Let's be real for a second. Your product photos can make or break your Etsy shop. You've poured your heart and soul into creating something amazing, but on a visually marketplace like Etsy, if your photos don't pop, your products get scrolled right past.
And if you've ever felt stuck in getting good product photos, you're not alone. It can feel like you need a fancy camera and a professional studio to even compete.
But trust me, that's not the case.
In this article, let me walk you through 5 essential camera angles that you should consider for your product photos. So instead of a hundred ideas, you can focus on these easy-to-achieve angles to not get overwhelmed.
Let's get started.
First, 3 Simple Rules for Better Photos
Before we even talk about angles, let me give you some basic tips to get a better photo. Getting these three things right can drastically improve every single photo you take.
Use Natural Light
Forget your kitchen lights. Forget the fancy ring light for now. Your absolute best friend is bright, indirect, natural light. Set up your products near a window on a day that's slightly overcast, or in a spot where the sun isn't shining directly on your items. This light is soft, it's free, and it shows your product’s colours most accurately.
Keep Your Background Clean
Your product is the hero, don't let other things distract from it. A distracting background pulls the buyer's eye away from what you're trying to sell. You don't need anything fancy - a simple white poster board from the dollar store, a clean wooden tabletop, a neutral piece of fabric, or even a smooth, clean wall works wonders. The goal is to remove any and all distractions.
Edit Your Photos
Photography is not complete without editing. No photo comes out of the camera perfectly. A quick edit is your chance to make your photo match what you see in real life. Use your phone's built-in editor or a free app like Lightroom or VSCO to do three simple things: brighten the image, lift the shadows, slightly increase the contrast, and crop it to make sure your product is in the middle.
With these foundations set, let's talk about shooting angles.
Angle 01 - The Head-On Hero Shot
This is your classic, straight-on shot. The camera is directly in front of the product, looking at it at eye level. This works for many different types of products which we will go through a bit later.
Best For:
Mugs with graphics, art prints, candles, vases, bottles, planters.
How to Achieve It: To nail this shot, place your product on a flat surface and get your camera lens down to its level. Your goal is to look straight at it, not down from above or up from below. Make sure it's sitting right in the centre of your frame.
A little pro-tip: try using your phone's Portrait Mode. Set it to a moderate aperture at around f5.6 - f8. It’ll gently blur the background and make your product pop more.
Examples from Etsy:
Angle 02 - The 45-Degree Shot
This is your versatile perspective shot. Instead of shooting straight-on, you move your camera slightly up and to the side, capturing the product at roughly a 45-degree angle. This shot is dynamic and shows both the top and the side, which gives shoppers more information in one photo.
Best For:
Almost any product that's not flat! This one is incredibly versatile.
How to Achieve It: The trick here is to find the most flattering perspective. Place your product down, then move your camera up and to the side. Don't be afraid to rotate the product, or tilt up ad down to find the best photo. Sometimes showing more of the side or turning it slightly creates a much more compelling image. This is also a great angle to show a little bit of a styled background to help set a mood.
Examples from Etsy:
Angle 03 - The Top-Down / Flat Lay Shot
Exactly what it sounds like. You position your camera directly overhead and shoot straight down. The flat lay is perfect for showing off patterns, the entire layout of a set, or any flat items without any distortion. It’s an incredibly clean and modern-looking shot that allows you to artfully arrange your product and supporting props to tell a story.
Best For:
- Flat items: Stationery, art prints, stickers, coasters, fabric.
- Kits and Sets: Jewelry (to show the full length and clasp), craft kits, gift boxes, soap sets.
- Clothing: Neatly folded t-shirts, baby clothes, scarves.
How to Achieve It: Arrange your item or items on a clean surface. The floor often works well for this. Or if you lay your items on a table, you may need to stand on a chair to get a good top-down angle.
Then, position your camera directly above, making sure it's perfectly parallel to the ground so the photo looks symmetrical and organised. To avoid casting a shadow with your body or phone, try to have your light source (the window) to your side or in front of you.
Examples from Etsy:
Angle 04 - The Back Angle Shot
A simple but powerful shot taken from directly behind your product. It shows the customer the parts they can't see from the front.
This angle is all about giving more information to shoppers and giving them the full picture (pun). It helps answering some questions they may have: "What does the clasp look like?", "is the back of that shirt plain?", "how does the zipper on that pillow work?".
Best For:
- Jewelry: To show clasps, earring backs, or the reverse of a pendant.
- Clothing: To show the fit from behind, a design on the back, or a closure.
- Home Decor: Cushions (to show the zipper), framed art (to show the hanging hardware).
- Bags and Purses: To show back pockets or strap construction.
How to Achieve It: This one is easy. Simply turn your product around. This angle can be combined with the previous three - head-on hero, 45-degree or top-down. Don't be afraid to zoom in a little to show important details that shoppers may otherwise miss.
Examples from Etsy:
Angle 05 - The Low Angle Shot
This is the opposite of shooting down on your product. You get your camera below the product's eye-level and shoot slightly upwards. This angle gives your product a sense of importance and grandeur. It makes an object feel powerful, statuesque, and heroic. It's a dynamic and less common angle that can make your product look more substantial and visually interesting. It also gives a feeling that the item is bigger than it actually is.
Best For:
- Items with height: Vases, sculptures, lamps, candlesticks.
- Furniture: To make it feel grand and show off the leg design.
- Items on display: Figurines, cake toppers, or anything you want to put on a "pedestal."
- Pottery and Planters: To emphasise their form or show a drainage hole on the bottom.
How to Achieve It: Place your product on a slightly elevated surface, like a small box or a stack of books, or near the edge of a table. Then, bring your camera down low and angle it up. Pay close attention to your background here, as you’ll be capturing more of the wall and space behind your product. Make sure it's clean and non-distracting to keep the focus where it belongs.
Examples from Etsy:
