How to Take Pictures of Shoes to Sell: 90% Time Saved with AI

author - Brenda Peng
Brenda Peng

Updated on

Summary: Want to sell more shoes online? Great photos are essential. This article compares traditional shoe photography (scene, lighting, editing) with a faster, AI-powered approach. Using Aiarty Image Matting, an AI background remover, you can quickly snap photos anywhere and let the AI automatically remove or replace backgrounds for professional results. This saves time and effort, giving sellers a competitive edge.

Did you know that 75% of online shoppers abandon product pages due to poor-quality photos? For shoe sellers, crisp, professional images aren’t just nice-to-have – they’re revenue drivers. But here’s the problem: traditional photography workflows eat up hours (and budgets) with studio setups, long shooting process and tedious editing. The good news is that with AI tools like Aiarty Image Matting, you can transform your chaotic snapshots into professional-looking product images in just 5 minutes, saving you hours of editing and costly photography equipment.

In this guide, we’ll show you both traditional and AI workflows to take pictures of shoes to sell, reveal how top sellers save 90% time, and show you exactly how to automate shoe photography.

shoes photos to sell

Part 1. How to Take Pictures of Shoes to Sell with Aiarty (5-Min Workflow)

According to research, 87% of small and medium-sized businesses have abandoned showcasing multiple angles of their products due to the high cost of professional photography, which results in a 30% decrease in conversion rates.With AI tools like Aiarty Image Matting, you don’t need professional equipment or editing skills. It eliminate the time and technology costs while solving three core challenges:

  • No studio required: Shoot anywhere – your garage, living room, or even outdoors.
  • Zero editing skills needed: Automate background removal, background replacement, image upscaling or cropping.
  • Batch processing: Edit 3000+ shoe images simultaneously.

Free download Aiarty Image Enhancer to take shoes pictures with AI.

Aiarty optimizes product photo workflow

Unlike traditional methods of photographing shoes, using Aiarty Image Matting eliminates the need for setting up scenes, adjusting lighting, or investing in professional cameras etc. Without complicated steps and high costs, you can get professional shoes images in bulk for Amazon, Shopify, Ebay etc. with just three simple steps. Let's take a look at how it works.

Step 1. Shoot Shoes Photos Casually

Forget about the need for perfect lighting or a clean, professional background. Use your smartphone to take casual shots of shoes in any environment. Whether you're indoors or outdoors, in natural light or artificial light, the AI will handle the rest.

Of course, to maximize your sales potential, you need to highlight the shoes from all angles. When taking shoes photos to sell, be sure to cover different angles as below:

  • Front: Show the toe box and front design.
  • Side: Highlight sole thickness and profile.
  • 45-degree: Showcase overall design and style.
  • Details: Capture laces, logos, and textures.

Step 2. Bulk Change Background of Shoes Pictures in Aiarty Image Matting

1. Bulk Load Shoes Photos to Aiarty Image Matting 

Once you've captured the shoes photos, load them in bulk in Aiarty Image Matting. You can import up to 3000+ photos at once with a simple drag-and-drop interface.

If you haven't install it on your computer, download it to get started.

2. Remove Cluttered Background of Shoes

After loaded, choose the AI model based on the picture itself. Usually I choose "AlphaStandard V2" for shoes photos. Then click the "Start" button to remove the cluttered background instantly.

remove shoes background

3. Replace Background for Amazon, Shopify, eBay etc.

Under "Effect," select the "Background" option. You can then add a white background or upload a custom background image from your computer.

change shoes background

4. Export Your Shoes Pictures with Background Changed.

Click "Single Export" for individual image export. If you're working with multiple images, use "Batch Export" for faster processing.

exported white background shoes

Part 2. How to Take Pictures of Shoes to Sell Traditionally

While traditional shoe photography methods can be cumbersome, time-consuming, and require specialized equipment, they remain a viable option for producing high-end, professional-quality images. For those seeking the utmost control over lighting, composition, and detail, the traditional approach offers a level of refinement that can be invaluable. Here is the specific steps for traditional shoes photography.

1. Setting Up the Scene

Traditional shoe photography, while capable of producing high-quality images, is a detailed process. It involves careful attention to lighting (diffused natural light or soft artificial light is best, avoid direct flash), background (clean and simple or contextually relevant), and shoe placement (experiment with angles like front, side, and 45-degree, and use props for a natural stance). Remember to clean the shoes, use a tripod, shoot in high resolution, and edit photos afterward. This process typically takes 1-2 hours per shoe.

2. Adjust Your Camera

Capturing high-quality product photos requires careful attention to camera settings. Aperture, ISO, and shutter speed are the key elements to adjust for optimal exposure and focus.

  • Aperture (f-stop): For shoe photography, a wider depth of field is generally preferred to ensure the entire shoe is in focus. Start with an aperture of f/8 or f/11 and adjust as needed.
  • ISO: Keep your ISO as low as possible (ideally 100) to minimize noise in your images. If you need to increase the ISO due to low light, do so gradually and check for noise.
  • Shutter Speed: Your shutter speed will depend on your lighting conditions and aperture. Use a tripod to avoid camera shake, allowing you to use slower shutter speeds if necessary.
  • White Balance: Set your white balance to match your lighting source (e.g., "Daylight" for natural light, "Tungsten" for artificial light). This will ensure accurate colors in your photos.
  • Focus: Use single-point autofocus and focus on a key part of the shoe, such as the toe cap or the logo.
how to take white background pictures - camera

3. Shooting Multi-angle Shoes Photos

Now, start shooting! Capture your product from multiple angles (side, top, back, etc.), experiment with distance (wide shots and close-ups), and maintain consistent framing and lighting for a cohesive look.

different angels of shoes

4. Manual Editing Shoes Pictures for Sale

In traditional workflows, image editing requires a lot of manual work. Using tools like Photoshop, it could take up to 10 minutes per image to remove backgrounds and fix imperfections. Outsourcing this task could cost you upwards of $5 per image.

Manual editing shoes photos for sale

Part 3. Traditional vs. AI Shoes Photography - Which Should You Choose?

Struggling to choose between traditional and AI shoe photography? While traditional methods exist, AI-powered solutions offer significant advantages. Discover the key differences between Traditional and AI shoes photography.

Traditional shoe photography is time-consuming (up to 7 hours per product), demanding photography and editing skills, and cumbersome for multiple SKUs. Expensive equipment and software create a financial barrier, and manual processing limits scalability. This makes catalog updates slow and costly.

AI shoe photography offers a faster alternative (under an hour per product), requiring no special skills. Bulk processing enables rapid catalog updates and handles large image volumes effortlessly. Reduced equipment and software costs lower the financial barrier, and batch processing ensures scalability for growing businesses.

When to Stick with Traditional Shoe Photography

However, it doesn't mean that you need to discard shooting shoes pictures in traditional way. If you're selling high-end shoes that require artistic scenes (like hiking boots in the desert), traditional photography might be more suited for showcasing unique details. Moreover, shoes made of reflective materials like PVC may require manual adjustments to remove glare, which can be difficult for AI to handle.

The Optimal Solution for 95% of Shoes Sellers: AI First

For 95% of online shoe sellers, AI-powered tools like Aiarty Image Matting are the most efficient and cost-effective solution. Here’s why:

  • 99% Accurate Shoe Detection: AI-powered precision ensures perfect shoe isolation, even with complex designs and backgrounds.
  • Batch Process 500+ Images/Hour: Process hundreds of images quickly and efficiently, saving you time and boosting productivity.
  • API Integration with WooCommerce, Etsy: Automate your image uploads and streamline your e-commerce workflow.

Aiarty Image Matting offers a free trial for up to 10 images. Get started today!

Conclusion: Don’t Let Photo Editing Kill Your Productivity

By using AI for shoe photography, you can save time, reduce costs, and improve your product presentation. With tools like Aiarty Image Matting, you don’t have to worry about investing in expensive equipment or spending hours editing photos. Try AI today and see how it can streamline your shoe photography process—and get back to growing your business!

FAQ about Product Photography

1. What's the most important thing to consider when photographing shoes for sale?

Clear, well-lit, and accurate representations of the shoes are key. Showcase the shoe's condition, style, and details.

2. What background should I use?

A clean, simple background (like white or light gray) is best for showcasing the shoes. You can also use contextual backgrounds that complement the shoe's style. If you want to change the background of your shoes pictures, Aiarty Image Matting is a nice option to remove and replace shoes background for selling on Amazon, eBay, Shopify and more.

3. How to take a good pic of shoes?
  • Always position your shoes flat for photography.
  • Keep the frame clean and free of distractions.
  • Use lighting that highlights the shoe's details and form.
  • Avoid selective focus; ensure the entire shoe is sharp.
  • Select a perspective that presents the shoe in an appealing way.
  • Remember to edit your photos after shooting to optimize them.
4. How to take pics of sneakers to sell?

For a compelling cover shot, try offsetting the shoes in portrait mode. Focus on the front shoe, allowing the other to be slightly out of focus. This creates a natural focal point, as our eyes are drawn to sharp images within a blur. Besides, a straightforward 45-degree angle shot is perfect for showcasing two shoes together.

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Brenda Peng is a seasoned editor at Digiarty Software who loves turning ordinary photos into extraordinary works of art. With years of experience behind the lens and in front of the computer, Brenda shares her passion for photography, image enhancement, and editing through easy-to-follow tutorials.

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