Product photography

Getting images ready for the platforms you actually sell on

Plan product photography around your sales platform needs. Learn what specs to gather, how to brief the photographer, and what editing to include before the shoot.

Many business owners make one costly mistake: they commission a beautiful product photoshoot, then spend weeks wrestling with the raw files trying to get them onto their sales channels—only to discover the images are the wrong format, wrong dimensions, or the backgrounds don't work for the platform they're using. The photographer hands over stunning work, but it's not ready for the job at hand. The real skill lies in planning image preparation before the camera even clicks.

When you hire a product photographer, image preparation is the bridge between a professional shoot and a platform that actually displays your work well. This isn't just about cropping or resizing—it's about understanding what each of your sales channels needs, then working backwards to brief the photographer properly. Get this right from the start, and your images go live without friction. Get it wrong, and you're paying for edits, re-exports, or worse, shooting again.

Know your platform specs before the shoot

Each sales channel has its own appetite. Shopify wants different dimensions than Instagram, TikTok Shop demands different aspect ratios than Amazon, and your own website might have completely different requirements again. Before you meet with a photographer, audit the platforms where you actually sell.

Write down the image dimensions each platform requires—width and height in pixels. Note the file formats they accept (JPEG, PNG, WebP). Check whether they have background requirements—some platforms favour white backgrounds, others let you use lifestyle settings. Look at successful competitor products on your channels and reverse-engineer what they're doing.

Sharing this research with your photographer at the brief stage changes everything. A good photographer will factor these constraints into shot composition, framing and background choices. They might shoot with slightly wider margins so cropping flexibility exists, or they might ensure the product sits in a specific zone of the frame that translates well across formats. This planning costs nothing extra but saves you hours of post-shoot scrambling.

The editing and export conversation

Before the shoot, agree on what "ready to upload" means. Does the photographer's fee include basic editing—colour correction, blemish removal, background cleanup—or just file delivery? Will they export files in multiple formats and sizes, or is that an add-on? Do they include a "web-ready" package (smaller file sizes for faster loading) or only high-resolution versions?

Some photographers include platform-specific exports in their package; others don't. Ask directly. If your budget is tight, you might handle basic resizing yourself using free tools, but if you're selling on five platforms and updating inventory weekly, paying the photographer to do bulk exports in the exact formats you need is often worth the cost. You also need to clarify ownership and usage rights—can you use the images across all your sales channels, social media, print, and future platforms without asking permission each time? Get this in writing.

Building a brief that sticks

When you book a photographer, your brief should include a platform requirements sheet. Attach a screenshot or two of how your competitor's products look on each platform. Mention if you need portrait orientation for Instagram, landscape for website headers, or square crops for social feeds. Be specific: "These images will go on Shopify, WooCommerce, and Instagram; I need JPEG exports at 2000 × 2000 pixels minimum, and white background shots only."

If you're selling across multiple categories—say, both apparel and homeware—flag that the framing or background might need to shift slightly. A photographer who understands upfront that your images are heading to three different places will make smarter creative choices and hand you files you can use immediately.

The difference between a photoshoot that becomes friction and one that flows smoothly into your sales operation isn't talent—it's planning. Talk to photographers who are comfortable discussing platform specs and export workflows, and ask to see examples of how they've prepared images for multi-channel sellers. On Strove, many product photographers list their technical knowledge; those who mention platform-ready exports or web preparation are usually worth a closer look.

Common questions

Should the photographer deliver images ready to upload, or is that my job?: This varies. Some photographers include basic editing and platform-specific exports in their package; others deliver only raw or lightly edited files. Agree on what "ready" means before the shoot. If you're selling across multiple channels, paying them to export in the exact formats you need often saves time and money.
What image dimensions do I need to ask the photographer about?: This depends on where you sell. Shopify, Instagram, TikTok Shop, and Amazon all have different requirements. Before booking, audit your sales platforms and write down the pixel dimensions and aspect ratios each one needs, then share this list with your photographer so they can frame shots with flexibility in mind.
Can I use the same product images across all my sales channels?: Usually yes, but confirm usage rights with your photographer before the shoot. Ask whether you can use the images on all your sales platforms, social media, print marketing, and future channels without needing permission each time. Get this in writing in your agreement.
What if I'm selling on platforms I might add later—how do I prepare for that?: Brief the photographer to shoot with margins and flexibility—slightly wider framing so crops work across different aspect ratios without losing the product. Ask them to deliver high-resolution original files so you can re-export or re-crop later if you add new sales channels.

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More on Product photography

Know your platform specs before the shoot

The editing and export conversation

Building a brief that sticks

Common questions

Should the photographer deliver images ready to upload, or is that my job?

This varies. Some photographers include basic editing and platform-specific exports in their package; others deliver only raw or lightly edited files. Agree on what "ready" means before the shoot. If you're selling across multiple channels, paying them to export in the exact formats you need often saves time and money.

What image dimensions do I need to ask the photographer about?

This depends on where you sell. Shopify, Instagram, TikTok Shop, and Amazon all have different requirements. Before booking, audit your sales platforms and write down the pixel dimensions and aspect ratios each one needs, then share this list with your photographer so they can frame shots with flexibility in mind.

Can I use the same product images across all my sales channels?

Usually yes, but confirm usage rights with your photographer before the shoot. Ask whether you can use the images on all your sales platforms, social media, print marketing, and future channels without needing permission each time. Get this in writing in your agreement.

What if I'm selling on platforms I might add later—how do I prepare for that?

Brief the photographer to shoot with margins and flexibility—slightly wider framing so crops work across different aspect ratios without losing the product. Ask them to deliver high-resolution original files so you can re-export or re-crop later if you add new sales channels.