Ecommerce Model Photography: When to Hire a Model for Your Photoshoot | soona

Ecommerce Model Photography: When to Hire a Model for Your Photoshoot

Sometimes your ecommerce photos need a human touch. 🤏

Erica

senior director of creative product

September 24, 2024

10 min

Model photography brings something to the table that flat lays and mannequin shots just don’t seem to capture—life, jazz, movement. Sometimes that’s just what your product pages need to drive conversions.

But you can’t just use any old model photos—you gotta capture those high-quality gems. We’re not talking about hiring high-fashion models, but you’ll need to invest a little bit of time and effort into the process to set your shots up for success.

Understanding how to prepare for and nail your ecommerce model photography can feel a bit overwhelming. So, here’s the 411 on how you can use ecommerce on-model photography to drive sales for your online store.

Why you need a model for ecommerce photography

Flat lays, mannequins, and models each have their moment. Knowing when to use each type of product photography is key to engaging your customers with stunning visuals and driving sales.

Mannequin and flat lay shots are effective when you want the products to speak for themselves on your ecommerce website. These two types of product photography minimize visual distractions and let your customers focus on the product.

But many times those images don’t tell the whole story. Leaving part of the product story out can mean falling flat when it comes to sales. Customers want to understand your product. What is its history? What does its journey look like? Flat lays and mannequin shots might leave out critical details that can influence customers to move past any barriers to purchase.

Sure, you can spice your flat lay up with some creative props. But nothing compares to lifestyle images created with model photography. They give your products an enviable quality. Customers can imagine themselves (and what their lives would be like) when they commit to the purchase.

Professional models know just how to showcase your products. Sometimes flat lays can look a little, well, flat. They lack dynamic movement. Don’t misunderstand, there’s a time and place for flat lays. But models can do that flowy garment more justice than a flat lay or mannequin can.

Types of models in product content

While you might think of the traditional high-fashion model when you think of “models,” there are actually plenty of creative ways to showcase people—and pets!—in your visual product content.

Full body

A full body model shot features all or most of the model in the content. This could be everything from their feet to the top of their head. Full body models increase your customers’ purchase confidence by showing a real person falling in love with your brand.

Full body models are required for:

Hand

Shots featuring hand models are—you guessed it—images that only show the person’s hand and perhaps wrist and arm as well. You can use hand models to demonstrate the size, scale, and features of your product. Hand models add life and movement—they’re always our first recommendation if you want to bring new energy into your content.

Common uses for hand models include:

Foot

Foot models are common in shoe photography in particular, as they only feature the person’s feet. They help you capture attention at every step! Foot models show customers how they can rock your product by bringing it to life.

Common uses for foot models include:

Pet

Make your customers swoon with an adorable pet model. Pet models are handy for showcasing pet products—food, treats, accessories, and even clothing—but they can also be effective in other contexts. For example, if you sell a couch that’s stain-resistant or want to promote a household cleaning product that can handle pet stains.

When do you need a model for ecommerce photography?

Clothing and apparel

If you’re in the apparel or fashion industry, models are a must.

Shoppers need to see how clothing or accessories fit on a real person before they feel confident making a purchase, especially online. The right model helps showcase how a garment drapes, fits, and moves with the body—this is difficult to convey through flat product images. Using people allows you to communicate context for size, fit, and style, increasing consumer confidence in purchasing.

Models essentially take the place of the fitting room for online shoppers.

Jewelry and accessories

Also in the fashion industry, jewelry and other accessories are best displayed on a human body, as they often interact with the shape and movement of the wearer. A model can show how a necklace falls, how earrings frame the face, or how a handbag looks when carried.

Rings, watches, and bracelets all benefit from being worn by a model to highlight the product’s size, sparkle, and real-life scale.

Footwear

Footwear photography also benefits from the use of foot models. Shoes, boots, and sandals need to be shown in the context of wear to display their fit, style, and overall aesthetic. A model helps demonstrate how the shoes look when being worn, how they match various outfits, and how comfortable or practical they appear in use.

Athletic and sports products

For products like gym equipment or athletic gear, customers want to see how the items perform under action and movement. A model can illustrate the flexibility, durability, and performance of activewear or sporting goods.

Home goods and furniture

For example, you might feature a model lounging on a sofa or cooking with a pan to show the product in a relatable, real-world context.

Beauty, cosmetics, and personal care items

Imagery is a core component to promoting your beauty and personal care products. When you photograph makeup, skincare, and haircare products need to show real-life application and effects on a person. A model helps demonstrate the product’s impact on different skin tones, hair types, or facial features.

High-end or luxury items

Luxury goods like designer handbags, watches, or bespoke apparel benefit from aspirational marketing featuring people. Models help create a premium, lifestyle-driven brand image, positioning the product as something desirable.

Children’s products

For items like kids’ clothing, toys, or furniture, using child models helps convey the product’s use and appeal in a realistic way. It helps parents visualize the fit, usability, and age-appropriateness.

Get started with model photography services from soona

If you’re ready to elevate your visual content with professional model photography, soona makes it easy to get started. With our seamless online booking system, you can hire models and book photoshoots in just a few clicks—no need to worry about long-term contracts or complicated logistics.

Simply subscribe to an ongoing plan or pay a one-time booking fee and enjoy lifetime access to your custom content, designed to enhance your product pages and social channels. We’ll handle the talent for you. 😉

Whether you’re launching new products or refreshing your current listings, soona model photography services can help you capture the high-quality, on-brand images your business needs to grow and succeed across all ecommerce channels.