A Detailed Guide On Clothing Photography In 2024

Catch your customer’s attention with this detailed guide on clothing photography in 2024, and sell your products like never before!

In the world of e-commerce, the significance of high-quality product photography cannot be overstated. The perfect photo is your key to enticing customers and driving increased sales for your online store.

Buyers highly depend on the photos and images of the products when buying a product from an online shop. This includes their trust, money, and efforts, which they invest in to make the purchase.

Here is a detailed guide on clothing photography, why product photography is important, and a step-by-step tutorial on creative clothing photography. 

The very first factor to consider is your budget for photographing your clothing product. You can choose to photograph your clothing product in these three ways. 

• Invisible Mannequin or Ghost Mannequin Effect
• With a Model
• Flat Lay Photography

Invisible Mannequin or Ghost Mannequin Effect

If you want to make your product appeal to your customers in a more lifesize and realistic manner; mannequins are the way to go.
Viewers will most likely be able to relate to the sight of your product. If they see it on a dummy first it gives them the context for themselves as they will be able to visualize better.

If you want an upgrade from the same old product on surface photography; mannequins are the best option because they may be designed the way you want and are cost-effective.

Recommend Service: ghost mannequin service

With a Model

While mannequins just about do the trick, nothing beats the professionalism of hiring an actual model and having them shoot for your products. Real models are acknowledged to enhance your branding and reach on almost any internet platform.

With a model, people are naturally attracted to think your goods are high quality and appealing. Besides that, most, if not all, models know how to showcase your products better so that along with themselves, the products will also look better and hence have good sales.

However, a downside of this is that models are often extremely pricey and quite hard to cast properly. While mannequins can do the closest thing to this in a cost-effective range of price.

Flat Lay Photography

Flat lays help give the viewers an overlay of what the entirety of the product looks like. For example, one of the most cost-effective ways to photograph your clothing products is flat lay photography.

This photography style works well with clothing items such as shirts, men’s trousers, and socks. To achieve good flat-lay photography, you need a large white sheet of white paper to lay on the ground. In addition, it is essential to always make sure that your clothes are pressed and are in excellent condition.

You may utilize cardboard inside your products to give them a defined and excellent form. Although it is the most cost-effective photographic technique, it is suggested that you utilize it selectively. Your product photographs make a huge difference to your sales.

Customers decide to buy your products depending on how they look in the photos, and they like to imagine how they would look in it. If people can’t picture the product on themselves, they’re unlikely to purchase it.

Therefore if you go for flat lay photography for your products, make sure to use the best of it. Make your products look aesthetic for the customers by using different props and accessories that complement the clothing item.

Why is good creative clothing photography important?

Traditional shopping is consumers visiting a mall or physically visiting a store; seeing the goods in person, evaluating its quality, and then purchasing the item. After all of their requirements have been met.

Therefore it is important to apply creative ways to photograph clothing in the photoshoots of the apparel to make it look more realistic and appealing to the buyers.

As physical product quality testing is not possible for buyers before purchase. It is essential to have good quality and demonstrative clothing photography to make the customers buy your products. Good quality and attractive image increases your engagement with the customers, builds trust in them, and works to increase your sales.

What are the steps to photograph clothing items for your eCommerce business?

Have you ever wondered why those billboard advertisements are so attractive or why a certain clothes shop is so famous? The answer is that they follow a process and get the right equipment to complete their photography shoots.

So what’s the first step to great creative clothing photography? Let’s divide this into four simple steps to make it easier for you.

Step 1: Get your clothing items, materials, and photography tools right and ready to make gorgeous photographs easily

Yes, that’s right! Just as you might want to get ready for a great photo shoot, preparing your products for the shoots is also essential. It is the key to a stunning photograph. 

While doing photography, every detail matters. A crinkled cloth or a misplaced button looks disturbing and unprofessional and also loses its attraction when photographed. 

Get your photography tools ready and make sure the object is properly ironed or steamed to appear attractive.

If you are going for the Invisible Mannequin or Ghost Mannequin Effect, prepare the mannequin and dress it correctly.

If you do the photoshoot with a model, ensure that your model is ready and looking good with the apparel on. 

Lastly, if you use the flat lay photography method, get your props and accessories ready and in place to get wonderful photograph results.

Step 2: Put together all your photography tools and equipment and set the place for the shoot.

Getting good clothing photographs of your product doesn’t always have to be expensive tools and settings. The first rule is to make sure whatever device you are using has all the requirements fulfilled according to your photography style.

Here are a few things you must have for a good and easy creative clothing photography shoot. 

1. A good quality camera

The appropriate camera makes a huge difference in photographs. For creative clothing photography, mirrorless cameras are most recommended for their advanced technology. It supports studio light connectivity and is lightweight in comparison to a DSLR camera. However, a good quality smartphone camera will work fine if you are a beginner and have yet to explore skills.

2. Focus on the lighting

When your picture holds all the tiny details, it is more likely that the customer will be attracted to your product than a product that does not show the little details. Therefore, lighting is extremely necessary for your tool while doing a photography shoot. A light kit is suggested as a good first step to further develop your photographic skills. A light kit contains a three-point setup, a key light, a fill light, and another backlight. These are most useful when you are shooting with a smartphone, as well as if you have a mirrorless camera, you can as it supports studio lighting connectivity. It is wise to invest in a lighting kit because it gives exposure and outstanding outcomes for your photographs.

3. Investing in a backdrop kit

To obtain a clean photograph of your product, you must invest in a backdrop kit. Customers like less noisy photos with only a detailed product image. It helps them to focus on the product more. You can opt for a plain white backdrop, approximately 10 ft X 20 ft, enabling you to shoot a full-length mannequin.

4. Getting yourself a studio lighting trigger

Firstly, this is an optional accessory for your photography, and you can purchase it when you have a mirrorless camera. It is a third-party device that connects the camera and the studio lighting kit and syncs both devices to ensure it go off together when the photo is taken. If you are purchasing one, you must make sure that it is compatible with your camera brand and model. 

5. A big YES to a tripod

A tripod is a MUST even if you opt for nothing new. Camera shakes are a huge no for photography, and it takes several takes to get a perfect shot. A tripod helps avoid any kind of camera shake or camera movement when taking a picture. Experts strongly suggest using tripods with a height that matches your eye level as it can help you better grasp the angles and worth with them. It is recommended to get a tripod that extends up to your eye level approximately. This will help you while doing the photography.

6. Get a Dummy/mannequins

Mannequins are the most cost-effective way to get beautiful product photography results. If you have full-length products, purchasing a fully formed mannequin is better to showcase your product altogether. It is recommended to buy a full-body mannequin to support your full-length product photography.

7. Try for a model

If you have a high budget, you should consider getting a model for your apparel photography. A buyer will relate more to the product since they can see how it looks when someone puts on the apparel. A model also brings natural movement to the product making the clothing item compliment the product’s design. However, hiring models have a huge disadvantage which is that they’re very expensive. While it is better to get models, using full-body mannequins and adjusting the products to it works just as well as an alternative. However, hiring a model is costly, and you may save money by purchasing a full-length mannequin. However, you will need minor changes to make the clothing fit the mannequin.

8. The usefulness of the photography toolbox

Toolboxes have never failed to be a lifesaver in times of need, and a photography toolbox is no different. Have a go-bag ready with additional camera machinery and small props that can be used in an impromptu photo session. You can also keep pins, cloth pegs, and clips handy for apparel shoots to alter the look to make it seem better in the picture.

9. Match the background with your clothing style

Many factors depend on what you use as a background or a backdrop. For e-commerce photos, you can use a white backdrop as it is often used as the default setting. This is because it creates consistency in the listing sites, makes the product more focused on the photography, and results in unique images. The main tip here is that the color of the background or backdrop should overpower the clothing style and color and focus on the product itself only.

Step 3: Set your camera to your required settings and go for the shoot.

No efforts will be enough if your camera setup is not accurate. If your camera setting and placement do not support your photographs’ style, all your hard work will be useless. It is essential to check if the settings are accurate or not. Here are a few things to check first;

Setting up the camera according to your preferred photography style

When you are checking your camera settings, three important things to keep in mind. They are to check whether your ISO, Aperture, and White Balance are at the correct level or not. 

1. ISO

A high ISO means a more noisy or grainy photo. An ISO is recommended to be not higher than 600 to 640. A higher ISO enables the camera to capture sharp and focused photos, and your photos will come out looking more film than usual. For optimal clarity, keep your ISO at 100 to 200 using a tripod.

2. Aperture

Setting your aperture to higher than f-11 will allow the camera to capture your product in full focus. If you have a higher aperture, more of your picture will focus on the camera throughout the shooting process. The aperture controls how much focus you want to take in the picture.

3. White Balance

The white balance in the camera mainly controls the interpretation of colors, as light sources contain different bits of warmth. The camera sometimes might not capture the true white; therefore setting the white balance according to your photoshoot surroundings is important.

4. Placement

Make sure your camera is placed in the right position to capture that perfect shot. For a mannequin or model shoot, place the camera in the middle position at the waist level of the model or a full-length mannequin. A tripod will come in handy for you during an e-commerce photoshoot that needs numerous pictures to be taken.

5. Go for the Click

Finally, This was the moment you were for all this time, right? Although you start taking photographs after going through all the above processes, keep an eye on the adjustments you made. 

Try some different for creative clothing photography

Are the photographs you are taking giving you the desired results? Check the white balance, exposure, and other necessary details after you take a few photos. Then, if you feel any changes are required, go ahead and make them.

Try out different angles, and shoot as many as possible but with the right camera settings. These photographs and their quality will determine and hugely affect the sale of the product. So be careful and efficient when you are taking pictures. 

Figuring out your style and your creative ways to photograph clothing for yourself is a lot better than copying other works. 

Time for some TREATS! Here are a few creative clothing photography tips for you to wrap up a good photography session for your clothing products. 

• You can try hanging the clothes for creative ways to photograph clothing, so it is perfectly visible with all the details that a customer needs to see to purchase the product. 
• If you can get a mannequin or a model, it is preferable for a great apparel shoot; however, you can go with flat lay photography or the mannequin photographing process if you are on a budget.
• Make sure that the apparel product or your clothing item is as visible as possible.
• Take countless shots as you require, and don’t miss any details of the product. 
• Take different shots from different angles, different props, and accessories, and bring out that inner creativity in you.
• Make sure to remove or hide the price tag or distracting parts that stick out from the apparel. 
• Above all, make sure your pictures are in HD resolution and that you can zoom in.

Step 4: Post photography editing

After completing the photography, it is always mandatory to carry out post-photography editing. A little editing will remove the unwanted objects or defects in the photography and help enhance the photo for better representation in the eCommerce site for the clients.

Get rid of unwanted or distracting objects from the photograph, wrinkles that might be shown in the clothes, or edit the overall photograph a bit for a better view. 

A few basic editing, retouching, color correction, and clipping paths will give your image a unique look. 

If you have some basic product photos, you may also attempt the ghost mannequin effect, but make sure the editing is done professionally and efficiently.

Ensure that the following tools were used to modify the pictures for an effective post-production procedure of your photography.

Post-photography editing should include edits such as cropping, color correction, retouching, alignment, and background removal, and a professional appearance should be maintained.

The most Popular Photo Editing Aspects are:

• Cropping: Product photos should be cropped out identically to obtain a user-friendly experience when browsing through the product photos.
• Color correction: Work out any color correction that might be needed. Sometimes during photography, the product might not seem to be in its actual color in pictures; therefore, the color correction might be needed to give the customers an original photo tour. 
• Retouching: Try out basic editing and retouching for your products to make them look more attractive. 
• Alignment: The product photographs must be the same size and align-center within the photograph. The edges, corners, and angles should be evenly aligned and seem professional in their appearance.
• Background Removal: Removing the background might be necessary in some cases. If you have a white background, clipping path or background removal is easier. Analyze and see if you need background removal for your photo or not. 

A little tweak here and there will do great tricks for your photograph to come out nice and clear and ready for your eCommerce boosting. 

Customers highly depend on the photograph of the product in online businesses to decide whether to purchase the product or not.

The more the picture of the product is attractive, looks good, and makes the customer relate to it, the higher the chance that your sales will boost or increase in no time. Just the right efforts, time, and hard work need to make it work.

What are the types of inventive clothing photography for fashion?

The fashion industry is one of the biggest contributing giants involved in the money market all over the globe. It’s a correlation to the world of photography that expands its horizon even more.

The industry’s diversity in sub-fields and creativity is unique from other industries with different cultures and designs incorporated within its work. 

Due to this, photography plays a huge part, with genres ranging from editorial to portrait to abstract, and the photography industry strives within the fashion world. 

While there are a seemingly endless amount of photographic genres you can choose from, fashion photography, in particular, can be broadly classified into four categories:

1. Catalog
2. High Fashion
3. Street Fashion
4. Editorial 

Catalog Photography

The first also happens to be the most basic type of photography out of the rest of them. The essential purpose of catalog photography is to sell the subject in focus.

Compared to product photography, the main distinction between catalog photography is models to display the products, mostly clothing items, and accessories.

The usual format for catalogs is white or grey or any monotonic backdrops to accentuate the color of the cloth and bring out the designs on them.

The models are expected to pose so that the clothing is seen in the best way possible and highlight special features. However, taking the actual photos is not difficult; it is the lighting where the challenge lies.

A lot of time and effort is put into lighting settings to get it just right. This is the problem that most people struggle with the most since it can mess with the visual appearance of the fabric and make it seem like another color.

The photographs are typically held in professional studios, although lookbooks are shot in various settings to highlight the practicality of the clothes.

High Fashion Photography

“High fashion” is a term that people had probably heard of before, even though it had nothing to do with fashion or creative clothing photography. This photography is the heart of designer brands because of its flawless setup and seamless photography of exclusive clothes, amazing makeovers, supermodels, and beautiful locations.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that the very thing that makes high fashion so special also makes it the most difficult to shoot.

Everything from clothing to hairdo to location and management must be meticulously planned so that the whole staff and actors are on the same page; otherwise, the entire production will be destroyed.

However, improvisation is also a big part of these types of shoots. Having to go from one place to another will bring many obstacles like changing weather. For that, it is vital to always have multiple backup plans to accommodate changing conditions.

Besides all the creative sectors, you will also consider your models’ experience, professionalism, and skill and adjust the shoot that way.
It is also entirely possible that you might need special permits to shoot in a specific location. It would be indoors or outdoors.

Equipment and photography machinery are highly important. Such as good lighting, excellent camera, lens, and battery life will play a major role in a shoot like this.

Street Fashion Photography

Street Fashion is everything. High fashion is not. No premeditated scene setup with props and clearing people in the near vicinity. Street fashion is just that- randomly on the street. Street fashion mainly encompasses the idea of looking great while being comfortable.

From baggy hoodies and jeans to casual shirts to even dresses and coats’ creative photography, street fashion includes anything you see people wear every day but with style.

Street fashion, also known as alternative fashion or hip-hop style. It is also popular among teenagers, young adults, and adults in their late twenties and early thirties.

Apart from the clothing themselves, the attitude and aura of the person wearing them is a major factor in the market’s preference for street fashion.

It might seem very easy to shoot the pictures. However, a photographer should be very careful about not taking anyone’s picture without their permission. Further, they should keep in mind not to intrude on someone’s personal space and make them uncomfortable.

Editorial Fashion Photography

Last but not least, Editorial Fashion Photography is where the fashion culture and industry enter the mainstream media and sources alike.
Editorials are photos that are published in magazines and newspapers, whether for fashion or other purposes. They are very popular all over the globe and are unlikely to go away anytime soon, despite the problem of the dying printing industry.

The best part about editorials is that you can tell a story through your pictures. Where Catalog sells products and High Fashion indulges in fantastic ideas. The editorial goes all out on creativity. You can stick to a specific theme or include several brands and photography genres in your shoot; if you think it will help convey your message.

The range allowance, from simple tops & jeans to extravagant dresses to elegant overwear or coat’s creative photography, is what makes editorials the end game for all fashion photographers.

Because there are so many options open. This also means that the models will need to go through multiple makeovers, and hairstyles and the crew will probably have to change the set multiple times.

As the photography is published for millions of people to see, it is recommended that the equipment, especially the lighting is perfect. It certainly is a lot of work, but all worthy things are!

How to improve your apparel photography shoots?

Taking pictures of your products yourself is extremely difficult, so don’t expect to get it right on the first try. Certain tricks and techniques can help make the image look better. Ultimately, all of it will depend on the picture itself but in photography, you get better over time.

As you keep taking more and more pictures, your audience and clients will grow in number. And you will get a better sense of what your audience wants to buy and see and automatically adjust to that.

If you start from an already high-quality production, your image standard will only level up. Hence, begin your setup with a professional camera, perfect lighting, appropriate background, and props, and then finally edit them post-production for finesse.

All of this may seem overwhelming at first glance. Especially if you are starting as a fashion photographer or even just a new photographer looking out for options to get into.

However, we assure you that once you have had enough practice in the style of photography and experience in dealing with the photography industry, this will be a walk in the park.

We hope that this article has helped you know or expand your knowledge of Fashion Photography. And its significance and correlation to the Fashion industry itself.