The ioli Journal
Notes on product photography.
How to shoot for Amazon, Shopify, Instagram, and Etsy — from the art directors behind the briefs.
July 6, 2026
Shoot it where the light lives
A strobe can imitate the sun. It can never quite match a good morning. Here is how to shoot a product in real daylight and let the light do the work.
July 6, 2026
If it does not make you hungry, it has failed
A food photo has one job: make someone hungry. Everything else is decoration. Here is how to shoot a bake or a drink so a customer can almost taste it through the screen.
July 5, 2026
Shooting for Amazon without going dark
Amazon wants pure white, product alone, no props. Most people read that as boring. It does not have to be. Here is how to keep it clean, bright, and true.
July 5, 2026
A jewel is a light trap
Most jewellery photos drown the piece in scattered sparkle. The opposite is truer: one hard source, a single continuous highlight, and the discipline to let the rest fall into shadow.