Should Go for White or Go Beyond White for Product Photo Background?

There’s an unspoken, yet important rule in creating e-commerce sites: You shall never have bad photos. You cannot afford to have low-quality images. Otherwise, you’ll have people clicking out of your site faster than the page loaded. What you want are photos that lure people in and trigger the add-to-cart action. In this matter, you cannot just focus on the product alone. Yes, you do want your designer bag photos to reflect the elegant details of the hardware and stitches, but you also shouldn’t overlook one important element beyond the product: the backdrop. For this, you have two options: go white or go colored or contextual.

Why Go for White

Flip through different pages of popular e-commerce sites and you’ll see roster of products plastered against white backgrounds. You name it: furniture, appliances, smartphones, skincare, clothes, jewelry, all in plain setting. There are many reasons you should consider presenting your products this way. For one, white backdrops best highlight items. Its simplicity makes people focus better on the details of the product itself. The juices oozing out of your burger patty or the sparkle of your diamond engagement rings, these are all possible with a professional food or jewelry photo editing service.

Another reason to go white is it saves time and money. The actual shoot is much simpler and easier, because there’s no need to find a unique location or models. The same goes for the editing process. As there are no major differences in lighting or color conditions of the actual shoot, it’s easier to tweak it. If you’re short on time and budget for your product photos, white background is your best option.

Why Go Beyond White

woman designing photos on her computerOn the flip side, though, there’s also merit in going for white backdrop alternatives. It adds visual interest to your photos, putting a little creative twist to it. It can also be a subtle, yet influential tool for introducing brand identity. Use your logo colors so you can further promote brand recall. That said, your background becomes yet another element for setting yourself apart from competitors. Given that, what exactly are the alternative options to white backdrop?

Well, you can go the complete opposite of this hue: black. This effectively makes your products stand out, especially if you’re promoting luxury items, like jewelry or designer bags. Another choice is neutrals. Off-white, gray, or beige matches any product. If you don’t want flat-looking hues though but still prefer that subdued effect, you can go for pastels.

Tone down your brand colors to maintain that brand identity element. Of course, there’s also the option to go bold with solid colors. This is most effective for brands that are playful and creative in nature. If you have a little more budget though, then it’s worth considering taking your products out to specific locations, worn or used by models. This contextual background will lend added visual interest to your photos.

Again, it’s important to go back to the basics, namely your backdrop, when planning product photos. Remember that it can make or break the entire thing. Consult professionals to get the best quality of photos on your site.

Share this post:
Scroll to Top