Shopify Product Photography: Best Practices for Higher Sales
Last updated: January 2026
Shopify powers millions of businesses, but the platform's flexibility can be a double-edged sword. Unlike Amazon's rigid requirements, Shopify lets you do whatever you want—which often leads to inconsistent, unoptimized stores.
Success on Shopify requires a deliberate visual strategy. This guide breaks down the best practices for product photography specifically tailored for Shopify themes and customer behavior.
1. The "Square Standard"
While Shopify supports any aspect ratio, square (1:1) images are the universal standard for modern themes.
Why Square?
- ✓ Mobile Consistency: Square images stack perfectly on mobile screens without wasted space.
- ✓ Instagram Integration: They sync seamlessly with Instagram Shopping without cropping.
- ✓ Grid Layouts: Collection pages look cleaner when all product cards are identical heights.
2. Optimization & File Types
Shopify automatically serves WebP images to supported browsers, but your upload strategy still matters.
For Photographs
Use JPG.
Best for products with complex colors or real-world backgrounds. Keep file size under 500KB per image.
For Cut-outs
Use PNG.
Essential if you want your product to "float" on a colored background section. Larger file size, but necessary for transparency.
3. Consistency is King (Again)
The difference between a "dropshipping site" and a "brand" is often visual consistency.
- Padding: Ensure every product has the same amount of space around it. Don't have one item zoomed in and the next one tiny.
- Background: Stick to one background style for your main collection pages. Usually, this is plain, uniform gray (#f5f5f5) or pure white (#ffffff).
- Shadows: If you use drop shadows, make sure they fall in the same direction and have the same intensity on every product.
4. Alt Text for SEO
Shopify makes it easy to add Alt Text, but many merchants ignore it. This is a huge mistake for SEO.
How to write good Alt Text:
Don't just keyword stuff. Describe the image for accessibility.
5. Mobile-First Thinking
Over 70% of Shopify traffic is mobile.
- Check thumbnail clarity: Can you tell what the product is when it's the size of a postage stamp?
- Enable Zoom: Ensure your theme supports pinch-to-zoom on mobile product pages, and your images are high-res (2048px recommended) to support it.
Conclusion
Your photography sets the tone for your entire Shopify store. By standardizing your aspect ratios, optimizing your file types, and maintaining strict visual consistency, you create a shopping experience that feels premium and trustworthy—directly influencing your conversion rates.