Light in Product Photography: Seven Tips for Flawless White-Background Shots

In e-commerce, the quality of a product image directly affects the purchase decision. Major marketplaces demand a pure white (RGB 255,255,255) background and for the product to fill at least 85 percent of the frame for main images. It is possible to achieve this with a phone, but to get consistent, repeatable results you need to know a few principles. We share the seven tips we apply every day shooting hundreds of products in our studio.

1. The light source should be bigger than the subject

A soft, wide light (softbox or light tent) does not create hard shadows on the product and gives more controlled reflections on shiny surfaces. Use two separate lighting arrangements for the background and the product.

2. Light the background separately

For a pure white background, the background light should be about one stop brighter than the product light. Otherwise the background comes out grey and needs forcing in post-production. Using a light meter is the most reliable method.

3. Use reflectors

Place a white card or folding reflector on the shadowed side of the product. This opens up the shadow and preserves the product's volume. On metal products, black cards give contrast to the edges.

4. Fixed camera and white balance

Put the camera on a tripod and use the same distance, aperture (between f/8 and f/11) and ISO 100 throughout. Set white balance with a grey card. This ensures colour consistency across dozens of products.

5. Shiny and transparent surfaces

Reflection control is hard on glass, jewellery and glossy plastic; a polarising filter and the double-light method (bottom and back light) are used. If necessary, frames are merged with focus stacking.

6. Precise cut-out in post-production

When cleaning the background, take care not to create a halo at the edges. Adding a faint natural shadow under the product prevents it from looking as if it hangs in the air.

7. Standard file naming and size

Files named by SKU make marketplace uploads easier. 2000×2000 pixels, the sRGB profile and JPEG quality of 85-90 are ideal for most platforms.

If you want your products shot in our studio, our 50-product package is 7,500 TRY and delivered in five working days. If you will do your own shooting, you can rent our Kadıköy mini set by the hour.

If you are shooting with a phone

When shooting with a phone, use window light: put the product on a table by the window and place a white card on the opposite side. Turn off the grid and HDR feature, lock exposure by tapping the product and shoot in 'RAW' or high-quality mode. A phone camera's wide angle causes distortion at the edges; use 2x zoom if possible.

This method is enough for a few dozen products; for hundreds, a studio workflow quickly pays for itself in time and consistency.