Setting up an in-house product photography studio: what you need to know

What is product photography?

Product photography is a key part of e-commerce and marketing. It's how businesses turn their products' value into strong visuals that inform, persuade, or build customer confidence.

At its core, product photography is a type of still life photography focused on showing objects clearly, attractively, and accurately. Unlike artistic advertising photos that tell a story, direct product shots aim to show an item as it truly is. This clarity builds trust and often cuts down on questions before a sale.

Getting professional results requires knowing photography basics, like lighting, composition, focus, and having the right gear. Whether you use a full studio or a home setup, smart planning makes a big difference in your final images.

Why do industries rely on product photography?

While e-commerce is the most visible domain for product photography, its applications stretch far wider across different industries, often with critical, business-defining purposes.

Retail & fashion

For consumer products, high-quality images drive online sales, catalog presentations, and marketing campaigns. Consistent visuals help brands build trust and reduce returns.

Manufacturing & quality control

In industrial settings, detailed product photography supports quality assurance processes. Precise, repeatable images help document product conditions, inspect parts for defects, and standardize visual checks during production runs.

Art & cultural heritage

Museums, galleries, and preservation institutes use professional photography to archive artworks, historical artifacts, and delicate items. Accurate lighting, color fidelity, and meticulous composition are key for documentation and digital archiving.

Read the museum digitization case study and see how the Museum in Tarnowskie Góry has benefited from Orbitvu's automated solutions.

Healthcare & medical devices

Detailed imagery of medical tools and equipment supports compliance documentation, product demonstrations, and technical manuals, where clarity and precision are non-negotiable.

Luxury goods & jewelry

High-end markets demand imagery that highlights craftsmanship, materials, and intricate details. Product photography becomes both a sales tool and a reflection of brand prestige.

Food & beverage

For packaging, marketing, and quality control, food photography captures not only appearance but also texture and freshness — all critical for consumer perception and compliance.

In every case, photography serves as more than a visual asset. It becomes a record, a quality checkpoint, a preservation tool, or a critical part of a product's story. Whether for art conservation or industrial QC reports, the need for precise, high-quality imagery drives the setup of specialized studios and the adoption of automated systems across sectors.

Setting up a DIY studio

A home photography studio or in-house studio doesn't require a massive investment, but it does call for smart planning. The first consideration is studio space. Ideally, a dedicated area that allows for flexible camera placement, backdrop setups, and controlled lighting conditions.

Natural light can be helpful, too, especially for soft, diffused shots. Window light provides an excellent starting point for those building their own home photography studio. However, you shouldn't rely solely on daylight. You also shouldn’t mix the light sources. Investing in a simple studio lighting kit and a reliable backdrop system can instantly upgrade your space into a functional home photo studio.

When setting up your home studio space, think practically: the size of your products will determine how much working space and what type of background you'll need. Jewelry, for example, requires different setup considerations than furniture or apparel.

Remember to also account for the storage of your photography gear and efficient workflow by dividing your studio into dedicated zones (shooting area, editing zone). Providing enough space for movement and equipment adjustment is essential for smooth photo shoots.

Choosing the right equipment

Now that you have an overview of a DIY photography studio, let's talk about equipment.

Camera and lenses

Your choice of camera and lens directly affects the sharpness, detail, and overall quality of your product shots. While full-frame cameras offer higher image quality and better low-light performance, many crop-sensor models deliver excellent results at a lower price point. What matters here is matching your camera's sensor with lenses designed for its format.

Lenses deserve special attention in any photographer's kit. A standard prime lens (like a 50mm) is a go-to for product shots, offering sharpness and minimal distortion. Prime lenses are particularly valued for their superior optical quality. However, if you photograph items of varying sizes, a zoom lens gives flexibility without having to constantly reposition your setup. For very small items like jewelry, a macro lens is essential to capture intricate details and close-up shots. 

Learn more about lenses and cameras from our articles:

💡 Best lens for product photography – expert tips

💡 Mirror vs. Mirrorless Camera - which is a better product photography camera?

💡 The best camera for product photography - what you need to know

Lighting

Lighting equipment is non-negotiable in product photography. It shapes how your product is perceived, defining textures, colors, and contours. Even a modest lighting setup with adjustable softboxes, continuous light sources, or strobe lights can produce professional-looking results.

Understanding the difference between continuous light and strobe lights helps you choose the right option for your workflow. Continuous lighting lets you see changes in real-time, ideal for beginners or those seeking simplicity. Strobe lights deliver powerful bursts of light, better suited for capturing sharp, detailed images with precise control. LED lights are often favored for their consistent, daylight-like illumination, energy efficiency, and long lifespan.

Studio lights come in various forms, and having the right light source is crucial for optimal lighting conditions. Whether you choose one light setup or multiple flash units, ensuring consistent lighting across your product shots is essential for professional results.

Read our photographer's guide to perfect lighting and get to know all the tips, tricks, and techniques.

Light modifiers and accessories

Light modifiers — like softboxes, umbrellas, and reflectors — help control the direction, intensity, and softness of light. These tools are a must-have if you want to avoid harsh shadows or blown-out highlights. Reflectors bounce light back onto your product, while diffusers soften strong light sources and help manipulate light effectively.

Light stands are fundamental components of any studio setup, providing stable support for your lighting equipment. Quality light stands ensure your lights remain in position throughout your photo shoot, contributing to consistent framing and reliable results.

Experimenting with light modifiers allows you to refine your style and produce images with a polished, consistent look. Consider adding clamps for securing backgrounds and props to help position products as needed. White foam boards can serve as cost-effective reflectors to bounce light and fill in shadows.

Essential product photography techniques

Professional photography isn't just about gear. Technique plays an equally important role in creating photos that stand out. Let's talk about it!

Product preparation

Before shooting, ensure products are clean and free of dust, smudges, or wrinkles. Iron textiles, use dust spray for textured items, and clean smooth surfaces with a microfiber cloth. Handle products with gloves to avoid fingerprints.

Learn more about this subject from Mastering the art of preparation for a product photography session.

Angles and composition

Try multiple perspectives to find the most flattering view of each product. Some products benefit from direct, head-on shots, while others look better with a slight angle or creative composition. Learn rules like the rule of thirds for aesthetic placement.

When photographing products for e-commerce, consistency is just as important as creativity. Many retailers and marketplaces require adherence to GS1 image standards, which define how products should be shot (angles, backgrounds, file formats) to ensure accuracy and uniformity across platforms. Following these guidelines helps your images meet global retail requirements and avoid costly reshoots. You can explore the official standards at GS1’s website.

Close-ups and macro shots

Highlight textures, materials, or intricate details by using macro photography. This works especially well for jewelry, textiles, and fine craftsmanship. Close-up shots reveal key features that customers need to see.

Sharpness and stability

Use a tripod to ensure consistent framing and eliminate blur. A remote shutter release can further reduce camera shake during shooting. Proper shutter speed settings are crucial for sharp images, especially when working with slower shutter speeds in low-light conditions.

Also, buy a tripod with markers or mark the position of your camera yourself to maintain consistency in your product photos.

Feature-focused shots

Showcase the product's unique selling points — whether that's texture, craftsmanship, or functionality — with detail-oriented compositions.

Working with different types of products

Different products come with unique photography challenges. Glossy surfaces require careful light placement to avoid reflections. Transparent items, like glassware, need precise backlighting. Large products call for wider framing and more powerful lighting, often requiring a small studio with enough space to accommodate larger setups.

Understanding the product's material, size, and customer expectations helps you adjust your lighting setups accordingly. Always approach each shoot with the end-use in mind — whether for an online catalog, a marketing campaign, or social media content.

AI in product photography

A growing trend in product photography, particularly useful for those just starting out, is the use of artificial intelligence (AI). AI tools can simplify many steps, from basic edits to creating entire scenes. For beginners, this means easier background removal, automatic color correction, and even generating realistic backgrounds or props that would otherwise require complex setups or advanced editing software. AI can help achieve a professional look without needing deep technical photo skills, making high-quality visual content more accessible to all businesses.

However, it comes with certain limitations, like shape distortion, logotype errors, or other deformations. There's also a question of a good prompt and various AI models. Taking all that into consideration, it's not as effortless as it seems.

💡 Check out our article on perfume photography, where we compared 4 different AI background generator tools/models. Is it possible to create authentic lifestyle shots with AI technology? Read here, and find out!

Automated product photography vs DIY studio

While a DIY studio gives you creative freedom and hands-on control, it often comes at the cost of time and consistency, especially when handling large volumes of products. Building your own photography studio requires a significant investment in both time and equipment.

For businesses considering their options, studio rentals might seem appealing, but they can become expensive for regular use. Having your professional photo studio or even a well-equipped home studio provides more flexibility and control over your photography business.

Automated product photography systems, like those offered by Orbitvu, streamline the entire process. They integrate lighting control, camera positioning, and post-production workflows into a single system.

7 benefits of automated product photography

Consistency

Automated systems ensure uniform lighting and framing across hundreds or thousands of shots. This is vital for brand identity and a cohesive online presence.

Scalability

The ability to handle large volumes of products quickly without compromising quality makes it ideal for growing businesses or large catalogs.

Efficiency

Faster turnaround from capture to delivery, reducing time spent on repetitive tasks like background removal, cropping, and color correction. Some systems can produce fully edited images in minutes.

Customization & repeatability

Automated systems allow for preset adjustments and template-based workflows, making it easier to switch between product lines or shooting styles and perfectly replicate shots for consistency.

Cost-effectiveness

While there's an initial investment, automated solutions can significantly reduce long-term costs associated with hiring professional photographers, extensive manual photo editing, and studio rentals, offering a higher ROI.

Empowering non-experts

Intuitive interfaces and guided workflows mean even those without extensive photography experience can produce professional-grade visuals, keeping the content creation in-house.

Advanced features

Many automated systems, especially those incorporating AI, can offer features like dynamic background adjustments, image upscaling, and integration with e-commerce platforms.

For businesses with frequent product turnover or high-volume photography needs, automation can offer significant long-term cost savings and efficiency gains. For smaller businesses, a hybrid approach might be best: using DIY for unique, high-end shots and AI or automated tools for routine catalog updates.

Whether you choose a professional studio setup or decide to build it yourself, having enough room and the right equipment is essential for success.

Dive deeper into the benefits of automating your e-commerce photography.

Final thoughts on in-house product photography studio space

Setting up an in-house product photography studio is both a creative and strategic investment. Whether you choose a hands-on DIY approach or opt for automation, understanding the fundamentals — from lighting and equipment to technique and workflow — will set your business up for success.

With the right tools and mindset, your studio can produce images that not only look professional but also help drive sales and build customer trust. The world of product photography is constantly evolving, with automation and AI offering powerful new ways to create stunning visuals more efficiently than ever before.

Remember that both studio environments and home setups can produce excellent results when properly equipped and managed. The key is finding the right balance of essential equipment, optimal lighting conditions, and photography skills to meet your specific business needs.

Want to try the automation way? Reach out to us, and together let's find the solution tailored to your business.