Branding
What product photos do you need for a website and catalogue?
Plan product photos for your website, catalogue and campaigns, including a main view, detail shots, context and consistent variant images.
The quick answer
List where each photograph will be used, then plan a clean main view, a detail view, a sense of scale or context and comparable views for important variants. Decide the crops and name the files before handing them over.
You have a photo for the website banner, but your sales team still has to explain the finish, size or layout on every call. A shot list helps you decide which questions each photograph should answer before the shoot starts.
Match the View to a Buyer Question
| Buyer question | Shot to capture |
|---|---|
| What does the whole product look like? | A clean main view that is easy to recognise at a small size. |
| What is the texture, finish or fitting like? | A close-up with enough light to see the detail. |
| How large is it or where does it fit? | A view in use or a view with a familiar reference for scale. |
| Which version is this? | Comparable framing for the variants customers need to distinguish. |
Plan the Crops Before the Shoot
List the image placements first. A website banner may need room for a heading, while a catalogue card may need a tighter crop. Ask for a wide frame and a separate closer composition when one crop would cut off a useful feature.
For a product range, agree how you will name each item and variant. Use the same identifiers in your shot list, catalogue and file names so a similar-looking photo ends up on the right product page.
Use a Wide View and Detail Views Together
In the Vanity Tours project, a cabin overview explains the seating layout. Closer photographs show seats and materials. A business selling a physical product can use the same sequence: show the whole object first, then the part a buyer wants to inspect.
Prepare the Handover for Website and Print Teams
Keep an organised folder of approved originals and exports. Include the product name, angle and variant in each filename. Provide descriptive alt text for website images that convey product details, and agree any supplier-specific requirements before delivering files to a marketplace or printer.
Further reading
- Vanity Tours photography case study: See the original cabin photography and material detail shots.