Every week at Folksy we receive press requests from journalists and editors, but the products don’t always make it into the magazines. So what is it they are looking for, and how can you get your product shots magazine-worthy? We asked Amanda Robinson, editor of Handmade Weddings magazine, to tell us what she needs from a product shot… 

How to get your product shots featured in magazine

Your images are your shop window so you need to make sure they show off your creations to the best of their ability. Not everyone can afford professional photography or has the expertise, but there are a few simple steps you can take to make your images the ones editors will pick for their features…

Cut outs

If a magazine asks you for a ‘cut out’ that means they want a photograph of the product against a pure white background, so it can be placed easily on to a white page. Normally this means digitally cutting out the product from the original photo background. 

Flatshots

Flatshot images – product shots photographed on a white background and directly overhead – are a simple and practical option. The white will reflect light back on to your product, making it is easier for the art editor to cut out around the outline. And check for shadows!

Lifestyle shots

Don’t worry about sending editors lifestyle shots of your products unless you are confident about what you are doing, or you have professional product shots, or the editor asks for them. A badly styled, cluttered shot where you have to play ‘find the product’ is not the best advert for your product.

Keep it simple!

You want your product to give the ‘wow’ factor for the reader/viewer/potential purchaser. So you want to send the clearest, most direct message possible, with the biggest immediate impact.

Have a choice of shots ready

Shoot items both singly and as a group, and from different angles. The more picture choices you can send through to an editor, the better.

Shoot in daylight

Natural light is always best. Artificial light can make your products look yellow.

Resolution

Your images have to be high resolution – 300dpi (dots per inch) – to be able to be reproduced in print. Low resolution works for website use, but even if an image looks clear on a webpage, that doesn’t mean it is necessarily suitable for print. Set your camera to best or top quality shots every time and save the images as the highest possible resolution.

Finally, make sure your photos are:

• at least 1000 x 1000 pixels
• 300 dpi
• no larger than 8MB
• measure at least 10cm x 10cm

A cut-out shot: typically a photograph which has been edited so the product sits against a pure white background (Pictured: Glitter Heart Cake Toppers by Pelemele)