How to Shoot Sport Product Photography for Online Sportswear Stores: Choose the Right Models and Make Special Photos
Online sports stores are trending in e-commerce and there are four primary reasons for this:
Reason #1: More and more people around the world make a decision to start going to the gym to improve their health and keep their bodies in shape. People go for fitness and wrestling, give up alcohol and cigarettes, and are devoted to proper nutrition. New sports and physical activities are emerging that immediately find their following. Taking part in sports and living an active lifestyle is very popular these days. According to statistics, every fifth Internet user is typing in search engine requests related to body shaping, contact information for fitness centres, and the purchase of sporting goods. Accordingly, the demand for them is also growing.
Reason #2: Increasingly, people are choosing sporty clothing for casual wear. Companies all over the world are gradually abandoning office clothes and introducing the 1-day a week rule when you can come to work in any clothes you like (some remove the dress code rules entirely). Sporty clothing is actively used by women and men of all ages and body compositions. Comfortable sportswear allows people to move freely and without restriction. This style of clothing is distinguished by elastic and soft fabrics, walking and running shoes, and sport-based accessories.
Reason #3: Body positivity in many countries also leads to the fact that people are not shy about their bodies and can wear whatever clothes they want to wear.
Reason #4: Today, sport-chic and sport-casual, which involve a combination of different styles, are gaining popularity and becoming quite trendy. Manufacturers of sportswear are increasingly producing fashionable clothing that can be worn for sports and in everyday life. This is especially common among teenagers, but adults often wear clothes in this style, too.
For these reasons, there are new requirements for the models and sport product photography, that actually increase sales.
Product Photography With Models: How to Choose Models
Sport product photography is a very special niche, and product photography with models varies with different types of clothes. Here are some basic guidelines for how to choose models for this purpose:
- It doesn't have to be a regular 90-60-90 model. The model's appearance should not be that of a typical model and instead reflect average people. Women should exude vibrant and youthful energy. Their energy and cheerfulness should shine as if inviting others to the same healthy lifestyle. The man should not be Ken from Barbie, but the guy you can meet on the street, work in the same office with, or meet in the elevator in the morning.
- In today’s world positive body image is very important; ensure there are models with a variety of body types on your website. This is a particularly important point because people who are overweight may be shy about their figure and not want to attend the gym or pool as a result. This negatively affects their health. Thus, showcasing such models on your website in comfortable sportswear from your store inspires people of all shapes and sizes to follow a healthier lifestyle. It’s not only about making profits, but also being socially responsible. What could be better?
- Models should be of different ages, weights, appearances, and ethnicities This is important for attracting a wider customer base. It shows that you are tolerant of diversity and customers will appreciate this!
- The modern world dictates new rules and one of these rules is, "My body is my business." Tattoos mean a lot to many people and seeing a guy or a girl with a tattoo on the main page of an online store helps people feel they are understood, and the clothes from your store are created exactly for them.
Thus, you need to take into account the general statistics on the target audience when creating photo and video content, but you also need to take into account these four basic requirements for choosing a model, and to guarantee success.
Professional Product Photography for Sportswear: Poses for Photos
Professional product photography in this area is just beginning to develop. In addition to the tips we provided earlier, there is a lot of room for creativity with how your models pose in photos. Here are a few important tips when choosing optimal poses for your models:
Models need to exude confidence which is why they need to stand up straight and smile in your product photos.
Use athletic posts often. If you are photographing martial arts clothing, show the model taking a particular hold of the opponent. Show them in action!
If you sell a skateboard, take a photo of a young man jumping on a skateboard.
In other words, it is best to take photos of the model doing real-life activities. For example, take a photo of a girl at a skating rink with skates thrown over her shoulder.
The poses of the models should be such that the buyer can clearly see the clothes. If these are sporty pants and a top, then you need to show these clothes being used during the precise sport they are intended to be used for.
Increasingly, drinking and smoking is becoming less popular. Rather, living a healthy lifestyle and playing sports is not only fashionable but also very sexy. Add a touch of sexuality to the photo content of your site— it will only support sales. However, remember that sportswear is often bought by children and teenagers and therefore your context still needs to be decent and not cross any boundaries.
Product Photography for E-commerce. Important Tips for Sport Product Photography
Product photography for e-commerce should also be based on what the buyer wants to logically know about the product, and your photos should provide as much information as possible to assure the buyer that he really wants to buy these items. Here are some tips to keep in mind when preparing photos for your online store:
When photographing jackets or sweatshirts, take a photo of the inside. The details of each item must be displayed in the frame.
If you have chosen a background for shooting, be sure to think over the theme and include accessories that support this theme. For example, you can place a ball or a rope next to a tracksuit.
Show how the clothing will look on the buyer in real life, like the picture below:
Take not just photos, but 2D photos and 360° videos , as well. This improves the position of the site in Google search results and provides specific imagery in the mind of the buyer. By the way, in our professional photography studio in Toronto (https://stylephotos.ca/), you can order such content for your online store.
Finally, we have one last tip: Sincerely love your job! It's not difficult! You are carrying out one of the most rewarding missions on earth—selling people the opportunity to be healthy and fit. Believe it and people will believe in you and your brand.