How to Do Product Photography for Amazon

Key Takeaways

• Great Amazon product photography can significantly boost click-through rates and conversions.
• Lighting, background, image specs, and angles all impact buyer decisions.
• Hiring a professional Amazon product photography service is often worth the investment for premium results.

Introduction

In the visually driven world of eCommerce, your product images are your storefront. Especially on Amazon, where hundreds of similar items compete side-by-side, high-quality product photography for Amazon isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Amazon shoppers can’t touch, hold, or try your product. They rely entirely on images to decide whether to click, learn more, or move on. That’s why your photos must tell a compelling story, answer buyer questions visually, and build trust.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn how to create Amazon-ready product images that meet platform requirements, stand out in search results, and increase conversions. Whether you're a seller learning the ropes or considering an Amazon product photography service, this guide breaks down every step to success.

Why Amazon Product Photography Matters

Studies show that 75% of online shoppers rely on product images when making purchasing decisions. On Amazon, where search listings are image-heavy and first impressions are formed in milliseconds, your product photos are critical to your success.

Here’s what great Amazon product photography can do:

• Increase CTR (click-through rate) on search results
• Reduce bounce rates on product pages
• Boost buyer confidence and reduce returns
• Improve rankings via better conversion metrics

Simply put, better images lead to better sales.

Amazon Product Image Requirements (2025 Update)

Before we jump into camera tips or lighting setups, you must know what Amazon expects from your product images.

Main Image Guidelines:

• Must be the product only, on a pure white background (RGB 255,255,255)
• Must be a professional photograph (no illustrations or mockups)
• Should fill 85% of the frame
• Must be at least 1000 pixels on the longest side for zoom functionality
• No logos, watermarks, or text

Additional Image Tips (For Secondary Images):

• Lifestyle images showing the product in use
• Infographics to highlight features and dimensions
• Comparison charts or “what’s included” shots
• Close-ups for material and texture details

Meeting Amazon’s guidelines ensures your listing is never suppressed and looks clean, professional, and trustworthy.

Step 1: Plan Your Product Photography for Amazon

Great results begin with a clear plan. Start with these steps:

1. Know Your Audience

Ask:

• Who is buying this product?
• What benefits matter most to them?
• What objections or doubts can your images overcome?

If you’re selling hiking backpacks, show waterproof features, back padding, and storage capacity. If it’s a beauty product, emphasize texture, ingredients, or before-and-after effects.

2. List the Shots You Need

Every Amazon product listing allows up to 7-9 images, depending on your category. A good mix might include:

• Main image (white background)
• Front, back, and side views
• Zoomed-in close-up
• Lifestyle shot
• Infographic
• Packaging or “in the box” contents

This forms your Amazon product photography shot list.

Step 2: Set Up Your Studio (DIY or Pro)

You can do Amazon product photography yourself or hire a professional. Let’s explore both.

DIY Setup Essentials

• Camera: A DSLR or mirrorless camera with a 50mm or 85mm lens is ideal. A modern smartphone can work with proper lighting.
• Tripod: Keeps shots stable and consistent.
• Lighting: Use a softbox lighting kit or natural light diffused through a white curtain.
• Backdrop: Pure white backdrop (use sweep paper, white foam board, or a lightbox).
• Reflectors: Help eliminate shadows and even out lighting.

Lighting Tips

• Avoid harsh shadows or overexposure.
• Use three-point lighting: Key light (main), fill light (to reduce shadows), and back light (for depth).
• For white backgrounds, ensure the backdrop is evenly lit so it renders pure white.

If DIY feels overwhelming or you lack time or gear, consider hiring an Amazon product photography service.

Step 3: Capture the Right Angles

Angles matter just as much as clarity. Buyers want to understand:

• How the product looks from all sides
• How it works or functions
• How big or small it is

Must-Have Shots:

• Hero/Main Shot: Clean white background, front view
• Angle Shots: 45° and side angles add realism
• Close-Ups: Texture, buttons, zippers, material
• Scale Image: Show the product held in hand or near everyday objects
• Lifestyle: The product being used by a model or in a real environment
• Exploded View: For tech products, show components disassembled
• Feature Highlights: Use text overlays in additional images to explain benefits (outside main image)

This variety answers customer questions visually, helping them imagine owning the product.

Step 4: Edit and Optimize for Amazon

Shooting is only half the job—editing is where you make your product pop.

Editing Essentials

• Background Removal: Ensure your white background is true RGB 255,255,255.
• Color Correction: Make sure colors are accurate to reduce return rates.
• Sharpness: Increase clarity and sharpness, especially for zoom.
• Cropping: Crop so the product fills 85% of the image space.
• Compression: Keep image files under 10MB.

If you're not a Photoshop expert, consider outsourcing editing to a product photography for Amazon specialist or agency.

Step 5: A/B Test Your Images

Even perfect-looking images can benefit from testing. Use Amazon Experiments (within A+ Content Manager) to run A/B tests on your main image.

Track:

• Click-through rate (CTR)
• Conversion rate (CVR)
• Session duration

Sometimes a lifestyle hero image or an angled main photo performs better than the standard front view. Testing takes the guesswork out of optimization.

When to Use an Amazon Product Photography Service

Hiring a professional Amazon product photography service makes sense if:

• Your product is highly competitive
• You sell in a premium category (jewelry, electronics, health & beauty)
• You want consistent results without investing in gear or software
• You lack the time to shoot, edit, and test yourself

Professional services often include:

• Studio and lifestyle shots
• Editing and image optimization
• Compliance with Amazon guidelines
• Fast turnaround

This allows you to focus on growing your business while experts handle your visuals.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using dark or colored backgrounds in the main image
• Low resolution or blurry photos
• Too much empty space around the product
• Skipping lifestyle images
• Using stock photos or mockups that mislead buyers

Remember: Amazon prioritizes customer trust. Misleading or poor-quality images damage your reputation and impact reviews.

Conclusion

Amazon product photography is one of the most powerful tools in your seller toolbox. It influences first impressions, drives traffic, and ultimately converts browsers into buyers. In a crowded marketplace, well-shot images can make your product the obvious choice—especially when promoted through platforms like the Bridge Way Affiliate Network, where visuals need to stand out instantly.

Whether you go the DIY route or hire a professional Amazon product photography service, make sure your visuals tell a clear, compelling story. Focus on clarity, emotion, and information—your images should do the selling before a word is even read.

Invest the time (or money) into doing it right, and you’ll see the difference reflected in your sales chart.

FAQs

Q1: What is Amazon product photography?
Amazon product photography refers to high-quality images specifically designed to meet Amazon's listing requirements and boost product visibility and conversions.

Q2: Can I do product photography for Amazon at home?
Yes, with the right setup—camera, tripod, lighting, and white background—you can shoot professional-grade images yourself.

Q3: What’s included in an Amazon product photography service?
Services often include hero shots, lifestyle images, editing, and optimization, all while ensuring compliance with Amazon’s image standards.

Q4: How many product images should I upload on Amazon?
Amazon allows up to 9 images. Aim for at least 6, including a white-background hero, close-ups, lifestyle shots, and feature highlights.

Q5: Do product photos affect Amazon rankings?
Yes. High-quality, optimized images increase click-through and conversion rates, which are important signals for Amazon’s ranking algorithm.