How to Take Product Photos
for Multiple Platforms

Platform photo requirements at a glance

Every platform has its own image requirements and best practices. Some are strict (Amazon), some are flexible (Shopify), and some fall somewhere in between (Etsy). Here's what each major platform expects.

The good news: if you shoot for Amazon's requirements (the strictest), you can adapt those images for every other platform. The bad news: a pure white background shot that meets Amazon's standards might not perform well as your Etsy thumbnail, where lifestyle images get more clicks.

The solution: shoot both types in one session. Get your clean white-background shots first, then move to lifestyle/styled shots. You use the white background for Amazon and Walmart, the lifestyle shots for Etsy and Shopify, and a mix of both for eBay and TikTok Shop.

Gear you actually need (and don't need)

You don't need a professional studio to take product photos that sell. Here's a realistic gear list for different budgets.

Budget setup ($50-150)

• Your smartphone. Modern phones (iPhone 12+, Samsung Galaxy S21+, Pixel 6+) take excellent product photos. The camera quality is more than adequate for e-commerce.
• A tripod with phone mount ($15-30). Eliminates camera shake and ensures consistency across shots.
• White foam board or poster board ($5-10). Your white background. Two sheets: one flat, one curved up against a wall.
• Natural light from a large window. Free. The best light source for beginners.
• A piece of white paper or reflector ($5). Place opposite the window to bounce light and reduce shadows.

Mid-range setup ($200-500)

• Everything above, plus:
• A lightbox/photo tent ($30-80). A small, collapsible box with built-in LED lights and a white backdrop. Perfect for small products (jewelry, cosmetics, small electronics). Takes the guesswork out of lighting.
• Two softbox lights or LED panels ($60-150). Gives you consistent lighting regardless of time of day or weather. Position one as your main light, one as fill.
• A basic DSLR or mirrorless camera ($200-400 used). Not required, but gives you more control over depth of field and exposure. A Nikon D3500 or Canon EOS M50 works great.

What you don't need

• A professional studio. A corner of a room with good light is enough.
• Expensive editing software. Free tools (GIMP, Canva, Snapseed) handle 90% of e-commerce editing needs.
• A full-frame camera. Unless you're shooting for print catalogs, a phone or crop-sensor camera is fine.
• Multiple lenses. If you use a dedicated camera, one standard lens (35-50mm equivalent) covers most product photography.

Lighting setup for product photography

Lighting makes or breaks product photography. Bad lighting creates harsh shadows, inaccurate colors, and an unprofessional feel. Good lighting makes your products look exactly like they do in person, which is exactly what buyers want.

Natural light setup (simplest and free)

Place a table next to a large window. The window is your main light source. Indirect natural light (cloudy day or a north-facing window) is ideal because it's soft and even. Direct sunlight creates harsh shadows and hotspots.

Place a white reflector (foam board, white paper, or even a white t-shirt draped over a box) on the opposite side of the product from the window. This bounces light back and fills in shadows. Move the reflector closer for more fill, farther for more shadow/dimension.

Artificial light setup (more control)

Two softbox lights or LED panels positioned at 45-degree angles to the product provide even, shadow-free lighting. This setup works regardless of time of day or weather and produces the most consistent results.

Key placement:

• Main light: 45 degrees to the left (or right) of the product, slightly above. This is your primary light source.
• Fill light: 45 degrees on the opposite side, set to lower intensity (or moved farther away). This softens shadows created by the main light.
• Optional backlight: Behind the product, pointed at the background. Helps create a pure white background in-camera and separates the product from the backdrop.

Lighting for reflective products

Jewelry, glass, polished metals, and glossy surfaces are notoriously difficult to photograph because they reflect everything around them, including your camera, your lights, and your shirt. Use a light tent/lightbox for small reflective items. The diffused light wraps around the product and minimizes reflections. For larger reflective items, use large diffusion panels between the lights and the product.

Backgrounds: White, lifestyle, and everything between

Your background choice depends on where the photo will be used and what story you're telling.

Pure white background

Required for: Amazon (main image), Walmart (main image). Recommended for: eBay, TikTok Shop.

To achieve a true white background (RGB 255,255,255), you have two options:

1. Shoot on white and adjust in editing. Use white poster board or fabric as your backdrop. In editing, adjust levels/curves to push the background to pure white while keeping the product properly exposed.
2. Use a background removal tool. Shoot on any clean background, then remove the background entirely. Tools like remove.bg, Canva, or Photoshop's "Remove Background" feature do this in seconds. Place the product on a pure white canvas.

Option 2 is often easier and produces cleaner results, especially if your product has complex edges (like hair, fabric fringe, or translucent elements).

Lifestyle/styled backgrounds

Best for: Etsy (main image and additional images), Shopify (all images), social media.

Lifestyle photos show your product in a real-world setting. A candle on a nightstand. A bag slung over someone's shoulder. A piece of jewelry against skin. These photos create an emotional connection and help buyers imagine the product in their own life.

Tips for lifestyle shots:

• Keep the styling simple. The product should be the clear focus.
• Use props that complement the product without competing for attention.
• Maintain consistent styling across your catalog. A unified aesthetic builds brand recognition.
• Natural light works best for most lifestyle photography.

Contextual/scale shots

Show the product in use or next to a reference object so buyers can judge size. This is especially important for products where size isn't obvious from photos alone: bags, home decor, furniture, tools, and accessories. A ruler or hand for scale works, but showing the product being used (worn, held, placed in a room) is better.

The universal shot list

For every product, shoot these images in one session. This gives you enough material for every platform without re-shooting.

Seven shots per product might sound like a lot, but once your setup is ready, you can shoot all seven in 10-15 minutes per product. The lifestyle shot takes the longest because of styling, but the white-background shots are fast.

Editing and formatting for each platform

Once you've shot your photos, you need to edit and format them for each platform. Here's a workflow that minimizes duplicate work.

Step 1: Edit your master files

Start with your highest-resolution originals. Do basic editing on these masters:

• White balance. Make sure whites are actually white, not yellowish or bluish.
• Exposure. Adjust brightness so the product is well-lit but not blown out.
• Contrast. Slight contrast increase makes products pop without looking unnatural.
• Sharpening. A gentle sharpen makes details clearer. Don't overdo it.
• Background cleanup. Remove dust, wrinkles in backdrop, or any distractions.

Step 2: Create platform-specific versions

From your edited masters, create versions for each platform:

Amazon: Square (1:1), minimum 1600x1600px (2000x2000 is better). Main image must be pure white background, product filling 85%+ of the frame. No text, logos, or watermarks on main image.

Etsy: 5:4 ratio works best for thumbnails (2000x1600px or similar). Lifestyle image as the first photo performs better than white background. You can use horizontal, vertical, or square, but be consistent across your shop.

Shopify: Square (1:1) is most common. Match whatever aspect ratio your theme uses. Consistency across all products matters more than the specific ratio.

eBay: Square (1:1), minimum 500x500px but aim for 1600x1600. White or light background preferred for main image.

Step 3: Batch process

Use batch processing to resize and format multiple images at once. Free tools that handle this:

• GIMP (free, full-featured editor with batch processing via scripts)
• IrfanView (Windows, free, excellent batch resize/convert)
• Canva (free tier, easy resize to platform presets)
• Photopea (free, browser-based, Photoshop-like)

If you use a dedicated camera, shoot in RAW format. RAW files give you the most editing flexibility. If you shoot on a phone, shoot in the highest quality setting (HEIC or RAW if your phone supports it).

Naming your files

Use a consistent naming convention. Include the SKU, platform, and shot type:

• SKU-001_amazon_main.jpg
• SKU-001_etsy_lifestyle.jpg
• SKU-001_detail_01.jpg (shared across platforms)

This makes it easy to find the right image when listing on multiple platforms. For a complete workflow covering photos, titles, and product data, see our listing management guide.

Frequently asked questions

Once your photos are ready, learn how to list products on multiple platforms efficiently, or read about selling handmade products on Etsy and Shopify.