According to studies and predictions, the cosmetic market will reach around 758.4 billion USD by 2025. With such a high number, almost every business wants to invest in cosmetic product photography to stay ahead of the competition in selling cosmetics.
While clicking a cosmetic photo may be easy, clicking one that sells is not a cakewalk. To click such photos, you need to know some advanced tips and tricks and have plenty of creative ideas. That’s why we present you a complete guide to cosmetic product photography to ensure you attract and sell.
In this guide, we have discussed plenty of techniques to click cosmetic photos creatively. You can simply follow these ideas and tips to start on your journey. So, without wasting any more time, let’s get started.
What is cosmetic product photography, and what are its types?
Cosmetic product photography is where you click pictures of cosmetics, makeup, or beauty products that attract buyers and help you sell them. The end goal of cosmetic products is to sell them.
That’s why the photos you take of the cosmetic product must be able to showcase its features, benefits, and overall appeal in the best possible way.
Types of cosmetic photography
Usually, you get to see two main types of cosmetic product photography. One is for commercial purposes, where you want to sell your product. The other is for advertising and marketing purposes, where you want to attract people.
Classic E-commerce Photos
These are the workhorses of online stores. They typically feature clean, well-lit product images on a plain white or simple background. The focus is on clarity and presenting all product sides for a detailed view.
Lifestyle Photos
These are more creative shots depicting the product. They aim to create a mood or tell a story that connects with the target audience. Lifestyle photos might show someone applying makeup, enjoying a pampering skincare routine, or using the product in a specific setting.
Challenges of Making Cosmetic Product Photography
Clicking the perfect cosmetic product photo comes with a set of challenges. Especially when you are seeking flawless photos, you have to make sure that you overcome these challenges. Many fail to do so, which is why they fail to succeed. Here are some of the key challenges you face while capturing the photos.
Painful struggle to capture reflective surfaces
First, most cosmetics products contain a combination of glass and metal elements with a reflective surface. They feature a sparkly gloss, making it quite difficult for a photographer to capture both items in one shot. You need exceptional skills in finding the correct settings and mastery of product photo editing to deal with this problem.
Mixed Items with different lighting requirements
Similar to the glass and metal concepts, various cosmetics products may have a mix of different material combinations. This leads to one subject having multiple light absorption abilities. Keeping them in a single frame while maintaining proper light can be the toughest challenge for any photographer.
What’s the solution? It’s simple, exceptional product photo retouching to achieve the perfect balance of exposure, highlight, shadow, and colors.
Achieving Pixel-perfection in model close-ups
Photographers working with skincare products have one major concern: achieving perfection in model close-ups. They need to showcase the skin so that it looks flawless after using the product. But if you are taking a close-up shot, imperfections and intricacies of the skin come out.
Since every model is different, there is no universal solution to this except handling the challenge in post-processing. With capable photo retouching hands working on it, the problem can easily be solved.
Handling the smudges and smears of cosmetics
Showcasing makeup’s true texture and color on e-commerce websites or product catalog pages can instantly turn visitors into customers. However, getting the perfect smear shape or the right texture to showcase is challenging.
Usually, the solution here lies in trial and error. You can’t truly do too much in the post-processing here, using exceptional color correction to get the desired effect you want.
Adding Reflective shadow in post-production
Particularly in cosmetic photography, you have to use reflective shadows because they try to mimic a spa-like or natural-looking environment. However, it’s quite difficult to achieve a perfect reflective shadow without the right skill set or expertise, as the process involves a set of critical stages.
The easiest solution is to either master the art of realistic shadow creation or hire a professional product photo shadow creation service. If you have no knowledge of reflective shadow, you should always choose the latter.
Professional Tips for Attention-Grabbing Cosmetic Product Photography
Making cosmetics look attractive in photos is the first step you take toward effective cosmetic photography. When attractive, you simply attract more people or visitors to the product. This leads to higher chances of selling the product. How do you click an attention-grabbing cosmetic product? Here are they key tips to follow –
Use natural light
No matter who you ask, any professional and capable photographer will always tell you to use natural light as much as possible. Natural light gives cosmetics or products a glow that makes them look flattering in a photo.
However, the technical reason for using natural light is that it has a soft effect on the subject, which doesn’t make the product appear harsh. Simply put, it’s more soothing for the eyes than studio lights.
Take lifestyle photos
Since we are talking about attracting people, what could attract them more than seeing cosmetics in a lifelike scenario?
Lifestyle photos are great for showcasing the cosmetic products used throughout life. It helps create a story and mood that connects with your target audience.
Use colored backgrounds
Now, this might be confusing to some people who have gone through a little bit of product photography. Usually, you are supposed to have a plain, solid background, preferably white in color. However, it’s a bit different for cosmetic photography.
Here, you want to experiment with different colored backgrounds to bring energy and emotion into the photos. Think about the brand and the product you are working with. Choose light colors to create a calming effect and vibrant colors to invoke energy in your photos.
Highlight the product details
When it comes to clicking pictures that help you sell cosmetics, you just have to show the details of the product as much as possible. Showing product details builds trust and credibility in the customer’s mind.
You can showcase things like the texture of products like cream or foundation. For other products, try highlighting the applicator’s unique design or showing special ingredients used in the cosmetic.
Capture action shots
Action shots are quite similar to lifestyle shots. The difference is that, in action shots, the purpose is to portray the product while in action.
For instance, a photo of someone spraying perfume or applying mascara is a great way to connect with the audience.
Use gradient lighting
Gradient lighting is a great way to achieve the same soft and diffused effect of natural light. If you can’t use natural light to click cosmetic photos, gradient lighting will be your next best option. With this kind of lighting, you can highlight the product details and features without creating harsh shadows or highlights ruining the look.
Consider the depth of field
Depth of field is a crucial factor to consider when clicking a cosmetic product photo. In this case, you have to pay attention to the area you are focusing in, to draw the viewer’s eye.
You must always focus on the cosmetic, not anywhere else. With the right aperture settings, you can easily adjust the depth of field and get the perfect focus.
Polish everything in post-production
As you saw in the cosmetic photography challenges, many can be overcome in post-production. You can achieve a perfect finish with some color correction, shadow creation, and subtly photo retouching.
However, don’t overdo it. If you don’t know how to subtly enhance the look of your cosmetics photo, you can always rely on professional Photoshop editing services.
Optimizing product images and making them known to Google
Finally, don’t forget to use relevant keywords in filenames and image descriptions to improve your product’s ranking in search engine results. Since the purpose of your photos is to increase sales online, it’s crucial to optimize the images for search engines.
Watch the Video: Beauty Product Photography Styling Tips & Behind The Scenes Tutorial
Top 10 Cosmetic Product Photography Ideas That Sell
You are now equipped with the tactics to make your cosmetic product photos attractive, but they aren’t ready for sale yet. Selling your cosmetic product photography requires you to combine creative photography ideas. We are listing the top 10 creative ideas to get you started. Let’s get going.
1. Flat Lays
Arrange your cosmetics overhead on a visually appealing surface. This is a great way to showcase multiple products in a single image and lets you play with interesting compositions.
For instance, you can put your lipstick in a fan shape on a marble surface with a single, elegant rose in the background. This flat-lay composition showcases multiple lip colors and creates a luxurious feel.
2. Color Coordination
Create a harmonious scene using colors that complement your product’s packaging or theme. This can be a great way to establish a brand identity and evoke a certain mood.
Photograph your new line of cool-toned eyeshadow palettes against a backdrop of shimmering blue fabric. This color coordination reinforces the cool-toned theme of the palettes and creates a calming, sophisticated mood.
3. Macro Shots
Get extreme close-up shots to reveal the intricate details of your products. This is perfect for highlighting the texture of creamy lipstick or the unique fibers of a mascara brush.
Capture an extreme close-up of your volumizing mascara, showcasing the individual fibers of the brush. This macro shot allows customers to see the quality of the brush and how it can create voluminous lashes.
4. Experiments with reflection
Utilize mirrors or reflective surfaces to create a visually interesting and eye-catching composition. This can add depth and dimension to your photos. Place your perfume bottle on a mirrored surface with a single drop strategically placed in front of it. The reflection creates depth and intrigue, drawing the viewer’s eye to the product.
5. Floating products
Suspend your makeup items and tool mid-air using a clear fishing line or editing software. This whimsical approach can create a sense of weightlessness and intrigue.
Use a clear fishing line to suspend your lightweight moisturizer bottle with a few water droplets around it. This whimsical approach creates a sense of weightlessness and freshness, highlighting the product’s hydrating properties.
6. Bring out the textures
Don’t just tell, show! Highlight the luxurious texture of your cosmetics with close-up shots that emphasize the smoothness of a moisturizer or the rich creaminess of a foundation.
Capture a close-up shot of your whipped body butter being scooped out of the jar, emphasizing its light and fluffy texture. This allows potential buyers to see how easily the product spreads and how luxurious it feels.
7. Send a message with props
Use props to tell a story or highlight your product’s natural ingredients. For example, surround a body lotion with fresh aloe leaves or depict a lipstick with vibrant flowers.
Place your sunscreen bottle next to a pair of sunglasses and a beach hat on a sandy surface. This prop arrangement tells a story and highlights the product’s use for sun protection during outdoor activities.
8. Get creative with isometric patterns
Arrange your cosmetics in a 3D format for a unique and creative perspective. This can be a great way to showcase multiple product sides in a single shot.
Keep your compact powder case slightly tilted. The open lid will reveal the product, and a puff applicator will rest beside it. This isometric view will let customers see the compact from various angles and its components.
9. Bokeh for the win
Blur the background of your photos using the “bokeh” technique. This creates a dreamy effect that focuses on your product in the foreground.
Capture your lipstick against a background filled with soft, blurred fairy lights. The bokeh effect creates a dreamy atmosphere and draws focus to the vibrant lipstick in the foreground.
10. Try Showcasing Swatches
You can implement swatches to showcase the makeup in its true light. Include photos of your products being applied to skin or other surfaces. This allows potential buyers to see how the product looks and performs.
Click photos of your foundation shades swatched on different skin tones. This allows potential buyers to see how the foundation shades might look on their own skin and make a more informed purchase decision.
Final Verdict – Take Advantages from Whizz Design
To conclude, making cosmetic product photography sell is all about implementing the basic idea of clicking attractive photos and combining them with creative ideas. However, the process is still incomplete, with the perfect finishing on post-processing.
If you feel that you have captured the perfect photo that needs a flawless finish, Whizz Design can help you achieve it. With Whizz Design, you can use exceptional e-commerce photo editing expertise to turn your attractive cosmetic photos, which can also sell.
