Dozens of trainings around the world tell entrepreneurs about customer loyalty, advertising, and other tools. But few pay attention to the product. After all, the customer always looks at the “wrapper”. And it doesn’t matter what industry the business is in. Search engines, particularly Google, pay special attention to the quality and uniqueness of photos. And a poor SEO specialist who starts promoting a website online and doesn’t know the basics is doomed to fail. The focus of this article is a working tool – Mini Portable Lightbox. This is a photo box for photographing oversized products.
Requirements for Photos on the Website According to Google
As of October 2019, the search engine has the following minimum requirements:
- Photo originality – 100%;
- Image resolution – at least 1280 pixels in width.
- Minimum number of pixels – 800,000. Calculated by multiplying width by height.
It is not difficult to calculate that the minimum image size for search display should be 1280×625 pixels. To display better on PC monitors and mobile devices, the photo should be in HD format (1280×720). The day is not far off when requirements will tighten and everyone will move towards Full HD (1920×1080). Therefore, it is already time to think about the quality of product photos for an online store.
Mini Portable Lightbox, Photo Box, or Shooting Table
The choice of shooting tool directly depends on the size of the product. If the object does not exceed dimensions of 20x20x20 cm, preference is given to an inexpensive Chinese solution – Mini Portable Lightbox. Its cost is $10. You can buy it, for example, here. By the way, it’s good if the set includes multicolored backgrounds for changing the background color. Very useful when shooting shiny or brightly colored objects.
For sizes from 20 to 60 cubic centimeters, you will need to look for a suitable solution in photography accessories. Fortunately, online stores have plenty to offer. The cost sharply increases to $100-200. The difference lies in the brand, material of the cube, and type of lighting.
Anything larger than 60 cubic centimeters is shot on a special table. The cost of such solutions can exceed $500. Of course, this refers to professional photography equipment. You can come up with a DIY solution using an A0-sized sheet and a writing desk. It will be much cheaper but requires skill and knowledge.
Tool for High-Quality Shooting
It is clear that everything depends on the lighting of the object. Lighting of the box or table is mandatory. But don’t forget about the camera, which will have to shoot dozens (or maybe hundreds) of products. The simplest solution is a smartphone with a good camera. Chinese manufacturers promoting Mini Portable Lightbox claim that any phone can handle the task. But in practice, it’s not always possible to take a quality photo. Monochrome backgrounds, multiple shades of the product, and artificial lighting create confusion for the AI of the smartphone. This causes the camera to miss autofocus and try to automatically adjust white balance.
DSLR cameras are an ideal solution. But not everyone has an expensive camera at hand. And it’s not necessary. A regular compact camera or a point-and-shoot will easily handle the task. You don’t need to be a professional to photograph an object. However, a tripod or camera stand is recommended. On the secondary market, you can buy an old camera for $20. It’s better to choose one with a sensor of at least 1/2.3″ and 12 MP. It’s good if it has macro mode and matrix metering.
