How do you edit product photos to highlight the unique features and benefits of the product?

I use LR mainly as a library of my images. I use Photoshop on everything I shoot, along with a little from OnOne and Topaz. At first, I was “afraid” of using curves in PS, but once I learned how to use it, it became my favorite tool! Think of it as a “dimmer switch” in the rooms in your house where you can control the brightness of each individual room!

For me not the editing.. Photoshoot much more can highlight the uniqueness of the product. Setup a proper lighting Photoshoot 80% Editing 20%

To edit product photos effectively, start by ensuring proper exposure and color balance, making the product look as natural and appealing as possible. Use selective adjustments to enhance key features; brighten or darken specific areas to draw attention. Sharpening can highlight details, while subtle vignetting can focus the viewer's eye on the product. If applicable, use color grading to evoke the right mood or brand identity. Remove any distracting elements or imperfections with cloning or healing tools. For online retail, maintain a consistent look across all product photos for professionalism. Layer masks in editing software can be useful for non-destructive adjustments.

Editing product photos to highlight the unique features and benefits of a product is an important step in marketing. To do this, you need to make sure that the photo looks professional and attractive. You can use software like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom to edit your photos by adjusting brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, etc., as well as cropping out any unwanted elements from the image. Adding text overlays with information about the product's features and benefits will help draw attention to those details. Finally, using filters such as black & white or sepia tones can give your images a more polished look while still highlighting key aspects of the product.

If you have the software and space, shooting in RAW allows you to adjust white balance, noise reduction, and more afterwards. It gives you much greater control over the final image.

If you’re taking a series of photos, use a bit of tape to mark where the product sits either directly under the product or out of view. This will ensure the next product sits in the same place on the backdrop.

Since switching from commercial photography to fine art photography, I decide on color balance, exposure, etc. on how it appeals to me. I love vibrant colors, but I also love soft and subdued colors! There are no hard and fast rules, just what I decide looks good on the image I’m working on at the time! When I started out in school, I learned the rules, such as “the rule of thirds”, but as I became more experienced, I learned when to break the rules!

Content Aware Fill in Photoshop is a great tool to remove isolated visual litter—objects that are surrounded by another object such as a tripod leg, stray cable, or zit that does not cross over complicated textures. You can manually select the reference area to fill from for more precise removal.

Create a preset when you tune up the first photo in a shoot, then apply them to all similar photos. After that, you can go over them one by one and adjust as needed. Be sure to check your edited photo against the original now and then.

Highlight textures and materials: Pay attention to the product's textures and materials, especially if they are unique selling points. Adjust the lighting and editing techniques to enhance these aspects. For example, if the product has a glossy finish, emphasize the reflections and highlights to make it more visually striking.