How To Create a Good Product Picture Quickly

The quickest way to create a good product picture is to shoot the item on a plain light background, then fix the brightness in Photoshop with a Levels adjustment layer. Select the Set White Point eyedropper and click a part of the photo that should be pure white, such as the backdrop. Photoshop brightens the whole image to match.

That one click fixes the dull, gray look that most quick product shots have. The rest of this guide covers the few extra steps that make the picture look finished: a simple shooting setup, cropping, removing a color tint, cleaning up dust, removing the background, and exporting a file that is ready for a store listing. The Photoshop steps follow Adobe’s guide to Levels and Curves eyedroppers and the other Adobe help pages linked in each section.

What You Need Before You Start

You do not need a studio. You need a product, a camera or phone, a plain background, and a copy of Photoshop.

• Photoshop on desktop. These steps are written for the current desktop version of Photoshop on Windows and Mac. Adobe lists Photoshop 2023 or later as the requirement on its Levels help page. Older versions such as CS5 and CS6 also have Levels, Curves and the eyedroppers, but some panels and menu names differ, and newer features such as the Remove Background Quick Action are missing.
• A camera or a phone. Adobe’s own product photography guide says a high-resolution phone camera is fine when the budget is limited.
• A plain backdrop. White paper, poster board or fabric works. It gives you a clean look and a clear target for the white point eyedropper.
• Something neutral in the frame. A gray card or a plain white card in one test shot makes it easy to remove a color tint later.
• A steady support. A tripod is best. A stack of books or a shelf also works.

To check which version of Photoshop you have, choose Help > About Photoshop on Windows or Photoshop > About Photoshop on a Mac. The version number is shown in the window that opens.

The Quick Version

If you only have a few minutes, this is the shortest reliable route from a plain photo to a usable product picture.

1. Photograph the product on a plain white or light background with soft, even light.
2. Open the photo in Photoshop and crop it with the Crop tool.
3. Add a Levels adjustment layer from the Adjustments panel.
4. Select the Set White Point eyedropper in the Properties panel and click the backdrop.
5. Choose File > Export > Export As, pick JPG or PNG, and select Export.

Each of those steps is explained in detail below, along with the optional fixes for color tints, dust and messy backgrounds.

How to Set Up the Shot

Editing goes much faster when the original photo is already close. Adobe’s product photography guide describes the best setup as a controlled environment with good lighting and a clean background. Here is how to get that at home or in an office.

Clean the product first

Wipe off dust and fingerprints, peel off price stickers, and iron or steam fabric. A speck of dust that shows up in every photo has to be removed from every photo, so one minute with a cloth can save a lot of editing time.

Use a plain, light background

Product-only pictures for online stores are usually taken on a simple white background, because it limits distractions and shows the shape, size and color of the item. Tape a sheet of white paper or poster board to a wall and let it curve down onto the table. That curve is often called a sweep, and it hides the line where the wall meets the table.

If you sell on a marketplace, read its image rules before you shoot. Some stores have their own requirements for the main picture, such as the background color or how much of the frame the product should fill.

Light the product evenly

Soft light is the goal. Hard light from a bare bulb or a camera flash makes dark shadows and bright glare. Adobe suggests a softbox, which is a light with a fabric front that spreads the light out, or a light tent, which is a cube of thin white fabric that you place the product inside.

Window light can also work for a quick shot, but it changes as clouds move. Adobe’s guide points out that this makes natural light hard to repeat across several photos. If you use a window, take all of your pictures of one product in a single session, and use one kind of light at a time so the color stays consistent.

A white card or a piece of foam board placed on the side opposite the light reflects some light back onto the product and softens the shadow on that side.

Keep the camera steady

Put the camera or phone on a tripod. A steady camera gives a sharper picture, and it keeps the framing the same from shot to shot, which makes a set of product pictures look like they belong together. On a phone, turning on the grid lines helps you keep the product level. See how to turn on the grid in the iPhone camera.

Most phone cameras let you tap the product on the screen to focus on it. Leave some space around the product instead of filling the frame. You can crop later, but you cannot add background that was never photographed.

Take more than one angle

Adobe recommends photographing a product from multiple angles so shoppers can see its dimensions. A front view, a side view, a back view and a close-up of an important detail is a sensible minimum. Take one extra shot with a white or gray card next to the product. You will use it to correct the color.

How to Open the Photo and Protect the Original

Before you change anything, make sure you can always get back to the photo you started with.

1. Open Photoshop and choose File > Open. Browse to the photo and open it.
2. Choose File > Save a Copy. Enter a new name, choose a format and a location, and select Save. Adobe describes this command as saving a copy while preserving your original document.
3. Use adjustment layers for brightness and color changes. An adjustment layer sits above the photo in the Layers panel and changes how it looks without changing the pixels underneath.

The steps in this guide use adjustment layers wherever Photoshop offers them. That is why most of the changes can be edited, hidden or deleted later.

If your phone saved the picture in the HEIC format and a program or website will not accept it, see how to convert an iPhone photo to JPG.

How to Crop and Straighten the Photo

Crop first. It removes the clutter at the edges, and it means the brightness tools only work with the part of the picture you are keeping.

1. Select the Crop tool from the toolbar. A crop border appears around the image.
2. Drag the corner or edge handles to resize the crop area, or drag across the image to draw a new crop box.
3. Drag from inside the crop box to reposition it until the product is centered.
4. Press Enter on Windows or Return on a Mac, or select Done.

If the product looks tilted, straighten it before you finish the crop. With the Crop tool active, select Straighten in the options bar, then drag a line along an edge that should be level, such as the bottom of a box or the edge of the table. Photoshop rotates the photo so that line is straight. Adjust the crop border if needed, then select Done. Adobe covers both tasks in Crop photos and Straighten tilted photos.

Many stores display product pictures as squares. If yours does, a square crop with even space on all sides usually looks tidy in a product grid. If you have a whole folder of photos to trim, see how to crop many pictures at once in Photoshop.

How to Brighten a Product Photo With Levels

This is the step that makes the biggest difference. A white backdrop often photographs as light gray, because the camera tries to average out the brightness of the scene. The white point eyedropper tells Photoshop which part of the picture should be white.

1. Open the Adjustments panel. If you cannot see it, choose Window > Adjustments.
2. Add a Levels adjustment layer. You can also choose Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels and select OK. A new layer named Levels appears above your photo in the Layers panel, and its controls open in the Properties panel.
3. In the Properties panel, find the three eyedroppers. Double-click the Set White Point eyedropper. The Adobe Color Picker opens.
4. Set R, G and B to 255 for pure white, then select OK. You only need to do this when you want to check or change the target.
5. With the Set White Point eyedropper selected, click the brightest area of the photo that should be white, such as the backdrop near the product.
6. Look at the result. If it is too strong, click a slightly brighter part of the backdrop. If it is too weak, click a slightly darker part.

The backdrop turns clean white and the rest of the photo brightens to match. Because the change lives on an adjustment layer, you can alter or delete it later without affecting the original photo. You can also copy that layer to another image in Photoshop to give a second photo from the same session the same correction.

Adobe gives one warning about this tool. Do not click a specular highlight, which is a bright reflection on a shiny surface such as glass or metal. Those reflections should stay pure white with no detail. If you use one as the white point, the rest of the photo may barely change. Choose a matte white area instead.

Add contrast with the black point

The same panel has a Set Black Point eyedropper. Select it and click the darkest area of the photo that should still show detail, such as a deep shadow under the product or a black part of the item. Photoshop treats that spot as black and darkens the other tones to match, which gives a flat photo more contrast. If you double-click the eyedropper first, set R, G and B to 0 for pure black.

How to Remove a Color Cast

A color cast is an overall tint. Indoor bulbs often make a photo look yellow or orange, and shade or a cloudy window can make it look blue. A product picture with a tint shows the wrong color, which matters when a shopper is choosing between shades.

1. Find an area that should be neutral gray. A gray card is ideal. Adobe also gives pavement, clouds, and white fabric in shadow as examples.
2. Add a Levels or Curves adjustment layer from the Adjustments panel, or select the Levels layer you already made.
3. In the Properties panel, double-click the Set Gray Point eyedropper.
4. In the Adobe Color Picker, check that R, G and B are identical, such as 128, 128, 128. Select OK.
5. Click the neutral area in your photo.

Photoshop resets the midtones and removes the tint across the whole image. If the color gets worse, the spot you clicked was not really neutral. Undo the click and try a different neutral spot.

If you photographed a gray card in a separate test shot, correct that shot first. Then copy the adjustment layer to the other photos taken in the same light. Adobe notes that the Set Gray Point eyedropper is unavailable for grayscale images, because it is designed for color correction.

How to Fine-Tune Brightness With the Levels Sliders

The eyedroppers work best when the photo has a clear white, black or gray reference point. When it does not, or when the result needs a small nudge, use the sliders in the same Levels adjustment layer.

The Properties panel shows a histogram, which is a graph of how many pixels the photo has at each brightness level from black on the left to white on the right. Under it are three Input sliders.

• White slider (right). Drag it left to the edge of the first group of pixels on the right side of the histogram. This brightens the lightest parts of the photo.
• Black slider (left). Drag it right to the edge of the first group of pixels on the left side. This deepens the darkest parts.
• Gray slider (middle). Drag it left to lighten the midtones or right to darken them. This changes the overall brightness without moving the brightest and darkest points much.

Hold Alt on Windows or Option on a Mac while you drag the black or white slider to preview clipping. Clipping means detail is being pushed to solid black or solid white. A pure white backdrop is fine. Clipped areas on the product itself mean you have gone too far, so drag the slider back.

There is also an Auto button in the Properties panel that applies a default correction. It is worth one click to see what it does. Adobe documents all of these controls in Adjust tonal range and color balance using Levels.

If Levels feels like too much, a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer has just two sliders. Adobe describes it as the choice for quick changes when you do not need precise control over shadows, midtones and highlights.

How to Clean Up Dust and Small Marks

Zoom in and look over the product and the backdrop. Dust, lint, scratches and small marks on the paper are easy to miss at normal size and easy to see on a store page. The Spot Healing Brush removes them by blending each spot with the pixels around it.

1. In the Layers panel, create a new empty layer above the photo. Working on an empty layer keeps the repair separate from the original.
2. Select the Spot Healing Brush tool from the toolbar, or press J.
3. In the options bar, set Size so the brush is slightly larger than the spot. The [ and ] keys make the brush smaller or larger.
4. Choose Content-Aware from the Type menu.
5. Select Sample All Layers so the tool can read the photo underneath while painting on the empty layer.
6. Click each spot, or drag over a short scratch.

The mark disappears as soon as you release the mouse button. Adobe says the tool works best on fairly uniform backgrounds, which is another reason a plain backdrop helps. For larger objects it suggests other tools, such as the Patch tool or Generative Fill. The full steps are in Remove small spots with the Spot Healing Brush.

Be honest with the cleanup. Remove dust and marks that are not part of the product. Do not remove a seam, a texture or a flaw that the buyer will see when the item arrives. If the photo has a label or date stamp on it that needs to go, see how to remove text from a picture in Photoshop.

How to Remove the Background

If the backdrop is still uneven after the Levels fix, or you want the product on pure white or on a transparent background, Photoshop can cut the product out for you. This step is optional. A well-lit photo on white paper often does not need it.

1. Select the image layer in the Layers panel. Adobe says the layer must be active and unlocked.
2. Select the search icon in the workspace, or choose Help > Photoshop Help, to open the Discover panel.
3. Select Browse > Quick Actions, then select Remove Background.
4. Wait while Photoshop finds the subject. It creates a transparent background or a masked layer.
5. If you do not like the result, select Revert in the Discover panel.

A layer mask hides part of a layer without erasing it. If the cutout misses part of the product or keeps a piece of the backdrop, Adobe’s advice is to refine the mask by hand with the Brush tool on the layer mask. The Quick Action gives the best results on high-contrast images, where the product stands out clearly from the background. A white product on white paper is harder for it. Adobe’s steps are in Remove background in your images.

Put the product on pure white

To replace the removed backdrop with clean white, choose Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color, select OK, and pick white. Then drag the fill layer below the product layer in the Layers panel. The product now sits on an even white background, and you can change the color later by editing the fill layer.

If the edge of the cutout looks too sharp, you can feather the selection in Photoshop to soften it. To keep the background transparent instead, skip the fill layer and export a PNG, as covered in the next section.

How to Resize and Export the Picture

First save your working file. Choose File > Save As and pick the Photoshop format so the layers are kept. That file is your editable master. The picture you upload is a separate, smaller copy.

Resize it

A photo straight from a camera is usually much larger than a website needs. Check the recommended image size for your store or marketplace, then:

1. Choose Image > Image Size.
2. Make sure Resample is selected.
3. Choose Pixels as the unit next to the Width and Height fields.
4. Enter the new Width or Height.
5. Select OK.

Shrinking a photo is safe. Enlarging one makes Photoshop invent pixels, so the result looks softer. If you resized the master by mistake, undo it before you save.

Export it

1. Choose File > Export > Export As.
2. Choose a format from the Format dropdown. Adobe lists PNG, JPG, GIF and SVG.
3. Adjust the settings for that format, such as the quality level for JPG or transparency for PNG.
4. Select Export, then choose where to save the file.

Use this table to pick a format.

Format	Best for	Keep in mind
JPG	Product photos on a white or colored background	Small files. It is lossy, so a very low quality setting removes detail. No transparency.
PNG	Product cutouts on a transparent background	Supports transparency. Files are usually larger than JPG for photos.
WebP	Web pages, when your store accepts it	Photoshop can save WebP through its save commands. Check that your platform supports it.

If you export pictures often, File > Export > Quick Export as saves in one step with settings you choose once. Set them under Edit > Preferences > Export on Windows or Photoshop > Preferences > Export on a Mac. The same preferences include a Color Space option to convert exported images to sRGB, which is the color space commonly used for web images. Adobe explains the dialog in Fine-tune export settings with Export As.

For a transparent cutout, see how to convert a transparent PSD to a PNG for the web. If you built several product variations on separate layers, you can export the layers as separate images.

How to Apply the Same Edit to Many Photos

When you have a set of photos taken in the same light, you do not have to repeat every click. Photoshop can record your steps as an action and play them back on other files.

1. Open one photo from the set.
2. Choose Window > Actions to open the Actions panel.
3. Choose New Action from the panel menu, type a name, and select Record.
4. Perform the edits you want to repeat, such as the Levels adjustment and the resize.
5. Select Stop Playing/Recording in the Actions panel.

To run that action on a folder, choose File > Automate > Batch. Pick the action, choose Folder as the source, and select the folder of photos.

Take care with the Destination setting. Save and Close overwrites the original files. Choose Folder and pick a different location, or run the batch on copies of your photos, so the originals stay untouched. Adobe describes each option in Batch-process files.

A recorded correction only suits photos that were framed and lit the same way as the one you recorded it on. For mixed photos, set the white point by hand on each one and use the action for the repeatable parts.

If all you need is to resize a folder of finished pictures and save them as JPG files, File > Scripts > Image Processor is simpler. It has a Resize to Fit option, a JPEG quality setting from 0 to 12, and a Convert Profile to sRGB option. Adobe states that each processed file is saved with a unique name and is not overwritten.

How to Check the Result and Undo Changes

Before you upload the picture, compare it with the original and with the real product.

• Toggle the adjustment layer. Click the eye icon next to the Levels layer in the Layers panel to hide it, then click again to show it. The edited version should look brighter and cleaner, not washed out.
• Compare the color with the item. Hold the product next to the screen. If the picture looks more saturated or a different shade, shoppers may be disappointed when the item arrives.
• Check the backdrop. The white should be even from corner to corner, with no gray patches.
• Zoom in. Look at the edges of the product and at any area you repaired.
• Open the exported file. View the JPG or PNG outside Photoshop, at the size it will appear in your store.

To take back the last change, press Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on a Mac. Press it again to step back further. To remove a brightness or color correction completely, select its adjustment layer and delete it. To throw away everything since the last save, choose File > Revert. Your original photo is still untouched if you used Save a Copy at the start.

Troubleshooting

I cannot find the Adjustments or Properties panel

Open the Window menu and select Adjustments or Properties. You can also create the layer from the menu with Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels.

The Set Gray Point eyedropper is unavailable

Adobe states that this eyedropper is unavailable for grayscale images. If your photo is in color but the eyedropper is still disabled, check the document’s color mode under Image > Mode.

The photo turned too bright or lost detail

The spot you clicked with the white point eyedropper was not the brightest area. Click a lighter part of the backdrop. You can also lower the strength of the whole correction by reducing the Opacity of the Levels layer in the Layers panel.

The background is white on one side and gray on the other

The light was uneven when the photo was taken. A single white point click cannot fix that, because it applies the same change to the whole image. Either reshoot with the light closer to the front and a white card on the darker side, or remove the background and place the product on a white fill layer.

Remove Background cut off part of the product

Select the layer mask on the product layer, choose the Brush tool, and paint on the mask to refine it, as Adobe suggests. On a layer mask, painting with white shows the layer and painting with black hides it. If the result is far off, select Revert and reshoot on a background that contrasts more with the product.

Shiny products show glare

Glare is a lighting problem, and it is easier to prevent than to edit out. Move the light, soften it with a diffuser, or change the angle of the product until the bright patch moves off the important area. Photoshop has a Reflection Removal command under the Edit menu, but Adobe says it is designed for large reflections caused by shooting through glass, such as a window. It is not aimed at small highlights on a glossy product.

The picture is blurry

Photoshop has sharpening filters, such as Smart Sharpen and Unsharp Mask, that make edges look clearer. Adobe is clear about their limit: sharpening cannot restore missing detail or fix areas that are out of focus. Apply it gradually to avoid halos and noise. If the product is truly out of focus, retake the photo with the camera on a tripod.

The colors look different after uploading

This can happen when the picture is saved in a color space that browsers do not handle the way Photoshop does. Turn on the option to convert to sRGB when you export, then upload the new file.

Which Photoshop Tool Fixes Which Problem

Problem	Tool	Where to find it
Photo is dull or the backdrop is gray	Set White Point eyedropper	Levels or Curves adjustment layer, Properties panel
Photo looks flat	Set Black Point eyedropper or black Input slider	Levels adjustment layer, Properties panel
Yellow or blue tint	Set Gray Point eyedropper	Levels or Curves adjustment layer, Properties panel
Product is crooked	Straighten	Crop tool, options bar
Dust or small marks	Spot Healing Brush	Toolbar, or press J
Messy or uneven background	Remove Background	Discover panel, Browse, Quick Actions
File is too large	Image Size and Export As	Image menu and File, Export

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply Levels without an adjustment layer?

Yes. Choose Image > Adjustments > Levels to apply the change directly to the selected layer. Adobe warns that this permanently modifies the pixel information and recommends adjustment layers whenever possible, because they keep the edit flexible.

Should I use Levels or Curves?

Both have the same three eyedroppers, so the white point and gray point steps in this guide work in either one. Adobe suggests the eyedroppers when the photo has clear white, black or gray reference points. For broader changes, Levels uses three sliders and is easier to learn. Curves lets you adjust specific tonal ranges with control points and suits more detailed corrections.

Do I need an expensive camera for product pictures?

No. Adobe’s product photography guide says a high-resolution phone camera can take very good photos when the budget is limited, although professionals often prefer cameras with more settings. Light, a clean background and a steady camera matter more than the camera model for a simple product shot.

Does a product picture have to be on a white background?

Not always. White is the usual choice for product-only pictures in online stores because it limits distractions, and some marketplaces have rules for the main image. Lifestyle pictures that show the product in use can have any setting. Check the rules of the site where you sell.

How do I make every product picture look the same?

Keep the setup the same: the same backdrop, light, camera position and distance. Correct one photo with a Levels adjustment layer, then copy that layer to the other photos from the session or record the edits as an action. Finish by exporting every picture at the same pixel size and in the same format.

How do I save the edited photo for a website?

Choose File > Export > Export As, pick JPG for a photo on a solid background or PNG for a transparent cutout, and select Export. Keep the layered Photoshop file as well, so you can make changes later without starting over.

Will the Levels fix work on a photo with a colored background?

The white point eyedropper needs something in the photo that should be white. If the backdrop is colored, click a white part of the product or a white card placed in the frame. If nothing in the photo should be white, use the Levels sliders or a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer instead.

Can I undo the white point after I save the file?

Yes, if you used an adjustment layer and saved the file in the Photoshop format with its layers. Open the file, select the Levels layer, and change or delete it. A JPG or PNG export is flattened, so the correction cannot be removed from that copy.

Next Step

Take one product, shoot it on a sheet of white paper near a soft light, and run through the quick version at the top of this guide. Once the white point click looks right, save the layered file and reuse its Levels layer on the rest of the photos from that session.