You may be thinking that using your smartphone for product photography sounds a bit crazy, but with today’s advances in technology, it’s absolutely feasible to create great product images by utilizing your smartphone’s advanced camera features and a tripod. This option is both budget and user-friendly – not to mention convenient!

Here's a step-by-step guide showing you exactly which tools and apps you'll need.

Step One: Using Your Phone As A Camera

Most smartphones in today’s market come equipped with great cameras. If you’re one of the many consumers who have purchased one of these devices, then you have a high quality DSLR alternative right at your fingertips!

Below are a few smartphones that have great camera features:

Apple iPhone 5S

Camera specs:

• 8-megapixel iSight camera
• Video Recording HD (1080) @ 30 frames per second with audio
• Autofocus
• LED flash
• Image stabilization

Samsung Galaxy S5

Camera settings:

• 16- Megapixel Camera
• Video Recording HD (1080) @ 30 frames per second
• LED Flash

Whichever smartphone you choose to use for the photoshoot, make sure that your device has autofocus and the maximum amount of megapixels possible. Once you have identified the phone you plan to use for the photoshoot, you’re ready to move on to the rest of this tutorial and learn about how to take great images from start to finish by utilizing your smartphone’s advanced camera capabilities.

Step Two: Accessories

With all of the different accessories and gadgets that can be used with smartphones, it can be hard to decipher what you actually need to achieve great images. We recommend using a backdrop, a table, a lighting setup, a stand or tripod, and a lens to help your images stand out!

1. Backdrop

Use a white or light gray backdrop behind your product to give your photographs a clean and consistent look and to eliminate distractions. You can create your own backdrop easily by using a sheet, rolled paper, foam board, or a wall. It is best to make a “sweep” so that your backdrop is not only behind the product, but underneath it as well. This will greatly speed up your post production workflow!

2. Table

Utilize a table so that your product sits higher, which will make it easier for you to photograph your product during the photoshoot. Depending upon the type of image stabilization equipment you choose to use, it would be easy to prop your smartphone on the table as well.

3. Light

There are many options for lighting, but the easiest and most budget-friendly option to use is natural window light. Set up your product and equipment near a large window to allow for ample light in your frame. If natural light is difficult for you to find, try using a larger lamp or renting a softbox-type lighting kit, depending on how big your object may be.

4. Image Stabilization

Using soft natural lighting makes for beautiful product photos, but it often creates the need for image stabilization equipment, such as a stand or a tripod. Although smartphone cameras do contain internal image stabilization software, there will still be camera shake if you hand-hold your phone, resulting in blurry images.

For the best possible results, we recommend using a tripod. Here are a few great options that can be used on basically any smartphone:

Gorilla Pod Mobile ($15)

The Gorilla Pod Mobile product is a great combination pack that includes a mount and stand all together. This is a small and compact tripod that can easily be placed on a table as you shoot your images. It’s very flexible and can be used in multiple positions depending on the situation.

Joby Grip Tight Mount ($20)

If you already have a tripod or stand the Joby Grip Tight Mount is a great option for smartphones that will hold onto any mount with it’s bottom screw post! This is extremely useful because some people utilize larger and smaller tripods to photograph their images. And for price, this is a great universal portable option for you to invest in while still being able to use what you already have.

If you like this mount but don’t have a tripod, you can get the combo set including a gorilla pod as well for a just a few bucks extra (

Spiderpodium

This Spiderpodium is an extremely flexible spider mount that will not only hold your smartphone, but will also prop it up on a stand too. This option is a little pricier than the Gorilla Pod and the Joby Grip Tight mounts, but its incredible versatility makes up for the increased cost. You may even find yourself using the Spiderpodium in everyday life as well. If you need to use a larger tripod, you still can—just wrap the spider legs around your tripod to use it as a mount only.

As always, search around for the best deal and search for coupon codes, since you may find these products cheaper somewhere else and since there’s a chance that you might find a better option for your needs altogether.

5. Lenses

Believe it or not, you can use external lenses with your smartphone, and having them on hand is a good idea to make it through tough lighting and focusing situations. If you want to zoom in closer to your product and create a macro product image, for example, you’re going to need a macro or telephoto lens, since your smartphone will only be able to focus from a certain distance away from your product.

Here are a few great lenses that can be used on smartphones:

Photojojo iPhone & Android lenses ($20-$100)

This is a great inexpensive lens collection. Photojojo allows you to pick and choose which lenses you include in your package, or to simply try them all! The lenses work on iPhones and Androids to enhance your camera’s perspective.

Olloclip iPhone 4-in-1 Lens ($70)

Olloclip 4-in-1 lens is a universal option with great portability and a lot of value since it contains 4 lenses all packed into 1 unit. Unfortunately, however, the Olloclip only works with the iPhone, so Android users will have to look for another option.

Moment iPhone & Android lenses ($10-$80)

If you’re willing to spend more and wait for the product release, check out Moment’s professional iPhone and Android smartphone lenses, which are going to be created via Kickstarter funding. You will have to pre-order the lenses, but the possibility of taking your smartphone photos to the next professional level with their extreme quality engineering, may be worth it to you!

Source: www.shopify.com