I want to make one thing clear from the start: I am far from what you would consider a “professional” photographer. My goal here is to simply offer some insight as to how I snap photos of the items I review and offer some useful tips to others like me. This is simply some things I have learned over time by doing these “photo shoots”.
1. While having a “high end” camera is nice, it is not necessary. I used a Nikon CoolPix 4 MP camera for a few years and produced some great results. Silenze, one of my reviewers, uses an older Canon point-and-shoot camera for his review photos. I must say, I am still taken back at the image quality he is able to achieve out of the aging camera. Sure, a dSLR will give you much greater flexibility when shooting but like I said, it is not necessary to get good results.
2. Perhaps one of the most important elements when shooting photos is to have a backdrop. Nobody wants to see your living room or kitchen floor. A simple white bed sheet like the one shown below works wonders!
If you have the room, setting up a photo area like this is a great idea. If not, you can always throw the sheet over the edge of a couch or chair. Either way, you will get the same results, but having a dedicated photo area will save you some time and hassle.
3. When photographing a box or package, try to avoid head-on shots. I see this time and time again on review sites across the net. Notice the ugly flash glare in the picture below.
So how do you fix this? Very simple, just move slightly to the right or left or move the product you are shooting.
This slight angle will eliminate the flash glare and also help to hide some scratches or other debris which may be on the box.
4. When working with products that have a shiny finish, such as the exterior of a case or a high-gloss keyboard, always be aware of fingerprints. Nothing will ruin a shot faster than unsightly smudge marks. There are a few options you have here. The first being to simply try not to touch the area you want to photograph. This is not always possible but luckily you still have a few options. Wearing latex gloves will prevent these fingerprints but can be a hassle at times. The method I use most is to use a simple micro-fiber cloth to clean the surfaces before shooting.
The cloth pictured above was given to me by SilverStone during CES but you can get similar cloths at places like Wal-Mart. 3M makes a great washable cloth that cost only a dollar or so.
5. The last thing I want to cover concerns taking photos in low light and/or photos without using the flash. I see this problem more often than I do any other issue mentioned thus far. Besides proper lighting and camera settings, the key to making a great photo in low light is to use a tripod. Regardless of how steady you think you can hold the camera, you are no match for a tripod.
The picture above is of the reflection of my monitor off a keyboard. I took this photo without a tripod, trying my best to hold the camera steady. Even with my camera lens’ VR (Vibration Reduction) feature turned on, the picture is not near as sharp as it could be. I tried again below, this time using a tripod…
Notice how much sharper the reflected image is. If you don’t have a tripod, no worries. Try bracing the camera against something, such as a stack of books or the corner of a wall… anything solid that will reduce vibration should work fine.
Anyway, I hope some of these tips can be of use to you guys 
