively high.
8. Take Ideas From Competitors
While it is great to have original ideas, it is important to check what your competitors are doing. That is because it will give you an idea of what works for the type of clothing brand you have. Research is crucial as it will help you understand what your target audience needs.
Remember that just because you conduct research, it doesn’t mean that you must copy the ideal from your competitors. What works for them might not work in the best way possible for you. Besides that, your audience will also know that your idea is not original.
That is why you must contain your research to take inspiration and add your twist to it. Once you do, such ideas will work for your brand, too, and you will have the best clothing photographs in no time.
9. The Right Lighting
The right lighting will make all the difference to your clothing photography. It is not too challenging to create DIY clothing photography and lighting. If you want natural lighting, then your best bet is to shoot in the daytime next to a lighting source, such as a window.
On the other hand, if you don’t want natural light, you can shoot indoors and invest in proper lighting. Even this is not too expensive, as there are many affordable lighting options in the market that you can use for your clothing photography. You just have to make sure that the lighting indoors is not too harsh.
That is because the lighting will affect the color of your clothing items and how they will look. The items should not look any different than how they are, as the photographs must be realistic. So, select the right lighting（Click to learn about product lighting arrangement guide） solution and see how great the clothing photographs look.
10. Match The Clothing Style And The Background
Another great tip you can implement is to match the clothing style and the background. Many e-commerce stores use a white background for photography because it means that their photographs will be consistent. However, you don’t have to stick to a white background.
Instead, you can opt for a solid color background that matches the style of your clothing items. However, one thing to keep in mind here is that the background should never overpower the clothing. If that happens, your audience will focus on the background and not on the clothing items.
That is why you must select colors that are not too bright or vibrant. Such colors can easily become the focus of the picture, which means your clothing items can get ignored.
11. Pay Attention To Details
It is all about the details in clothing photography, as each detail matters. That is why you must pay attention and ensure that your clothing items look perfect. One way to do this is by keeping a lint roller nearby and picking out any tiny particles that are hanging on the outfits.
You can use it to clean the clothing items of anything on it. Besides that, wrinkles might also be an issue. That is why we recommend ironing all the clothes before the shoot, but you can also utilize a steamer during the shoot to heat the garment and take out any wrinkles.
12. Don’t Forget To Edit
Finally, after the entire shoot is done, you must edit your clothing photographs. There are many things you will have to fix, such as color, saturation, white balance, brightness, and much more. The key to editing perfectly is to make the picture look as close to reality as possible.
After all, you don’t want your audience to feel scammed when they receive their clothing items. The color should closely match the color of the product, and you must display any details of your clothing items. So, be sure to invest in a great photo-editing application and edit your clothing pictures in the best way possible.
Final Thoughts
These are all the clothing photography tips that you must implement for your apparel shoot. Of course, you must remain consistent and pay attention to each detail before you decide to shoot the items. Once you do, you will get some of the best pictures that you can use on many platforms.
The secret is to do research on your industry and your target audience to understand what they would like to see. Once you have the research, you can create a shoot accordingly. Don’t forget to hire the right product photographer, as they can make all the difference.
