Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Shadows to Create Professional Images of Scarves


Your scarf product images will look better than ever by applying these shadows!


The presence or absence of shadows can make a big difference in your product images. The reason is that the shadows help to highlight the products on simple, unicolor backgrounds, and give them a professional appearance and more faithful to reality.

There are two types of shadows that go very well, applied to scarves and garments in general: natural shade and parallel shadow. Each of these styles give a different perception to the client. There is no "ideal" shadow. The important thing is that you choose one that you like and apply it to all the products in your catalog so that there is consistency, and your online store looks very pro!

The following tutorial helps you keep track of how to apply these types of shadows correctly. However, it is important that we also talk about the alignment in your products. If you would like to get a photo editing service, contact them.


Be consistent yes or yes

Keep in mind that the images in your web catalog should look similar; When a customer sees your images you should know that they are from the same catalog. To achieve this you must apply the same lighting, background type , editing techniques, etc. If you develop a set of standards for these aspects, and apply them to all the product images of your online store, you will make it look very professional and your customers will have a better , simpler and clearer shopping experience .


It is particularly important to grant the same size and alignment to the images. Look at the examples of product sheets that we present below. You will notice how each product looks identical and very professional.



Shadow Type # 1: Natural Shadow


The natural shade is excellent to give a more sophisticated look to a product. If applied correctly, natural shade can be very effective!


You will need a light source during the photo shoot to capture natural shadows, although using reflectors can also help soften them.


Create a new layer and fill it with a white background.

Move your newly created layer below the others.

Duplicate the cape with the scarf.

Make a very precise selection of the contour of the scarf and soften the edges of the garment.

Create a mask using the selection. Depending on how you make the selection you would have to invert the mask to make sure the scarf is shown instead of the bottom.

Modify the duplicate of the layer with the scarf to multiple, in the upper tab of the dialog bar.

Create a layer with a mask in the middle of your multiple layer, and try to erase the background under the scarf.

Put all the layers together.

Shadow Style # 2: Parallel Shadow


The parallel shadow gives a more interesting effect to the product images. They imitate shadows created from the impact of natural light, and make it appear that the product is lying on a surface. Scarves should always be photographed lying down. It is a simple way to bring the product to life.


Create a new layer and fill it with a white background.

Move the new layer below all others.

Make an accurate selection of the scarf and soften the edges.

Create a mask using this selection. Depending on whether you select the bottom of the scarf, you would have to reverse the mask to make sure that the scarf is what you see instead of the bottom.

Double-click the layer with the scarf to open the layer's style function.

Check the parallel shadow option. A shadow will appear.

Play with the opacity of the shadow until it is to your liking.

Change the angle at which the shadow falls on the product, so that it is the same as the direction of light on it. Consider the distance between the product and the light source.

Select "OK."

Make the mask more visible with the selection so that you cannot see anything from the original background.

Put the layers together.

These types of shadows can do a lot for your product images, giving customers a realistic and simple experience of "feeling" an online product. This will help them want to repeat in your store!

Adding shadows despite wasting time brings an improvement in the appearance of your online inventory. If you think you don't have enough time, remember that you can always count on Pixelz's editing service to give your images that professional touch. Your numbers will speak for themselves, you'll see!

Create Shocking Images of Bags Applying Shadows



A great way to increase the effectiveness and professionalism of your product images, in addition to giving your customers a shopping experience, is to show images where shadows have been applied.

In product photography there are three types of shadows, and each one gives a different effect to the product: natural shadow, parallel shadow and reflective shadow. But it can be difficult to select the right one.


Look at the following guide to learn how they are applied, and what effect they give to the product. So you can make a more appropriate decision about which one you should use in your product catalog. If you would like to get a Shadow Creation Service contact them.


Consistent alignment: A yes or yes in e-Commerce


An important factor that must be taken into account when creating product images for your online portfolio is their alignment. Whether you have a small or large store, remember that all images must have the same lighting, cropped and size.


Having uniformity in this aspect is very beneficial for the appearance of your website. And remember that the main goal you have is that your customers have an extremely satisfactory experience in your store, and for this purpose, we must be consistent in the images we show them.


Look at the examples below of some online stores that have known to be consistent and very professional. Look!



Shadow Style # 1: Natural Shadow


If applied correctly, the natural-type shadow can look very subtle, as in the image below. It is one of the easiest shadow techniques to apply. It uses a single light source and perhaps a reflector on the dark side, which generally goes very well.


This tutorial will teach you how to create the natural shadow in your product images. Instructions are also included below for your convenience.


Create a new layer and fill it with a white background.

Place it under your first layer.

Duplicate the layer so you have two with the lenses.

Make a very strict selection of the contour of the bag.

Create a layer with a mask on the last layer with the bag and invert the selection so that you see only the bag, without bottom.

Change the layer with the duplicate of the bag to "multiple" in the left-most tab of your layer menu.

Create a mask on the multiple layer with the bag. Try to erase the image of the bag but not the shadow. Use a brush to smooth outlines.

Put the layers together.


Shadow Style # 2: Parallel Shadow



A parallel shadow mimics the natural light that falls on a product. It is one of the fastest shadow techniques to create and that look best.

Create a new layer and fill it with a white background.

Move your newly created layer with a white background and place it under everything.

Make a strict selection of the contour and gently treat the edges.

Create a mask of your selection and invert it to make sure that what is displayed is the product, rather than the background.

Make an oval selection around the base of it.

Create a layer with new curves below your layer with the accessory.

Adjust the curves so that your selection looks darker. Softens the edges.

Change the angle at which the shadows fall until it matches the one you see the product. Pay attention to topics such as distance and size facing the light source.

Select OK

Put the layers together.

Shadow Style # 3: Reflective Shadow



Reflective shadow is a very refined type of shadow that shows a dramatic effect to your product. You can make it tremendously attractive.


Create a new layer with only white background.

Place it behind your first layer.

Duplicate the lens layer to have two.

Make a soft selection, taking into account the edges.

Create a mask from your previous selection seeing that what should be displayed is the accessory.

Turn the duplicated layer with the product 180 degrees.

Align the bottom of the accessory to make it look like in a mirror.

Add a mask to the product face up and use the gradient to give it the required reflection effect.

Use your brush to polish the mask and remove any unnecessary objects and check the image to make it natural.

Put all the layers together and burn the file.

Adding real and consistent shadows to your products will help your customers have a better shopping experience.


These three types of shadow seem to represent a lot of work, and it is like that, but you will surely forget it when you see the results of your work when you see the appearance of your catalog, and your earnings!

Six Simple Steps to Create Magnificent Clothing Product Images with your Smartphone



Product photography is the door that leads to customer satisfaction, which in turn leads to greater order traffic and, ultimately, greater benefits. You may not have a mountain of resources at your disposal, but believe us: it is very likely that you have the necessary tools at your fingertips to create great product photographs.


How is that possible? Currently, mobile phone manufacturers are equipping, even mediocre smartphones, with high quality cameras that have 8 Mpx and even 10 Mpx resolution. This means taking more precise and clear photos, and with better colors. It also implies the possibility of minimizing the cost of taking high quality product photographs, as long as you know how to get the most out of your smartphone's camera. In this article, we will teach you exactly how to do that! If you would like to get the eCommerce Photo Editing Service, contact them.


1. Be persistent


Repetition is key in product photography. Understanding the importance of persistence will help your product photographs stand out in both technical quality and composition. Pay attention to every detail and every decision you make during the process and record each of them so that you can reproduce exactly the same resolutions every time you prepare and shoot.


2. Download a mobile camera application and learn how to use it.


Before you get to it, you will have to have a smartphone and understand how it works, as well as know how your camera application is going. You can choose to use your phone's basic camera application, which will be pre-installed on the device, or you can choose to download an advanced camera application with more features. We recommend using Camera + . This application compensates economically and will allow you to exercise greater control when compared to basic camera applications.


Regardless of the application you choose, it is important that you become very familiar with its different settings and capabilities to ensure that you are getting the best possible images. If you have problems, follow this step-by-step detailed tutorial that offers different tips and manual techniques for smartphones!


3. Prepare everything.


Most of us have no time left and we need quick results when it comes to obtaining images of our products. For this reason, it is a good idea to have everything ready before you start shooting. Doing this will help you speed up the process and make sure you don't forget to do anything important. Here are six things you surely need to do to get started:


Follow these Six Foolproof Ways To Create Amazing Apparel Product Photos With Your Smartphone:


1. Clean your phone.


We use our phones so often that it is almost impossible not to stain our screens and camera lenses with our fingerprints. Remember to clean your phone thoroughly, both the front and back of your camera lens, with a lens cleaning cloth or a microfiber cloth.




2. Clean your product and make the necessary arrangements


Make sure your product has been examined and thoroughly cleaned. For clothing products, make sure that the garment in question has no wrinkles and that its presentation is the right one. When packing and storing your product and during transport everything can happen, so be sure to check that all buttons and seams are correct.



3. Use a dummy or model.


Presenting a product on a dummy or on a model can help a lot to make it come alive. Investing in mannequins or models is a great idea, especially since you have saved money from the budget in photography equipment using your phone as a camera.



If necessary and if you do not have a budget to hire a model or buy a dummy, try to make a model yourself! Many camera applications on smartphones come equipped with automatic stopwatches that allow you to make self-portraits easily.


4. Measure the light well.


It is crucial that you create images of bright and well-lit products. For starters, customers hate dark product images, and worse, poor lighting will make your products look dark and dirty too. Good lighting allows customers to see your products in detail, which leads them to have confidence in your business and buy products.


If you cannot find enough natural light, try using artificial light from lamps and other accessories as an alternative, or use polyurethane foam or pen cardboard to make the light bounce towards your product.


5. Be neutral.


In addition to choosing a place in your home or studio that has a wall of sufficient size and light, you should also choose a site with clear walls and neutral colors, or somewhere where it is easy to install a temporary backdrop. Depending on the colors of your products, white, gray or light-colored walls are usually the best because they allow products to stand out, highlighting colors and textures.


For example: you should photograph a white garment against gray walls (instead of white walls) and photograph darker garments on white or gray walls.


6. Find out and investigate.

As a last step, it's a good idea to look for other photos of similar products to see how the competition exposes its products. Take note of what works for you and what doesn't, and write a list of things you would like to incorporate or avoid in your own work. And while you're doing it, spend some time exploring and learning about the eCommerce website where you plan to sell your products. Do everything you can to find out how to best market your products on that particular platform. Every detail counts!


To see a complete example of how to photograph clothes in the best way, check out this Etsy product page .


4. Start photographing.


Now that you have prepared your product and your studio, start the camera application to start shooting. As you photograph your product, take time to rotate it and capture it from different angles, thus avoiding duplicate photos. The goal of using your smartphone is to publish and advertise your product as quickly as possible, so you can spend your valuable time doing other things. As long as you apply the following tips to your work, you will be making no money at all:


1. The approach is key.


This advice may seem obvious to many of you, but focusing on the product is so important that we had to include it in this article. Do not forget to focus! Simply touch the screen of your phone in the center of your clothes and your smartphone will do the rest of the work for you. Without an appropriate approach, your customers will only see a blurry image of your product and may even question your honesty as a seller.


2. Combining your product is overrated.


You don't have to worry about combining your clothes by adding accessories such as cardigans or jewelry. In fact, adding accessories can distract customers from the main product by stealing positive attention from your product. Your customers are really only interested in one thing: to have the best images of the specific products they are thinking of buying.


Photograph your garment alone. DO NOT combine it with other accessories.


Your customers are really only interested in one thing: to have the best images of the specific products they are thinking of buying.


3. Details photos are important, but secondary.



Shooting close-ups of product details is always a good practice, but don't let that distract you from taking several standard and direct photos that offer views of the entire product



After you have taken photos of the product from several different angles, zoom in and highlight the details that make the item special, such as labels, logos, buttons, designs and textures of the material.



4. Do not lie about the condition of the product.


New items must be in perfect condition, but second-hand products sometimes show some wear and tear. If a product you are thinking of selling is damaged or damaged, be honest with your customers and include a picture of the damage. Just remember to highlight the exceptional qualities of your product first.



5. Do not change the location.


It is important to keep your dummy or model always in the same place for as long as you are shooting, even if you change the clothes you are photographing. The easiest way to make sure you don't change the location is to mark a spot on the floor with tape to put the dummy or where the model should be placed



6. Shoot straight.



To save some time later, make sure the images you create are in a straight line and are trimmed exactly how you want them to appear on the internet. This way you won't have to spend time making these adjustments later.


5. Add some magic.


Once you have finished photographing, load the images into an application for mobile image editing such as Adobe Photoshop Touch or Camera + to manipulate brightness, contrast, sharpness and other basic levels. This is not a crucial step, But adjusting these parameters can definitely add a special touch to your images, which sometimes makes a difference in the customer's decision when buying a product or moving to another.


Avoid experimenting with shots. Images with straight shooting and the right cropping are the best choice to appear onlinePin It


If you don't have time or don't know how to edit the images for yourself, you can always send them to an external professional company that can make your images really shine. Here at Pixelz , we can optimize your images and edit them to create truly amazing product photographs with pristine backgrounds, splendid colors and clear sharpness. With our guarantee of fast delivery, your images will be ready to sell on the internet in 24 hours or even less time.

Thursday, February 27, 2020

transportation risk management



The U.S. transportation industry is among the most risk-prone of all industries, requiring transportation companies to implement strong enterprise risk management strategies. Using the right methods and tools, these companies can mitigate much of their risk and be in a better position to respond to situations when they arise.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, “Risk management is a process of analytical and management activities that focus on identifying and responding to the inherent uncertainties of managing a complex organization and its assets.”

The risks transportation companies face may vary but can include fleet integrity and safety, driver safety and retention, and compliance issues. Some of these risks are directly impacted by outside influences, particularly weather events, traffic and road conditions. transportation risk management.



Everything You Wanted to Know about Transportation Risk Management : Riskpulse

What Is Transportation Risk Management? The U.S. transportation industry is among the most risk-prone of all industries, requiring transportation companies to implement strong enterprise risk management strategies. Using the right methods and tools, these companies can mitigate much of their risk and be in a better position to respond to situations when they arise.