How to create images that capture your audience's attention

 A photo is worth more than a thousand words. If this old adage is to be true, shouldn't you also be paying at every image that is displayed on your website for e-commerce?

Photos sell products. If people are visiting your home page or those pages for your products, having beautiful, crisp images of your product can convert viewers into buyers.

Make sure you close the sale for your customers by following these simple tips:

1.) Photos of products should be crisp, well illuminated, and have a white balance. Although this may seem obvious but many websites have images that are blurry and inaccurate. If you can't afford an experienced photographer take a look at these suggestions to take high-quality photos to use on your site:

Professional photographers usually employ manual white balance for their images by using the gray card. A gray card is a piece of paper with a flat, smooth surface that allows the camera to adjust to the light surrounding it. By using an automatic white balance settings on your camera, and the standard, cheap gray card, you can ensure that the colors are as exact as they can be.

If you look through the pages of a magazine, you'll be challenged to find a photograph that hasn't been altered with Photoshop. Its Shadow/Highlight, Color Balance and Unsharp Mask tools within Photoshop can help you correct many issues with lighting and color that give your ecommerce photo editing an improved appearance. You don't need to be an Photoshop professional to utilize these features to the fullest. If you don't own Photoshop, Picasa is a fantastic tool to edit your images. Unlike the more powerful Photoshop It's completely free.

If you are unable to afford hire or aren't sure how to utilize the best lighting tools, opt for natural light whenever feasible. A tripod of any kind can make sure that the photographs are crisp each time.

If you must use a flash ensure that you dilute the beam. You can find professional diffusers available, but the use of coffee filters will help disperse light. If you are able to take the flash out of the camera, you may even bounce it off the wall or ceiling. By using any of these methods will ensure that the areas of your photo aren't removed from the picture.

2.) Put your product in the context of your products. Setting the right stage for your products could lead buyers to be more involved in the product. Ideally, you want the buyer to view the item as his own instead of simply an product that is available on the web. Are you selling baseball gloves? Why not get them to take photographs on the field? It's much easier to imagine an electric lamp on your side table when you see it in the image of the product. When you take these photos be sure to know your market.

3.) Use your additional photos to answer objective questions. What size is it? How does it work? What is the texture like in person? The answer to these questions in advance will not only make your job simpler, it helps customers avoid having questions about an item, and losing track of it. Other photos should be the same. The lighting, setting and the format (whether the photo is wider or larger) should be the same.

Spend the time to implement these suggestions. You'll be able to inform your clients everything they require to make an informed decision.