Product photos on a budget: AI, phone, or both?
I tried all three for a small shop. Here's what sold and what didn't.
I helped a friend who sells handmade leather wallets online. Her photos were taken on a kitchen table at night. Yellow light, a bit blurry. Sales were okay, not great.
We tried three things.
1. Phone, done properly
Near a window, daytime, white card on the other side to bounce light. Free. Big improvement, to be honest. This alone fixed half the problem.
2. Fully AI generated
Looked impressive at first glance. But customers noticed small things: stitching that didn't line up, leather that looked like plastic. One person actually asked if the wallet was real. Not good for a handmade brand.
3. Real photo plus AI background
This was the winner. Shoot the real product, then use AI only for a clean backdrop or lifestyle scene. The product stays honest; the setting looks expensive.
What I'd tell anyone starting out
Use AI for the stuff around the product, not the product itself, if it's something people touch. For digital goods it matters less.
If you do go fully generated, describe lighting like a photographer would. Lens, softbox, bounce card. The [studio product prompt](/prompts/studio-product-photo) does that for you.