We all want to make some extra money, right? Being a full-time freelance photographer for the past seven years has been a fantastic experience. It’s been a growing experience. I divide my time shooting between headshots, fitness photos, lifestyle photos, and product photography. Do I try and make some money on the side? Of course, I do. Generally, I would sell collectibles online; comics, figures, books, etc. BUT what I know as a photographer is that many folks are getting into the E-commerce game. Who doesn’t want to work from the comfort of their own home? If you’re going to sell an item, you need pictures right? Passive Income Side Hustle Product Photography sounds very overwhelming but it shouldn’t! More often than not when I get booked for doing product photos it’s through someone who wants to start selling their own designs or items online which is also not limited to buying patents from overseas and throwing their branding on whatever item they have. It’s actually a very fascinating process and a great way to make some extra cash if you do it right! Now, I always tell my potential clients to invest in the photos of their items. Product Photography is a crucial step in making your items shine. Here’s a quick example of some basic product photos with no-frill; just a solid perfect white background: PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY FOR AMAZON
You can always do the photos yourself BUT you definitely need a pro when it comes to really capturing that dynamic detail. Your iPhone can only do so much! I always encourage any new ecomm seller to go for a full photo and video package. Basically my product photography for amazon package would include many lifestyle photos, photos on white background, and some video as well. Any way you look at it; this is a winning combination for you to get the visuals of your items set and ready. The marketing would be up to you but if you have a high-quality product then the reviews would take care of themselves. You may have to send out a few items for free to start with just so you can get those initial 5-Star Reviews.
Doing it yourself is always awesome but most folks don’t have a photographer’s eye or connections to successfully cast their own photoshoot. That’s not a knock on your friends or family but nine times out of ten when someone says they have a model in mind they usually suggest their friend or family member (which is fine. Listen you get what you pay for) who turns out to be super shy, inexperienced, and honestly overwhelmed. If you’re not used to being in front of a camera you’re going to get frazzled quickly. This also makes the process long and drawn out. As a rule I always cast according to my clients needs and it always works. I offer a ten-day turnaround time including photos, lifestyle shots, and video. You don’t even have to worry about your products being shot well so you can concentrate on the other aspects of your side hustle or newfound eCommerce business. Your product photography for amazon session should be a stress-free situation. When you book a shoot you’re investing in your product. This shows that you care and that you don’t have a short-sighted goal. Unfortunately, lots of folks don’t want to invest too much, while trying to make as much money as possible from their products. This might make sense for the short term but once those bad “item not as described” reviews start coming in you’re going to wish that you splurged a little to get a full photo and video package.
I would love to hear about your experiences jumping into ecomm sales.