How to Become a Product Photographer

A career in product photography can be the perfect blend of creativity, technical skill, and business acumen – but it takes time, practice, and hard work to find a balance that leads to success. Learning product photography means learning how to transform everyday objects into images that can tell stories, capture details, and ultimately provoke viewers into action.

Whether you’re still deciding what photography niche may be right for you, or you’re a professional photographer looking to further develop your skills, this guide will help cover the basics of becoming a successful product photographer and things to consider on your way to building a thriving profession or business. We’ll cover everything from types of product photography careers, to building your photography portfolio, to how product photographers find jobs.

Careers in product photography

Having a career in product photography can take you down several different paths, and it's common to evolve your career over time. When you first get started, you may consider assisting while you take freelance gigs on the side, or you can try working your way up at an existing studio that can give you the security of a steady paycheck while you build your own portfolio. Here are some broad types of careers in product photography that you can compare to get a better understanding.

Find flexibility in freelance photography

Freelance product photographers can have varying degrees of specialization and can work with several different kinds of clients in different locations. They often secure work through individual contracts, from one day shoots to multi-week campaigns.

Work as a full time product photographer

A full-time product photography job can be a great option – from niche fashion to big box retail, there are options for all experience levels. You can start as an assistant, or if you have skills, take the lead on large-scale marketing campaigns. More predictable scheduling and consistent paychecks are just two big benefits of a full-time photography job.

Start a product photography studio

Having your own photography studio can open up a lot of doors depending on the kind of product photography you want to do. With gear and an environment that you’ve mastered, you can work at a faster pace while producing consistent, high-quality results – a must for some clients. You can even skip the photography part altogether and just rent out your space and gear instead.

Become a product photography educator

If you have the experience and skills along with a passion for teaching others – consider becoming an educator or professional mentor. This can also be full-time, like at a school, or you can start your own offering. You can sell product photography courses, lead workshops, offer portfolio reviews, and more. Having a wide and active professional network can be helpful to both you and your students.

Create a specialization

Many product photography careers are born out of a specialization – and can lead to different kinds of businesses and employment. Having a highly developed skill set can help differentiate your work, no matter where you go. Consider niches like 360° product photography, small object and micro product photography, automotive, e-commerce, and more – they can all demand premiums because of their unique challenges.

How to pick product photography gear

Photographers think a lot about gear, often more than they should. As cameras have evolved and improved, the line between a technically high-quality image is more-often determined by the photographer, and not necessarily the gear itself. It’s now easier than ever to get a beginner product photography setup that can produce professional results – but it takes the skills first. Always experiment with DIY setups and default to the gear you already have before over-committing to a piece of new equipment.

With that said, product photography can often demand some of the most specialized photography gear out there. From wireless flashes and softboxes, to macro lenses that let you get in close – product photography kits can get really expensive, really fast. Always do your research and weigh the cost carefully within the context of your entire business. There are often budget alternatives that, when combined with a bit of skill and some editing tools, can create nearly indistinguishable results.

Start with a simple product photography setup

Investing in the right gear is critical, but you don’t need to overdo it, especially at first.

Camera for product photography

A basic DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual settings. Here’s more about choosing a camera for professional photography.

Lenses

A kit lens can be great for getting started, but consider prime lenses with wider apertures and better optics, common focal lengths include 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm. See if your camera has a macro mode or a macro lens that fits within your budget.

Product Lighting Equipment

Start with a hotshoe flash and some basic attachments, or try out the constant light of an LED light panel.

Tripod

A sturdy tripod can be essential for producing high-quality product shots. Always consider using a timer to reduce vibration.

Product photography editing software

VSCO Pro Membership gives you the tools, exposure, and community to get started in product photography. Access our full suite of photo editing tools and photo filters, launch your photography website, and create private photo galleries for your clients – all on VSCO.

Learn product photography

Before you dive into a specialization like product photography, always make sure you have a solid foundation. Master photography basics and progress from there. Product photographers often have a passion for the more technical side of photography and often want to learn the latest and best techniques. The best way to learn product photography is through practice, but it always helps to have some structure and guidance.

Product photography courses and workshops

A formal course or workshop can be great for those who prefer more structure to their learning experience and like the idea of working with a teacher and collaborating with other students. Check your local college or search for a workshop that fits your interests and skill-level. You may want to see if any of your favorite photographers maintain event pages where you can see where they may be teaching or lecturing.

Connect with other photographers

One of the best ways to learn product photography is through other product photographers. Find and save inspirational photos on VSCO, start discussions on posts to learn more about editing techniques, or try a direct message for a more personal connection. Learn how other successful photographers work and apply what you learn to your own process.

There are amazing product photographers currently sharing their work on VSCO. Sign in on desktop at vsco.co or open the VSCO app to follow and connect with other photographers in the VSCO community:

Online photographer resources and articles

There’s a lot to learn online. From complete online photography courses to articles, videos, and more – it’s possible to build your entire education with resources on the internet. Check out the VSCO Collection for inspiration or learn more from other articles for insights from pro photographers – we cover everything from how to start a photography business to pricing and contracts.

Get started with our guide on how to take great product photos.

Assist a mentor

There’s no better way of learning than by doing. Assisting a professional product photographer gets you hands-on experience that you’ll struggle to find anywhere else. See if there’s a local photographer with a portfolio that impresses you and ask if they have space for an extra set of hands on a future shoot. A good mentor can stick with you your entire career and help guide you along different steps in your photography career. Mentors are great because they speak from experience, something that only comes by putting in years of hard work.

Build your product photography portfolio

Before you get any clients, you’ll need to have a portfolio. Your product photography portfolio should represent the full extent of your skills and experience without overwhelming viewers with too many photos or hard to navigate pages.

With VSCO Sites you can launch a website and organize your work with photo albums, perfect for creating your first dedicated product portfolio or for showcasing your best work. At first, your product photography portfolio may be completely self-produced product shots, but over time you can use it to land clients and expand your practice, and portfolio. Learn more about making a photography portfolio here.

Find product photographer jobs

There’s no easy way to land your dream clients and jobs. The reality is, things often start small and take time. Here are some approaches you can use to find product photography jobs and start building your business from the ground up.

Think local

Looking for local product photography jobs can be a great way to build a client list and expand your network. Ask local business owners and retailers if they need photos and consider offering introductory packages when you’re just getting started (for advice on what to charge, check out our Photography Pricing Guide). Cater to their needs, build trust over time, and focus on delivering consistent results.

Start small and scale

Always be thinking about how to scale your photography business. This can be as simple as building a Recipe to speed up your editing time so you can take on more shoots, or as advanced as building a professional photo studio dedicated to high volume, high-quality e-commerce photography. Think about all the processes involved from landing a gig, to delivering the final selects – each step is an opportunity to create efficiency and potentially scale your business.

Get listed on VSCO Hub

If you’re looking for a more streamlined way to get matched with top brands, you’ll want to get listed on VSCO Hub. Brands and businesses use VSCO Hub’s advanced search to find photographers that match their style – all you have to do is post your best work and share your experience. Learn more about VSCO Hub for photographers.

Sticking with it

A career in product photography can be a lot of different things and can take you a lot of different places – from a Brand Challenge that can give you momentum for your first photoshoot, to landing a big-name client on VSCO Hub.

Never stop learning and always build on your experience. Careers are never built in a vacuum, so lean on your fellow photographers and build a network that can keep you both creatively and professionally inspired.