It might sound dramatic, but simple and subtle details like shadows can elevate product photos from amateur to professional. Often, product photographers view shadows as a nuisance, and they assume shadows obscure a beautiful product and make photography look unprofessional. However, experts know adding the shadow effect to the images can be practical, and realistic shadows cast by the product can add profundity and make the item pop. There’s so much potential hidden within the shadow effect, and we are about to reveal all the ropes.
Why do you need shadows for images?
Shadows are visual enhancers that add to the product without creating a distraction. Viewing products online can sometimes be confusing, and we often need help finding pages where products hang in thin air. While the visuals are funny, no one would dare to purchase from a store that showcases amateur pictures.
Shadows make it seem like a product was photographed in real life. These effects are all about showcasing the shape and dimensions of your model or product in 3D. Otherwise, the picture looks like a result of good editing skills.
Not only does the absence of shadows make your images subtly unrealistic, but you also need to highlight the details of your products.
Like every photography aspect, there’s an art to casting perfect shadows. However, there are three cardinal rules to casting shadows for your gallery shots:
1. The shadows must look realistic.
2. Similar products must have the same shadow.
3. Not all products need to have the same shadow or elevation.
How to add shadow effects? A step-by-step guide:
Nothing looks more authentic than natural shadows, but lighting conditions can prevent you from capturing them impeccably. But it’s not the end of the world, and producing realistic shadows for your images is easier than you think.
Some editors prefer to recreate the effect manually and opt for Photoshop. But if you’re not a Photoshop whiz and need more time to add these subtle details painstakingly, there are alternative solutions too.
That’s where tools like autoRetouch come in handy and can help you recreate realistic shadows for your subject in just a few clicks. The algorithms behind this tool are trained to construct a 3D silhouette from a 2D photo automatically.
Here’s how you to use the software to add natural shadows to your images in 5 easy steps:
Step 1:
Eliminate the image background using a background removal tool. autoRetouch has an automatic background removal component that doesn’t require technical knowledge.
Step 2:
Set the direction of the light source.
Step 3:
Specify the light source’s elevation according to the length of the shadow.
Step 4:
Adjust the shadow diffusion. You can do this based on how soft or harsh you want your edges to be.
Step 5:
Set the shadow intensity based on transparent to dark black.
And that’s how the AI-driven autoRetouch generates natural shadows for your models, and the component works best with model images.
But if you’re looking for automated software to add ground shadows to your product photos, autoRetouch has your back!
How to add ground shadows?
With the ground shadow component, you can automatically add ground shadows to product images with a few taps.
Step 1:
Remove the original backdrop of the image using a background removal tool.
Step 2:
Specify the color and size of the shadows.
Step 3:
From 11 presets, choose a blurring effect.
Step 4:
Adjust the shadow angle according to the form of your image.
It’s worthwhile to experiment with the shadow colors, but remember to keep the effects realistic.
In Conclusion:
Some photographers may still find shadows intrusive, but it’s creme de la creme for natural photos. The best part is you don’t have to battle with lights and darkness to capture shadows since autoRetouch makes it a breeze to create them automatically.
