Product photography generally requires more equipment than other types of photography. In
fact, illustrative product photography is one of the more expensive types of photography. It
requires a substantial investment in incidental equipment, such as lights and modifiers, stands, backgrounds,
special-purpose lenses, and more. Be prepared to create a budget and set aside money to
purchase the necessary equipment. You could probably spend your life savings acquiring gear and
never have exactly what you need for every shoot. However, there are many ways to tackle any
subject, so even with a minimal amount of equipment, a superb image can be created.



If you’re reading this book, I’m going to assume you’re serious about delving into the realm of product
photography. You can search the web to find out which cameras are best for photographing products.
You will find everything from recommendations for ultra-high-end, medium-format cameras
all the way down to some folks who claim you can shoot great product photographs with a camera
phone. While many camera phones produce decent-quality images, unless you’re posting an ad on
craigslist, I wouldn’t recommend using one as your main camera. There are many camera options,
including compact point-and-shoots, digital rangefinders, digital single-lens reflex cameras (dSLRs),
and the most recent trend, mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras.