You could have the most beautiful product and packaging in the world, but if your photography falls flat, this beauty will fail to come through. When people find your Instagram profile, or land upon your website homepage, it’s the photography that captures them first.

Many founders underestimate what truly goes into creating the range of imagery that sells a product. The good news? You don’t need five separate photoshoots. Just clear direction and a thoughtful approach to help you and your photographer capture what really matters.

When your imagery is intentional, everything shifts. Wherever people find you, on your website, social media, or a digital ad, they’re met with photography that feels alive with your brand’s energy. Like a dream they’re being invited into.

Too often, product photography looks nice but feels empty. A few props, a play of shadows, a clean layout, but little story. It lacks dimension. It doesn’t spark emotion.

Powerful photography doesn’t just show a product, it expresses a world. It draws people in, helping them imagine who they could become and how they could live with your product. It’s sensual. Emotional. Human.

Variety is what makes your brand world feel alive. It tells the story of your product through different angles, adding richness, texture and depth. With the right understanding, you can capture all of this in just one to two well-planned shoots, creating a gallery of images that not only shows your product, but evokes the dream.

Here are five types of imagery to focus on when planning your next shoots.

1. The Simple Product

A clean, minimal shot that shows your product clearly against a plain background, beautifully lit. This serves as your product’s base image. It’s often the primary image on your product page, and visible in your catalogue as customers browse. It creates a seamless, clutter-free experience where the product itself takes centre stage, free from distraction.

2. The Close-up

Luxury buyers want to see craftsmanship. Close-up images highlight the tactile beauty of your product—the smoothness of a glass bottle, the weave of a linen fabric, the embossed logo on a box. These shots speak to quality, care, and attention to detail. These images invite the customer closer, allowing them to appreciate the artistry that sets your product apart.

3. The Collection

If your products are part of a set or ritual—such as a skincare trio, tea assortment, or fragrance line—photograph them together. Collection shots create a sense of cohesion and intention. They help customers envision how the products complement one another, inspiring them to purchase multiple pieces. It’s visual storytelling that reveals how each item belongs to a greater whole.

4. The Decorative Shot

Decorative shots bring your product into context through props and styling that echo its essence. They draw in the eye with their beauty, tell the story behind the product, and create sensual desire. A candle nestled within by its scent notes of jasmine and citrus. A jar of body butter resting within a shell upon soft sands, kissed by the sunlight. These images awaken the senses and express the brand’s creative spirit.

5. The Lifestyle Promise

Lifestyle imagery invites people into the world your brand represents—the life they could live, the person they could become, with your product. This might be a photo or short video showing your product in use: a hand applying serum, a dress moving with the wind, a candle being lit at dusk.

Psychology Insight: People project themselves onto the imagery they see on your website.

When your photography includes human presence, your brand becomes more relatable. It’s not about flawless, airbrushed perfection, but authenticity—moments that feel real and natural. When the imagery feels this way, customers can see themselves reflected within it.

Human-centred photography bridges the gap between who they are now and who they could be with your brand, because it makes your brand more relatable.

A thoughtful range of product imagery brings richness and depth to your brand. It tells a more complete story of your product and invites people into your world.

Even expanding into a few new styles can make a big impact on customer desire, connection, and ultimately, product sales.