How to shoot a video of a model wearing a T-shirt for e-commerce
We share tips about shooting a video of a model wearing a T-shirt for your e-commerce store.
Video is king these days and when it comes to e-commerce, you can’t really do without it anymore. That's because visitors who watch videos of your products are 73% more likely to buy them and about 57% are less likely to return products after having seen a video.
Recently, we shared tips about styling and photographing a T-shirt on a model. This time around, we’ll be giving you tips on how to make a video of a model wearing a basic T-shirt for your e-commerce website.
First off, focus on showing off the following two elements in your video
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Movement - so your customers can see how the fabric moves
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Light - so your clients can see how light hits the product and how the product reacts to light
Prepare and be aware
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Style your product with something neutral
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Pick an outfit that will go together with but will not overshadow the T-shirt
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Make sure the product fits correctly. Given that this is video, it’s not advisable to use clips, tapes and pins because the slightest of movements will reveal that
We cover the following stages
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The Right Lighting
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Preparation & Recording
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Key Video Shots
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Post Production
1. The Right Lighting
The right lighting is all about balance. Focus on light that will complement your garments and will bring out texture, color and material to the forefront.
Create even light
An overall even light for your set is great for e-commerce pictures. It will brighten up the space and will bring out the best qualities of your product in the photograph.
Check for movement
While you’re fine-tuning your light, check the movement of your model. That way you can make sure you won’t end up with any big harsh shadows that will be flying all over the place during your video.
Match your stills
If you’re shooting stills in the same day or at the same time, make sure that your lighting setup is also the same because consistency is essential for an appealing catalogue. You can find more tips on styling and photographing T-shirts for e-commerce here.
2. Preparation & Recording
When shooting a video, preparation is essential for efficiently producing optimal results.
Pre-program camera movements
Programming some camera movements in advance will not only save you a ton of time but it will also help you get the right variety of shots for your video. Showcasing your product and its best features suddenly becomes much easier.
Aim for variety
Try shooting from different angles and moving the camera accordingly. This will highlight the product better and it will add more visual interest.
3. Key Video Shots
We have some suggestions for you when it comes to the shots you can take. We’ve chosen these ones because they will evenly showcase different angles and sides of your product.
Something you should do at all times is navigate and instruct your model before each shot about the length and focus of the clip you're about to take.
This gives them an idea about how much of the right movement they can fit into that time frame in order to showcase your product in the best possible way.
The Introduction Shot
This scenario will require your model to walk in on set and then display the product from an angle of your choice. This is a simple clip but it shows your customer the right elements.
When your model walks into the frame, you should lock the focus immediately so when she or he hits their marks, you get that perfect focus right where you need it.
The Detailed Shot
The next stage of your video can be focused on showing off more details of the product you’re featuring.
That’s why you can use the camera to position it upwards while the model turns so they can show off details of the shirt that are not easy to spot at first glance.
Your model can do a half turn in order to show the details of the shirt on the back. Again, instruct your model carefully beforehand.
The Exit Shot
At this point, you should already have some really detailed and nice shots of the front and the back of the t-shirt that would be a great addition to your online catalogue. Now it's time to wrap everything together by shooting the final touch.
Instruct your model to turn around one last time and then to walk off the set.
4. Post Production
The post production process will require you to sort through the video material you've compiled and decide which shots you would like to put together in a consistent flow form. Then all that is left to do is to put these parts together, edit your video and put it on your website or use it as your digital signage for your brick-and-mortar stores.
However, if you happen to be using a Profoto Live machine, you don’t have to do much after you’ve taken the video shots you wanted - the machine will automatically edit and merge the different clips into one consistent video for you. Afterwards, you’ll get a little preview of that file and if you're happy with it, you can directly upload the file to your website, social media or use it as digital signange.
Creating such a simple, yet powerful e-commerce video will help you sell your product.
Putting all of these tips together will hopefully give you all the tools necessary to produce great looking videos for your e-commerce website.