In an era of increasing competition in the e-commerce market, online store owners must take care of every detail of their offerings in order to attract customers’ attention. Well, the details do count! One of the key elements is product photos, which influence brand photo and customers’ purchasing decisions. In this article, we will outline what an embossed photo is, what formats to use to keep the background transparent, and the benefits of using it.
PNG format
What is the PNG format and how is it different from JPG? The PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format is a popular photo format that allows for transparent backgrounds. Unlike the JPG format, which does not support transparency, PNG allows you to retain full photo information. As a result, photos look better on different backgrounds and are easier to apply to different projects. Well, it’s a bit like magic, isn’t it?
GIF format
GIF also allows transparent backgrounds, but is limited to 256 colors, leading to compression and a decrease in photo quality. GIF is more likely to be used for animation, not for high-quality product photos. So let’s leave GIFs for memes, and choose PNG or WebP for our products.
PSD format
PSD – a format for professionals PSD (Photoshop Document) is an Adobe Photoshop file format that allows you to preserve layers and transparency of the photo. However, it requires Photoshop installed, and PSD files are much larger in size than PNG or JPG. Therefore, it is not an optimal solution for e-commerce. Unless you like your computer to turn into a heater.
WebP format
WebP – the ideal alternative? WebP is a relatively new photo format developed by Google that combines the advantages of PNG and JPG. It provides transparency and efficient photo compression for smaller file sizes. You can read more about it in our post. Google is saving the world again, this time in the world of product photography!
The use of stubbed photos
- Marketplaces: Many sales platforms require product photos with transparent backgrounds. The PNG format meets these requirements and allows the product to be presented on any background. It’s as if we can move our products to an exotic island without leaving the office. We have created a separate article on the requirements of marketplaces .
- Online Stores: If you want your website to have a colorful background, using photos in PNG or WebP format will make your products look aesthetically pleasing and professional. Modern browsers often automatically generate WebP files based on the original PNG photos. And who hasn’t dreamed of turning their products into real chameleons?
- Graphic design and packaging: Cropped photos are indispensable for graphic design projects such as flyers, banners and advertising materials. Using photos with transparent backgrounds allows them to be more easily placed on different designs and combined with other graphic elements. And when the photos harmonize with the background, the magic of design takes off!
- Flexibility to change backgrounds: If you order packshots of your products in PNG format, you can easily change the background color in the future. In recent years, it has become increasingly popular to use a gray or sand background, which builds the impression of a premium, organic and natural brand. Because, after all, we all know that fashion changes – even in the world of photo backgrounds.
Summary
Using graphed product photos in PNG format can contribute to the success of your online store. It allows better presentation of products, easier use in various projects, and increases the attractiveness of the offer to customers.
So it’s worth investing in professional product photography to stand out from the competition and attract more customers, who will appreciate the attractiveness and careful presentation of your offer. After all, it’s the first impression that counts when we browse products in an online store.
