Product Photography Style Guide & PDF Template

A product photography guide is a written set of rules or guidelines you follow each time you photograph your items.

Your guide can describe any number of elements you want to keep consistent throughout your brand imagery, such as:

• the direction and angle of the light source
• the distance and angle between the camera and the product
• the number and types of photos you take of each product
• colors allowed for backdrops and props that are used

Why should you create a photography style guide?

As you experiment with craft photography, certain looks you love will emerge in your collection of product photos.

You'll want to be able to reproduce those looks.

A written style guide will tell you exactly how to set up your camera, lighting, products, backdrops, and props, so you can reliably and efficiently capture the look you want any time, over several photo sessions.

Images for each product don't have to be exactly the same. A photography style guide will help you create a set of images that have elements in common, so they form a cohesive set.

Benefits of using brand imagery guidelines to create product photos with a consistent visual style:

Clear Messaging

A consistent look for all of your product photos unifies your brand. It helps you communicate a clear story about your products that resonates with target customers.

Increased Perceived Value

When several product photos viewed together create a cohesive looking collection — in your Etsy shop, for example —  you raise the perceived value of your products. Raising the perceived value of your products can enable you to increase your prices.

Reliable Results

If you create a written guide detailing all of the elements that go into creating photos for your products, you'll be able to reproduce a consistent look whenever you need to photograph new products.

Efficiency

Clear guidelines describing your product photography setup will enable you to prepare for photo sessions faster, eliminate guesswork, and work more efficiently.

Communicate and Delegate

A written product photography style guide will make it easy to communicate what you need if, at some point, you want to switch from DIY product photography and hire a professional.

Ask yourself questions such as:

• How many photos will you need to show your products from all angles?
• Do you want to use lifestyle photos or product photography on a simple white background?
• Where will you use your images, and how will that impact the size and composition of the photos you need?

As you think through your image needs, write it all down.

You'll need additional information to recreate a particular look such as:

• the distance between the product and camera
• the angle of the camera
• the time of day, weather conditions and location if you're using natural light in your photography

That information is not recorded by your camera, so you'll need to take notes. You can download a product photography style guide PDF template at the bottom of this page to help you keep track of things.

Number and Types of Photos Required

• lifestyle photos
• product only images on a plain background
• all angles you need to show of your product
• product detail closeups
• other elements, such as product packaging
• photo sizes and compositions required for different uses - you may need to compose images differently for Instagram or your Etsy shop (square images) vs. Pinterest (tall rectangular images)

Lighting Setup

If you use artificial light:

• type of lights you use
• number of lights
• distance from each light to the product
• angles of each light
• anything in the environment that impacts the light

If you use natural light:

• time of day
• weather conditions
• location
• time of year (the quality of natural light can change throughout different seasons)
• anything in the environment that impacts the light (such as large surfaces that may reflect color)

If you use diffusers:

• type of diffusers
• placement of the diffusers

If you use reflectors:

• type of reflector(s) used
• color of reflectors used
• distance of reflectors relative to light source and product
• angle of reflectors

Postproduction / Image Editing

Set up a template that you use each time you edit product photos. A template, along with a set of rules directing how you edit product photos will help you work more efficiently and maintain consistency with factors such as: 

• dimensions for cropping photos
• file sizes required
• guidelines for adjusting color balance, brightness, etc.
• do you add a logo on some or all images
• rules for logo placement, size and alteration

Photography Style Guide Template

You can keep track of all of your brand photography guidelines with this printable PDF. Click the button below to download.