Tips to Improve Your Shopify Product Photography

Image size impacts page loading speed. When product images are large (file-wise), they can slow down your store. Slower loading times may lead visitors to bounce before seeing your product — and that hurts both engagement and SEO. By keeping image sizes small (e.g., under ~70 KB), you ensure faster load times, which improves user experience and can boost Google rankings.

To achieve natural-looking product shots, balance the white in your photos so the colors are true to life (avoid over-saturation). Use soft lighting (natural light or diffused artificial lighting) to avoid harsh shadows. Avoid over-editing: subtle retouching is better than dramatic filters, especially for e‑commerce, because you don’t want to mislead customers.

You can use photographic techniques like a shallow depth of field (blur the background), or post-editing effects (like a vignette) to subtly darken the edges. This draws the viewer’s eye to the product. Also, make sure the product takes up enough of the frame so that it’s the visual centerpiece — not lost among props or background elements.

Lifestyle photography shows your product in a real‑world context (e.g., being used). This helps potential buyers imagine how and where they might use the product, which can remove guesswork and hesitation. When customers see the product “in action,” it builds trust and increases the chances they’ll buy — because they better understand its use-case and value.

Not necessarily. While high-resolution cameras and professional lighting help, you can still make great product photos with a smartphone + good lighting + careful editing. But, investing in quality does pay off over time: better visuals can lead to higher conversion rates. If you're on a budget, consider using a specialized mobile app (like DoMyShoot) to help you produce e‑commerce–compliant, high-quality images without buying expensive equipment.