In today’s online world, shoppers absolutely judge books by their covers—more specifically, by the quality of images showing off those covers. Whether you’re a traditional publisher managing a catalog, or an indie author listing your books online, how your book appears in an online space can make or break a sale.
I recently worked on e-commerce photography for a publishing house. It was a new type of photography for me, and I want to share about the process and the benefits of high-quality images for your e-commerce listings.
The brief for this project was to create clean, sharp, high-resolution images on a pure white background that showed the features and textures of a number of children’s books.
Why it Matters: The Power of Visuals in Online Sales
Online, your product images do the heavy lifting. They can grab attention, communicate professionalism, and show off the vibes of the book (lifestyle images).
Buyers can’t pick up the physical book when shopping online, and rely on the images of the product. Studies show that high-quality product photography increases sales, and 75% of online shoppers say that product images significantly influence their purchasing decisions.
You can also show off specific physical features of your book with high-quality images. Things like texture, embossing, beautiful interiors, and other printing features are all elements a viewer can zoom in and see with professional images.
While setting up for my e-commerce photoshoot I knew I needed to nail three main elements: 1) a pure white background, 2) even, bright lighting, and 3) make sure my camera and surface were entirely level.
Using a pure white paper backdrop roll (and a bit of photoshop magic in post) I was able to get a perfect white background that even works on products with white edges.
Who Needs E-Commerce Photos?
My opinion? Just about anyone selling a book online. Publishers who list their titles on multiple online platforms are able to use the images in many ways. Indie authors listing their own books online are competing with traditionally published titles, and having high-quality images helps them appear more professional and be taken more seriously by buyers.
Having a catalog of professional photos of your book’s cover, back cover, and a few interior shots at the ready is a huge benefit while selling and marketing a book.
More Ways to Use White Background Book Images
While these types of images are usually created for e-commerce listings, they are very versatile for marketing your book. Here are a few more ways they can be used:
1. Press kits & media coverage—Clean images are perfect for blogs, magazines, podcast features, and other types of media coverage.
2. Sell sheets and marketing materials—Great for upcoming release catalogs or pitches sent to bookstores.
3. Social media graphics—Easily drop a white-background book image into Canva or other software to create announcements and other graphics.
4. Your author website—Having a photo of your book, instead of just a JPEG of the cover, looks great on a website alongside a book description.
5. Digital ads—Perfect for online ads where a clear, bold image performs better.
I set up my lighting equipement to cast bright, even light across the books. I did want some shadow to give depth to the images, and had to get creative when some covers were glossy and the light created hotspots. Tiny clips hidden below one edge of the book tilted the problematic covers just enough to eliminate the glaring while still looking flat in the image.
The above book was fun to work with! It opened in a unique way. This is something you would see if looking at it in a bookstore, and I wanted to capture some of that experience in the images.
Why Real Photos, When I can Do a Mockup?
Mockups can be a really helpful tool, especially if you need to have images before you have a physical book in hand. But mockups don’t do your book justice when it comes to giving an online customer the feeling of “holding” your book before buying.
Real photos show potential buyers the actual product. Texture of the cover, thickness, finishes like foil or embossing, etc. These features don’t translate in a mockup.
Including real photos in your listings also helps build trust. When you have high-quality images (polished lighting and styling), your book looks more professional, and you look more trustworthy as a seller. The images show the buyer what they’ll really be getting in the mail, and a mockup can’t give them that.
The above book is a textured, crinkly cloth book for toddlers. Having a high-quality image like this online will allow a potential buyer to zoom in and see the texture of the book.
You put in all the time, money, and effort to get a book published; it deserves high-quality photography for marketing and selling online. Whether you’re a publisher or indie author, professional product images can elevate your listing, boost credibility, and help you stand out in a crowded online market.