More so than any other photography niche, product photographers need to accurately represent the subject. Since potential customers will use these photos to determine whether they will make a purchase, the product they receive needs to look like what they see in the photo. That’s why you should skip the wide angle lenses in favor of a standard focal length between 40mm and 58mm, so there’s no risk of misrepresenting your subject.

When lighting your product photography, you can choose to use either artificial or natural lighting, depending on your product and concept. If you go with natural light, position your product facing a window or do your shoot outside on an overcast day to prevent overly harsh shadows or glare from the sun. For artificial lighting, use two light sources and a diffuser to create a soft, consistent lighting effect.