How to Shoot Product Photography at Home REALLY – Really Simple

Ibrahim here from Spinthiras Media.

So, you want to dive into product photography from home, yeah? Good news: it’s totally possible to snap professional product photos in your living room without torching your wallet.

Let’s get real though: “simple” doesn’t mean “lazy.” It’s not just pointing your phone and praying for likes. Great product photos sell stuff. Bad ones… well, they just sit there like stale bread on a supermarket shelf.

Ready to rock your product shoot? Let’s roll.

1. Your Home Product Photography Studio – Without Going Broke

Camera: Fancy or Phone?

Look, I’ll be honest: I shoot loads of stuff on my phone. Today’s smartphones (think iPhone or Samsung Galaxy) are mini product photography studios. Just make sure it’s got at least 12MP and manual controls.

But if you want to step it up, grab a beginner DSLR like the Canon EOS Rebel T7. They go for around AED 1,470. Pair it with a 50mm or 35mm lens (about AED 367–735) for those sharp, creamy shots perfect for commercial product photography or even jewelry photography where detail matters.

Bottom line: your tool matters less than how well you know how to use it. Don’t fall into the “my camera’s not good enough” trap. It’s usually user error. Trust me, I’ve been there.

Light: The Secret Sauce

Lighting makes or breaks professional product photography.

Natural light is free. Set up near a big window with indirect sunlight. If the sun’s blazing, slap up a white curtain to soften it. No fancy jargon needed — just softer shadows, less drama.

Want to fake daylight? Use household lamps fitted with daylight-balanced bulbs (around AED 73–184). Even cheap LED panels (AED 184–367) can turn your kitchen table into a product photography studio.

Pro trick: angle your lights at about 45 degrees from your product. It’ll cut harsh shadows and make everything look smoother than your last attempt at pancake batter.

Backgrounds: Plain or Fancy?

The easiest trick for a clean shot? A seamless white sweep. That’s just a piece of white paper or fabric that curves from vertical to horizontal. Costs peanuts — like AED 18–184 depending on size.

Want to spice things up? Go DIY:

• Wallpaper samples (AED 18–37)

• Tiles from ACE Hardware (AED 18 each)

• Painted canvas (a bit more work, but gorgeous)

Especially in food product photography, backdrops tell a story. Rustic wooden boards? Perfect for honey jars. Tropical vibes? Bright colored sheets.

Just keep wrinkles out. A wrinkly backdrop screams amateur.

Props: Keep It Chill

Props add personality to your product shoot — but don’t clutter the shot.

Good ideas:

• Fruit slices for food product photography

• Herbs for sauces or oils

• Fake plants for lifestyle vibes

• White dishes for minimalist elegance

Bad idea: shoving in every item from your kitchen. Less is more.

Fun hack: Spray glycerin + water on glasses for “cold drink” vibes. Or use clear fishing line to levitate small items. Yes, floating cookies sell.

2. Shooting Like a Pro

Master Your Settings

Whether it’s a phone or DSLR:

• ISO: Keep it low (100–200) for sharp product shots. Higher ISO = more grain.

• Aperture (f-stop):

  • f/8 to f/16 → everything in focus

  • f/2.8 → dreamy blurred background for small stuff like rings in jewelry photography

• Shutter Speed: Go faster than 1/125s unless your camera’s on a sturdy tripod.

If you’re shooting jewelry or shiny things, reflections can make you want to cry. Wear gloves, use diffused lighting, and check your angles so your face isn’t reflected in that silver bracelet.

Composition Magic

Want your professional product photos to look legit? Learn these basics:

• Rule of Thirds: Imagine a grid and place your product off-center. It’s more interesting.

• Negative Space: Let your product “breathe.” Clutter is a mood killer.

• Angles: Shoot high, low, or directly overhead. Different angles highlight different features.

For ecommerce photographers, these tricks boost engagement. People spend longer staring at great photos, which often means more sales.

3. Niche Tricks: Food & Jewelry

Food Product Photography

Food needs to look mouthwatering — or nobody buys it.

• Natural light wins, especially soft daylight.

• Back or side lighting makes textures pop.

• Keep props simple. Herbs, small bowls, and napkins are your friends.

• Glycerin spray = fake condensation on drinks. Genius.

• Slightly under-ripe fruit lasts longer under lights.

Remember, food photography is partly illusion. Cold pancakes look fluffy if you fake the steam.

Jewelry Photography

Tiny. Shiny. Pain in the neck.

• Use a macro lens or clip-on phone macro (AED 37–184).

• Lightboxes help cut reflections. DIY one from a cardboard box and white paper for under AED 37.

• Wear gloves — fingerprints are your enemy.

• Consider focus stacking (multiple shots merged for sharper detail).

• Polarizing filters help tame reflections.

Expect to spend longer editing jewelry photography than any other type. One dust speck looks like the Grand Canyon in macro shots.

4. Editing: Your Secret Weapon

Even if you shoot brilliantly, you’ll still need a digital polish.

• Crop & straighten

• Adjust brightness/contrast

• Correct colors so your red bag doesn’t look neon pink

• Remove background clutter for a clean white backdrop

• Retouch dust or scratches

Free tools like Canva, Snapseed, Photopea, or Pixlr do the job. Or splurge on Affinity Photo for AED 257.

But be honest in your edits — don’t make a cheap ring look like Tiffany’s masterpiece. Shoppers hate feeling tricked.

5. Professional Product Photography: When to Pay Up

Look, DIY rocks for most brands. But sometimes, it makes sense to hire a product photography company. Here’s when to consider it:

• Your products are super reflective or intricate

• You’re scaling up your business and don’t have time

• You want photos for big campaigns or magazine ads

• You’re tired of spending 7 hours editing a single product shot photography session
  

Product photography pricing varies:

• Per-image: AED 129–643

• Hourly: AED 92–1,102

• Day rate: AED 1,836–11,019

Worth it if it saves your sanity — and boosts sales.

FAQs

Q1: Can I really do professional product photography with my phone?Totally. Phones are brilliant nowadays. Master lighting and angles, and you’ll crush it.

Q2: Do I need a lightbox for product shots?Not always — but it’s magic for small shiny items like in jewelry photography. DIY one for cheap.

Q3: How do I price product photography if I go pro?Depends on complexity, gear, and edits. AED 129–643 per shot is common.

Q4: What’s the hardest product to photograph at home?Jewelry and anything super shiny. Reflections are sneaky.

Q5: Do I have to edit every photo?Yep. Even pros edit. It’s what takes a shot from “meh” to “buy me now.”

Q6: Is product photography important for my brand?YES. Good photos = trust. Bad photos = lost sales. It’s your brand’s silent salesman.

So there you have it! That’s how to rock product photography at home. Whether you’re shooting food product photography, jewelry photography, or general brand photography, you’ve got this.

Now go grab your camera—or phone—and create some killer professional product photos. And remember… mistakes are part of the process. Keep shooting, keep laughing, and let’s make your products shine like a diamond (preferably one you’ve shot perfectly for your website!).

Cheers,IbrahimSpinthiras Media