Amazon Product Photo Services: A Definitive Guide

There has never been a more exciting time in history to be an entrepreneur. There are tons of channels out there that give the savvy businessperson opportunities to create freedom in their life and work through trading. The Amazon platform, synonymous with online shopping, is one of the best avenues of trade for the budding entrepreneur.

Your Amazon products image quality can either bring in positive clicks or push away your buyers. Over one-half of all products sold on the platform come from marketplace traders who capitalize on the fantastic opportunity that Amazon offers to entrepreneurs.

High-quality images can give your products an edge. Fortunately, the platform has beneficial image use guidelines that can steer your product image acquisition for Amazon listings.

Features of Good Amazon Product Images

Amazon displays product images in various contexts, including main product pages, search results, and thumbnails. Optimized product images are, therefore, vital to retail success by increasing conversions. The platform has an image requirement protocol that should be observed when updating product listings or when setting up new pages.

If your images do not conform to these regulations, the platform will reject them.

Some technical requirements for Amazon product images production include:

• Image size with a height and width size of 1000 pixels and above. The platform advocates for product image widths of 2560 pixels
• All images on the platform have a white background and can be uploaded in PNG, TIFF, JPEG, or GIF files. The platform also accepts both CMYK and RGB color modes.
• Image file naming is also very critical. Use your product identifier as a file name, sans any other characters or spaces.
• Amazon will reject images that have mannequins, borders, logos, or watermarks on them. If your product images have mannequins on them, you will need to edit them or consult a professional image editing services to eliminate them.

Best Practices for Amazon Product Images

Maximize Image Use

The platform allows the upload of a maximum of nine images per page. You might feel that three of your best photos will do your product justice. Experts advocate for the use of most of the image slots. Remember, your customers cannot touch or feel your products. You, therefore, need to give them a substantial emotional connection to the product they’ll be using.

To prevent monotony, take advantage of different viewing angles to assist your buyers in examining your product thoroughly. Ensure also that you have an assigned logical priority order for image viewership. The first image, for instance, should provide context. Follow it up with different angles of the product, then the interior and close-ups will come last.

If possible, avail images at the end of the display that show off the technology that powers your product. Out of the box accessories, transformation, assembly, and attractive product packaging images are critical as well.

Adhere to the Platform’s Image Quality Regulations

Amazon has very high image standards. You should use real photography and avoid vectors, drawings, and illustrations. If you want to add graphics or charts, capture close photos of product labels or their informational charts, then list them. Ensure that all your photos are realistic, well lit, and saved as high-resolution images.

You should not enhance the scale, saturation, vibrance, and the clarity of the image so much that it changes the actual look of the product. Keep it real. Avoid offensive or pornographic images. The platform prohibits its usage.

When listing refurbished or used products, always use the “Offer Level” listing page to differentiate the product. You can access this feature from the “Main Offer Image” field under the Amazon Common Template.

Upload Lifestyle or Action Shots

Photos that give detailed views of products work best as Amazon listings. Capture all angles and perspectives that any shopper in a brick and mortar store would look at. Capture the interiors of products such as inner pockets for jackets or the lining of a handbag. If you ignore this aspect, you might lose a potential customer.

The best product photos are action shots or lifestyle images of real people using your products. These images will grab the customer’s attention more than generic image photoshoots. Check on the lighting during photography to eliminate glare.

An extra light works best, and some post-shoot processing will not hurt. If you do not have any photography experience, take some lessons online, or hire a highly reviewed Amazon products professional photographer.

Observe the Law of Balance

Avoid excessive white space. When taking photos, focus on the frame’s dimensions by keeping the corners and edges of your products in our mind’s eye. Fill the frame with the product’s image but do not cut off bits of the product as well. If you leave too much white space, your product will look small and will go unnoticed. A good rule of thumb is to ensure that your product covers 85% of the image.

Use Credibility Enhancing Images

Add images that enhance the product’s credibility, such as authorized logos that prove specific certifications. You can also add a satisfaction or warranty guarantee badge to increase customer confidence and conversion rates.

Sources of Amazon Product Photos

Vendor or Manufacturer Photos

The push to design new possibilities for your product listings might be countered by your photography budget. Some entrepreneurs might decide to use the images provided by the manufacturer or vendor to save on photography costs.

Suppliers are typically happy to provide images that will help promote their products online. You can, therefore, access product images from your vendor’s website. To be on the safe side, always ask them first about rules of image usage to avoid any copyright problems.

With permission, you can track down your manufacturer’s image catalog and use it on your product pages. There are some advantages of manufacturer stock images and some disadvantages as well listed below.

Pros of manufacturer’s or vendor product images:

• They save time by eliminating lengthy and expensive custom product photoshoots and editing processes. All you need to do is to download them and voila!
• If you have sufficient permissions, you do not have to worry about licensing when using these photos on your pages.
• Manufacturer product photos will also give your listing the beneficial authenticity that customers love. These photos will have the right branding elements, color, and features that enhance customer trust.

Cons of manufacturer’s or vendor product images:

• They might not have the standards of quality expected by Amazon. Some manufacturers do not have vested interests in product photography, so they will provide generic, low-resolution images that will hurt your listings.
• Combining vendor photos with your images will create inconsistencies that will hurt your product page conversions. The disparity in look will create distrust and display disorganization hurting your sales.
• The Amazon platform has cutthroat competition, so using images that are listed on another trader’s page will rob you of a competitive edge. Utilizing such images will lower your reputation on the platform and can be embarrassing in some instances.
• Manufacturer images will not be as aesthetically pleasing as lifestyle images taken on photoshoots.

Home Studio Photos

You can avoid the generic nature of manufacturer or vendor product images by taking your photos at home. These images will be more affordable than paid professional photography services.

Equipment required for a home photography studio:

• Cameras
• Equipment and lighting
• Basic post-production apps or software

Point and Shoot Cameras – $25+

Any person that knows their way around a camera can use a digital camera to capture product images. The point and shoot type is lightweight, portable, and affordable and can fit right in your pocket. This camera only has a single lens that captures very sharp images.

You do not have to fiddle with multiple settings to have stellar images. You, however, cannot use it to capture low light images, especially at night or wide-angle shots. They are also poor action or sport image cameras due to their low shutter speeds.

The Digital SLR Camera – $399+

The digital single-lens reflex camera was at one time a big boy photography gadget. Today you can buy affordable DSLR cameras that provide pristine image quality with reduced noise for your Amazon product photos. These devices have fast shutter speeds and can work in dimmed light environments.

Need top-notch action shots? Use a DSLR camera. While this camera may be more affordable now than it was in the past, it is still quite an investment. To use it well you will also need some lessons and a lot of time and patience. When purchasing it, invest in a tripod and ensure that you have its maintenance services at hand.

Tent and Lighting Equipment – $79+

Lighting will either make or break your images. For the best home studio photos, purchase studio lights that cover the left and right sides of your product. Top and bottom lighting is optional but can do the photos a world of good.

Buy a good light tent that allows for shadow-less photos via its translucent sides. Place the tent against a solid backdrop for light diffusion, which will eliminate glare.

The components of a $79.99 basic Amazon product photography kit:

• Two fluorescent lights 30W each
• One 24-inch tent with a variety of background colors
• A magnetic studio table (12” by 12”)
• Two tabletop light stands (18”)

Photo Editing Apps

Use image-editing programs such as Photoshop or Picasa to clean out your backgrounds and to balance the photo’s elements.

Pros of Taking Product Images at Home:

• The quality control of your product photos will be solely in your hands
• You will also have the creative freedom to build your image catalog and use it wherever you want to
• They will also help you to create a consistent product page-listing theme. In a home studio, you can create attractive product photos with the same level of lighting and attention to detail. This consistency will set you apart from the competition and enhance your branding strategy

Cons of Taking Product Images at Home:

• You will need to invest in expensive photography equipment
• Lessons in photography will cost you some time, patience, and money
• You will need to pay for studio equipment maintenance and insurance costs

Services That Provide Photos for Amazon Images

Jungle Scout Market

Jungle Scout Market is a platform of freelancers that caters to Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) sellers. Here you can find services such as video, animation, digital marketing, graphics and design, Amazon business, and photography freelancers of various professional skill categories.

The Greg Mercer owned platform vets its freelancers, so the photographers on this platform are well versed with Amazon’s product image guidelines. This platform is perfect for Amazon (FBA) sellers of all sizes, and prices plus several shots per product must be agreed upon with your photographer of choice.

As an illustration, a $275 package on Jungle Scout offers:

• Seven lifestyle and infographics images
• Image retouching services
• High-resolution images
• This particular photographer has a one-time image revision feature and will deliver your photos in seven days

Seller Photo

Seller Photo is a unique product photography service focused on online sellers. Unlike other stock photography sites, Seller Photo can provide unique imagery of your products. Simply send your product to their studio in Florida. The professionals at Seller Photo will then take magnificent photos of the product and send them back to you.

This provider is perfect for the online seller who wants to eliminate some of the stress of launching an e-commerce store. Seller Photo has custom packages for Amazon clients, which might be pricey for the newbie small scale Amazon trader. They have three packages, and the cheapest $697 package offers seven studio images.

The Basic and Standard packages do not have lifestyle images. However, the Pro ($1,497) 11 image package has three real-life model pictures. The services offered include photo re-shoots and editing, and delivery periods range between 10 days for the Basic package and 30 days for the Pro package.

AMZ One Step

AMZ One Step is a Canadian based product photography studio with an impressive online portfolio. Besides photography, this firm also offers other Amazon seller services such as PPC management, listing optimization, videography, and accounts management. They will write your scripts, arrange your models and props and perform voice-over work too where necessary.

AMZ One Step has Starter, Standard, Extreme, and Super product photography packages. Unfortunately, their prices are not listed online; you must contact them for a quote. Their Starter package nevertheless will deliver five high-resolution product images, which include lifestyle and infographics along with two revisions.

Clipping Magic

Clipping Magic is both a stock photography supply shop and an online image-editing platform as well. Clipping Magic is perfect for that Amazon trader whose images need a little bit of retouching before product listing. This platform will edit your product photos and eliminate any backgrounds for that pristine white Amazon setting.

Clipping Magic has an auto-clip AI that can touch up your model’s hair and scalpel images with precision. You can also use it to adjust mage colors, reflections, and shadows. The site has a credit basis payment method with 15 credits going for $3.99, 100 for $7.99, and 500 credits selling at $14.99.

Amazon Imaging Services

Amazon has its imaging services platform with a budget that suits the smallest of budgets. Amazon Imaging Services prices range from $50 to $150. The type of product being sold influences these costs.

Amazon, without doubt, has a fantastic image studio for its products and, through this platform, offers its expertise at a reasonable cost. To enjoy Amazon Imaging Services, simply select your product using a link, and the platform will send it to their photographers for imaging. They will also edit and publish a minimum of two images for listing according to product features, type, and complexity.

Clickperbox

It is a fact that a large number of products sold by private label sellers on Amazon come from China. Data shows that over 40% of online retail arbitragers are based in this Asian manufacturing giant. If your Amazon FBA items come from China, it does make sense to have their photographs produced there as well. If you like this convenience, Clickperbox is your go-to product photographer.

Clickperbox has a seven-day delivery service for China manufactured products. All you need to do is to send them the product sample and await the images. They will ship back your sample to your address after the process is completed. This photographer will additionally create infographics as per your product’s features and seven photos for a $499 Basic package.

This package has two lifestyle images but does not offer revisions. The Premium $495 package has a revision feature while the Premium Bundle $895 package has more infographics and lifestyle images.

Azonvidz

Azonvidz is a professional product video and photography service based in Austin Texas. Their professional services have launched many e-commerce business product catalogs on Amazon, Etsy, and Shopify. A large portion of Azonvidz clientele is US-based. If your prospective buyers are from the US, work with Azonvidz to ensure that the shots capture familiar locations, backgrounds, models, and buildings that speak to the buyers in that region.

Their high-quality services, however, are pricey with their cheapest package going for $995. The Enhanced Brand Content photography package will give you six images, five action shots, a banner image, and two basic revisions and minor re-edits. Their Advanced Amazon Listing package goes for $1,395 while their Basic Amazon Listing package costs $1,195.

These two packages have infographic images, more revisions, and main photos on white backgrounds. Their standard completion periods are between 10 to 20 days but you can pay more for expedited completion.

Best Image Solutions

Best Image Solutions are based in Los Angeles and specialize in flat lay apparel and invisible ghost mannequin photography. They are also fantastic beauty and health product photographers.

Best Image Solutions has low-cost packages for the startup Amazon seller, with costs of product photography commencing at a low price of $12. They have an amazing white and lifestyle product photography style that will get your products noticed. Further information on cost, features, and delivery time can be obtained on inquiry.

Results Imagery

Results Imagery is a professional conversion-centric firm, focused on growing businesses and brands. This service provider is perfect for the online seller looking for an all-around product imagery solution. They produce high-quality product photography and videos that will give your business an edge in the market.

The business has a pre-production phase that focuses on discovery and research for a consistent product imagery strategy. With a strategy in mind, these professionals will initiate a production and post-production phase where their magic brings your dreams to reality. All their costs, features, and turnaround times are available on inquiry.

Product Photography

Product Photography is a professional product photography service provider with a 4,000 square foot studio in Las Vegas. They have an impressive clientele owed to their white background photography specialization. Product Photography has been supporting Amazon marketplace sellers and online store owners since 2003.

They have manageable packages for the small startup and big-budget packages for their Fortune 500 clients. Product Photography’s services include expert photography and editing for images that integrate with Amazon, BigCommerce, and Shopify.

Their most affordable Classic product photos run $24 per image. You can, however, use their three package Amazon product photo services that will have hero shots, infographics, and lifestyle photos for $495.

POW Photography

Also known as, Products on White Photography, POW Photography has supported Amazon sellers in product photography since 2011. POW Photography is a specialist in retouching and lighting, which ensures that your white background photographs are as unique and perfect as possible. Visit the POW Photography studios and you will find real professionals working on all aspects of the set, rather than robo-photographers that provide cookie-cutter images.

This provider will provide Amazon ready images that match your photo strategy. POW Photography’s base pricing model of payments is perfect for the bootstrap entrepreneur. You will only need to pay for the number of images required.

Two to nine photos cost $34.99 each. Their standard turnaround time is seven days, but you can pay more for a 3-day or 24-hour rush order. Each order has free return shipping, base retouches, and redos.

Thrive Product Studio

Thrive Product Studio has a fantastic product photography model for the newbie Amazon seller. Just like POW Photography, the number of images taken influences the final cost of your photography session. Thrive Product Studio costs are slightly lower than POW Photography’s, with two to nine images going for $27 each.

If you need more images, you will pay less. As an illustration, 10 to 29 images will cost $25.50 while 30 images and above go for $22.50. Thrive has a six-day turn around period and offers free basic image retouches. They also have a 100% money-back guarantee for any dissatisfied client. This studio does not undertake clothing or ghost mannequin photography.

Kenji ROI

Kenji ROI is an Amazon photography specialist that has created over 1,200 Amazon listings. The firm has graphic designers, photographers, and models ready to perfect your product photography strategy and ensure a cohesive look. Kenji ROI offers a fantastic service for the Amazon seller in search of other online selling optimization solutions and has an a la carte and package model of pricing.

Its seven-image Silver Photo package costs $497 and has three infographics included. The Kenji Exclusive Platinum and Gold Photo Packages go for $1,497 and $747 respectively. These two packages include useful professional services such as competitor image research, SEO optimization, and more infographics plus lifestyle images. Kenji ROI’s two to nine a la carte image pricing model costs $37.99 each.

Toggle Product Media

Established in 2008, Toggle Product Media provides professional Amazon product photos with a base pricing mechanism. Six to ten images will cost $45 while one to five images go for $50 each. Toggle Product Media has an inclusive package whereby the cost of your images covers all styling, file management, production, and editing costs.

Website Product Photography

Another established service provider, Website Product Photography has been in the market for over two decades. Their professional services support all types of e-commerce platforms including Amazon, Weebly, BigCommerce, and Shopify. Their prices are not listed on the website but you can request them upon inquiry. They require a $500 deposit before photography commences.

The Product Photography Studio

The Product Photography Studio is a full-service provider with diverse solutions for e-commerce websites. They have a vibrant product photography department that can deliver 360° rotating images, fine art reproduction, image editing, and on-location photography. Their costs are available upon inquiry.

Conclusion

Your product photography can be the lifeline of your Amazon product listings, but it must be done professionally. Low resolution and unprofessional images can hurt the reputation and look of your store, pushing potential clients away.

Preparing your product photos from your home studio will make you stand out from the competition since you will be the creative mind behind your success. This process, however, is neither easy nor cheap, which is why Amazon photography services providers are such a gem for traders. If you need to save time, hire some professionals who can take your branding strategy up a notch with their vast array of experience.