Product Photography with iPhone (Complete Guide+ Tips)

Can you use iPhone for product photography
Taking photos of a pair of shoes with an iPhone

If you are an iPhone user, your biggest flex is the top-notch resolution of the iPhone camera which is incomparable with any other smartphone.

But would it be a good idea to use iPhone for product photography, or will it be an awful failure? Also, you might be concerned about whether the photographs would look professional too or not.

I am here to answer all your curiosities in this aspect. I will bring a complete guide by shining your knowledge about product photography with iPhone.

So, from this article, you will get to know whether you can use an iPhone for product photography or not and, if so, how, whether there would be any drawbacks, and which one would be the best for the task.

Let’s dive in!

Can you use iPhone for product photography?

Yes, you can use iPhone for product photography. It is a great and feasible idea for product photography as well.

However, it also depends on your photography skills.

Also, the type of the product and the shot you are expecting to take of the product are vital factors to decide whether an iPhone can be used for that or not.

A macro lens has been added to the iPhone
An additional external macro lens has been added to the iPhone

Besides, you can also add additional external macro lenses to the iPhone camera to make it more professional and higher in resolution so that every small detail is perfectly visible.

Which iPhone is best for product photography?

Any iPhone model starting from iPhone 8 would work for product photography. But it is a matter of general knowledge that the latest is always better than the previous models.

Therefore, it would be better to get the latest model of iPhone, which is presently the iPhone 13, for the best product photography results.

However, if you have an iPhone model launched after iPhone 8, you can utilize it for product photography.

Just make sure you are using the suitable camera mode that suits best the product and utilizing your creativity and skill.

How do I take product photos with my iPhone?

If you know the basics of taking product photos, you are smart enough to figure out what postures and angles would be the best for showing off the product in the most attractive ways.

Just know that if you are just a little smarter, you will not need too many expensive or luxurious tools and accessories. It’s all about angling and creativity.

Still, I want to help you with some tips that would be very helpful to you while taking product photos with an iPhone.

Make sure you are doing as many as the following tips:

  1. Place the Product Somewhere with Good Lighting
  2. Use a Mini Tripod
  3. Choose a Single Colored Plain Background
  4. Use Diffuser Sheet to Reduce Brightness
  5. Try Multiple Angles Even When You Have a Preference

Place the Product Somewhere with Good Lighting

Product photography by iPhone from a place with good light in the room
A girl taking product photos from a room with good natural light

First, you would need a room with more than adequate lighting for the product to look outstanding.

Moreover, you have to place the product according to the side you want the light to reflect on and the side of the product you want to be shaded.

Product photography in somewhere with good natural light
Product photography by iPhone, in a place with a good natural light

Trust me; natural lighting works best for product photography. But if not, then you might have to add some more external light stands for providing more light for photography.

Also, you will have to place the product as per your desire for the shades you want.

If you want the photograph to have a darker effect, place the product a bit at a distance from the light sources.

Ring light with iPhone as an external light source for product photography
Using ring light with iPhone as an external light source

Again, if you want the photograph to have a brighter effect, place it near the light source or place some external light source just closer to it.

Use a Mini Tripod

A tripod with a iPhone  used in product photography
A tripod used with the iPhone in product photography

Tripods are worth the money for product photography.

Because no matter how great of a photographer you are, your angles and consistency will never be completely accurate every time you take a shot.

Hence, several pictures will get the angle you desired but will get blurred, and again, the ones that get blurry will have the wrong angles.

For which, a lot of your valuable time will be killed due to taking several retakes.

Whereas, by using a tripod, you can just adjust the iPhone to the angle you want the picture to be and take the perfect static shots.

Choose a Single Colored Plain Background

A product with single colored plain background
A product photo with a single color plain background

When it comes to product photography, plain backgrounds are always the most appropriate choice to highlight the product precisely.

A product photo with a white plain color background
A product photo with a white plain background

And usually, white plain and uneven backgrounds are highly preferred for product photography as the product gets highlighted the most in front of a plain milk white background.

A product photo with a black plain color background
A product photo with a black background

However, if you are planning to incorporate a dark effect in the product photo, then a black background is the best choice.

But generally, the walls of most rooms of houses and shops do not have a plain black color as it absorbs light and makes the space look smaller.

In that case, you don’t have to change the walls; instead, simply use a black bounce board. The bounce board is a smart idea to incorporate any color or background that is preferred for product photography.

So, for a plain white background as well, you can use a white bounce board. It is a better option as a product background than a plain white wall.

Use Diffuser Sheet to Reduce Brightness

Several times, even if you want the photograph to be brighter, the lights might cause too much brightness that is hard to adjust by moving or removing them.

That is when you need a diffuser sheet to reduce the brightness of the light as per your preference.

You cannot control the state of the sunlight. So, when the sunlight is too bright than needed, use a diffuser sheet to manage or reduce the brightness of the sunlight.

Try Multiple Angles Even When You Have a Preference

Taking two different angle photos for one cake product
Trying two different angle photos for one cake product

Before taking product photos, you always have a vision of the product in your mind. And while taking a photograph, you keep trying to make that vision come true.

And thus, you take the photographs in a single posture without trying anything else. But that is a mistake when it comes to product photography.

Because many times, the money shot comes from an unexpected and unplanned angle when you keep on trying new angles and postures.

That is why try to take the photo of the product from at least five different angles to choose the money shot from them and keep altering the lighting angles and shades.

Final Words

Your creativity is the one that will help you win the product photography with the best photograph of the product. Therefore, make sure you utilize it in the first place.

But if you want to try it with being a little extra, you can download some apps for editing and personalizing the photo while or after clicking it with the iPhone.

Believe me when I say, if there is any smartphone best for product photography, it is the iPhone. Thus, definitely worth the effort.