The Best Photo Accessories for Your Product Shoots

26 May 2025 | 26 May 2025 | 4 min |

In this article :

Cameras and Lenses
- Choosing the Right Camera
- Suitable Lenses
Using a Smartphone
- Quality Smartphones
- Smartphone Settings
Lighting
Studio Backgrounds
- Choosing Backgrounds
- DIY Backgrounds
Other Photo Accessories
Conclusion

To succeed in your product photography, it is essential to have the right photo accessories. These tools will help you capture sharp, well-lit, and attractive images that highlight every detail of your creations. Here is a list of essential photo accessories to enhance your product photos and make them look professional.

Cameras and Lenses

Choosing the Right Camera

The camera is a crucial part of your equipment, without it, no photos. If your budget allows, investing in a DSLR or mirrorless camera can make a big difference. DSLRs offer superior image quality thanks to their many settings and interchangeable lenses. Mirrorless cameras, which are more compact and lightweight, are also an excellent option, although they tend to be a bit more expensive. Take the time to fully understand how your camera works and what it can do before starting your shoots.

Suitable Lenses

In addition to the camera, choosing the right lens is essential. For product photography, favor a prime lens, which offers excellent image quality at an affordable price. A zoom lens can be useful if you need to photograph objects of varying sizes, but it is a more significant investment. Opt for lenses between 50mm and 100mm for small accessories like jewelry.

Using a Smartphone

Quality Smartphones

A camera is not always necessary to photograph your products. Modern smartphones, with their advanced technology, can outperform average or low-end cameras. Opt for a recent smartphone, whether it’s an Android or iOS model.

Smartphone Settings

Just like with a camera, learn how to properly adjust your smartphone settings to achieve professional results. Apps like Camera+ can turn your smartphone into a powerful photographic tool.

However, it is important to note that a professional camera and the expertise of a photographer will always deliver better photos than a smartphone.

Lighting

1. Artificial Lighting

Artificial lighting is ideal for product photography because it allows complete control over the light, which is essential to achieve the desired effect and produce professional, consistent images. Using equipment such as a ring light or a softbox with a diffuser lets you control the intensity, direction, and color temperature of the light, ensuring consistency and precision. This control enables you to recreate the same natural light conditions at any time, regardless of the hour or weather, and offers unlimited creative flexibility to play with shadows, reflections, and colors.

2. Natural Light

Although less controllable, natural light can give a more “true” and authentic look to your product photos. Using reflectors helps bounce light and reduce shadows, while diffusers can soften direct light. This approach is especially beneficial for achieving natural and organic results, though the variability of natural light can make it difficult to reproduce the same conditions for multiple shots.

Studio Backgrounds

Choosing Backgrounds

To showcase your creations, using a background is essential. While white backgrounds are widely used for packshot photos due to their simplicity and ability to highlight products, it can be interesting to choose textured or colored backgrounds for a more original look that aligns with your brand and products.

DIY Backgrounds

If you enjoy DIY projects, you can create your own backgrounds using an MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) panel, which is easy to paint and can be customized to your needs.

Other Photo Accessories

Tripod: A tripod is essential to stabilize your camera and avoid blurry images.
Remote Shutter Release: A remote shutter release eliminates camera vibrations, provides comfort and convenience, and allows for long exposures where it is crucial not to touch the camera after setting it up.
Small Precision Tools: Keep pins, adhesive tape, and clamps handy to hold various products in place. These small tools will help you perfect the aesthetics of your creations just before photographing them.
Decorative Elements: For still life product photography, build a collection of accessories you can use during your shoots. Choose items that enhance your products and harmonize with your brand universe. Fabrics, candles, vintage books, wicker storage boxes, or plants can add a personal touch to your photos.

Conclusion

At Rétines, we understand the importance of using the right equipment to capture exceptional product images. If you need a professional photographer for your product photography, our team of experts is ready to help. Contact us to showcase your products and captivate your customers with high-quality professional visuals.

Écrit par Jérémy Carlo

Jérémy Carlo is the editorial director at Rétines, where he ensures the consistency and clarity of all content produced by the studio. His role goes beyond writing—he shapes the tone, structures the messages, and upholds a precise, demanding editorial line that stays true to the identity of Rétines. With a background in visual communication and solid experience in content strategy, he bridges the technical world of photography with clear, no-frills writing.

Jérémy works closely with photographers, art directors, and the commercial team to make sure every word published serves the image, the message, and the brand. From blog articles and client presentations to social media posts and internal documents—everything is filtered through his attentive eye. His strength lies in making complex ideas accessible without oversimplifying, and in highlighting the studio’s work without relying on unnecessary superlatives.

Through his writing, Jérémy helps Rétines exist beyond the image—by giving context to projects, emphasizing the thinking behind each shoot, and bringing to light the technical and aesthetic choices that drive each photograph.