Using Props Effectively in Product Photography

If you have to take your own product photos, you may find yourself wondering: Props or No props?

There are plenty of reasons why you might not want to use props:

A wooden spoon seems like a nice prop for
an apron. But not when the color clashes.
I altered the color of the spoon in
Photoshop to make it extra-distracting.

• The prop clashes with your product. It could be the color, size, scale, or texture. Sometimes a prop that seems to be perfectly appropriate for the item just doesn't work. One of the most common examples I see is when sellers don't pay attention to texture. If you have a fine-textured, detailed item, a coarsely-textured prop may or may not work depending on how far away you are shooting from and whether the surfaces are matte or smooth. 

• The prop distracts from what you're selling. If you find yourself looking more at the prop than at the item, then it's not a good prop. If you look through a lot of catalogs, you'll see that products are often presented completely alone - there's nothing to distract from the product. 

So far, nobody has wondered whether the
spoon comes with this embroidered apron.
However, if I used this this image to sell
the SPOON, it would be too confusing. 

• The prop has nothing to do with the product or its use. (If you're going to include a prop, be sure to have a reason why it's there.) You certainly don't want your buyer wondering why it's there. The apron photos I'm using would be a lot less effective with a toy dinosaur stuffed into the apron pocket - unless, I was trying to sell the apron to a daycare provider or something.

• It confuses your buyer in any way. For example, your buyer may wonder if the prop is what is for sale or if it comes with the product. Sometimes, it's useful to include a note in the item's description or caption just to clear up any possible confusion - particularly if you only have a few photos up.

Based off this photo, you might
assume that this is a hat for kids...

• The prop leads the buyer into thinking the product is meant to be used in a way that is not intended.  For example: if you show something with Swarvorski crystals (which are about 70% LEAD oxide), you could get yourself into legal trouble if you display it in a way that implies it's for kids under the age of 12. 

• The prop clashes with your shop. If you sell 50 different items, and none of them have props, the one that does have a prop is going to stand out and may look out of place. This can also apply if you use a radically different style of prop for one or two images. For example, a pink, fluffy bunny plushie would make a really odd prop in a shop full of dark, gothic jewelry. Even if the bunny makes a really good prop for that particular item, it clashes with the shop (and possibly it's target market). 

There are, however, a few good reasons why you might want to include a prop:

Mannequin head gives size reference.

• If it shows the scale of your item. Sellers on ebay are well known for including photos of their items next to rulers or coins. This is a valid approach if you're selling supplies or something else where the exact size is important. If you're selling something that is meant to be worn (clothing, jewelry, or some other accessory), then having a photo that gives an idea of human scale is always a plus. For example, I have both a dress form and a mannequin head. I've used the dress form to show the size of shirts, aprons, scarves, and handbags. I reserve the mannequin head for hats and lace jewelry. 

• If it clarifies what your item is. Sometimes showing the item alone is too sterile. For example, I sell monogrammed bookmarks, but a photo of a bookmark alone doesn't always translates as a 'bookmark' when people see it. However, when people see my bookmark in a book (usually the dictionary), they know instantly what it is. I will still include a photo of the bookmark completely alone (both front and back) as an additional supporting image, but that's not the main product thumbnail. 

Can you tell what this is? It's a bit
hard with a pure white background.

Including a book makes it easy to see
this is a monogrammed bookmark.

• It shows how the item is used or worn. For example, if you sell cutting boards, a chef's knife would make a good prop. Displaying a handcarved serving spoon next to some leafy salad shows how it's used. If you sell wooden business card holders, including a photo with it full of business cards would be appropriate. Having an elastic handband on a decoupaged round foam ball gives a better idea of how it might be worn compared to the same headband laying flat. Displaying a necklace draped over a piece of drift wood may help the buyer to see how flexible the chain is. 

I include candy in this shot to show how
this Halloween bag is meant to be used.

• If it shows how the item will arrive. Some sellers display their product along with their packaging, and this can be both attractive and informative. For example, I display my Embroidered Sweet Pea Baby Blanket tied up in ribbon. I tried photographing it both with and without it, and this is what looked best.  I've seen bath and body sellers who include packaging elements in the background, and that can be OK too - particularly since that packaging often gives useful information, like the lotion's scent or one of its major ingredients. 

It's OK to include photos that
show elements of your packaging.

• If it creates an emotional image or feeling that enhances the product. If you sell vintage lace gloves, displaying them on top of some antique pieces of luggage may convey a sense of nostalgia for times past and time-honored heritage. Often these shots have very soft shadows to enhance the feminine feeling. If you sell candles, you may choose to light one and to display it along with a formal place setting in the background to evoke a romantic candle-lit dinner.  I used brightly colored candy and a bright purple backdrop with the Halloween bag above to evoke the bright, cheerful glee of Halloween. 

• If it enhances your branding. This is a tricky one to pull off, but sometimes having a certain type of prop in your photos can tie your shop together. For example, I have seen some jewelry sellers who frequently use silk flowers in their photos. Or driftwood. Or seashells. The ones who do it well pick something that brings out the color, brightness, or shine of the products in a pleasant way. And they NEVER let the prop overwhelm the scene. 

The best props will accomplish several goals. It will compliment the size, scale, color and texture of the item while showing the use or creating an emotional image.

What are your opinions on props? Do you use them or like seeing them? Why?