It makes perfect sense to go with what feels familiar, like basic retouching or background removal. But we’ve learned from working with thousands of photographers and business owners that your photos often benefit from multiple services working together. Combining services gets you better results with less hassle, since you can handle everything in one order instead of juggling separate projects. Let’s show you how to pick the right edits for your photos.

How to identify what your photos actually need

Before you start combining services, let’s figure out what you’re actually working with—it’ll save you time and help you get better results.

Photo diagnosis checklist

Take a look at your images and ask yourself if you spot any of these:

• Background issues: Is the background distracting, the wrong color, or inconsistent across your batch? Does it look messy or unprofessional?
• Subject problems: Are there imperfections, poor lighting, or color issues with your main subject? For apparel, does it need to show fit and drape without a model?
• Technical fixes: Is anything crooked? Are shadows missing or looking unnatural? Any dust, dirt, or glare issues?
• Brand requirements: Do you need multiple product colors? Specific formats? Transparent backgrounds for marketing materials?

Common photo problems and their solutions

Here are some scenarios we see all the time:

• “My product looks flat and boring” → clipping path + shadows
• “The background is messy and distracting” → background removal + retouching
• “I need to show this product in 5 different colors” → clipping path + color change
• “The model’s hair isn’t looking right” → image masking + retouching
• “My apparel needs to show shape without the mannequin” → ghost mannequin + retouching + symmetry

Most photo challenges need two to three services working together, not just one by itself.

How Path services work better together

Here’s why thinking in combinations instead of individual services makes more sense:

• Save admin time: Upload everything you need edited in a single order and get it all back together, ready to use. No juggling multiple orders or trying to keep track of which image versions are where.
• Speed up your workflow: Everything gets delivered together in the formats you need. Your designer handles all the edits for each image, so there’s consistency across the entire batch.
• Keep all photos consistent: When the same designer handles all your edits, you get cohesive results. Colors match, shadows look natural together, and the overall style stays consistent.
• Keep costs down: We offer discounts when you bundle multiple editing services together.

You can combine pretty much any of our services together—two, three, four, or more. What matters is understanding which combinations work best for your specific type of photography.

Service combinations by photography type

Every photography project has different needs, and you might even use the same image for different purposes. Here are some proven editing combinations that work well for different situations:

Sports photographers

When you’re dealing with high-volume shoots and tight deadlines, you need services that work fast and handle the most common issues in sports photography.

Your typical service combo:

• Image masking for complex backgrounds, hair, equipment details, etc.
• Background removal for clean, professional shots and official team photos, etc.
• Photo retouching for spot removal, color correction, skin touch-ups, etc.

There may be time-critical events such as championship coverage where you need polished images fast, or you might need to update and create consistent team roster headshots across an entire squad, just like this photographer does. You can choose different services depending on what each batch of images needs, whether that’s processing 200+ action shots or creating headshots with a uniform, professional look.

We offer turnarounds from 6 hours, so you can deliver images to your clients, magazines, or publications fast.

Product and ecommerce brands and photographers

For ecommerce, consistency is everything. Your product photos need to look professional, meet marketplace (like Amazon) standards, and convert browsers into buyers.

A standard combo:

• Clipping path for clean cutouts that meet marketplace requirements or create a clean website look.
• Shadow services add depth and dimension so products don’t look flat.
• Color change shows all available product colors without reshooting every single variant.

Advanced ecommerce stack (add these for even more polished results):

• Ghost mannequin is essential for apparel brands to show fit and drape.
• Symmetry shows perfect product alignment for a premium, professional look.
• Photo retouching removes any product imperfections (like wrinkles in fabric) and enhances details.

New ecommerce brands often start with the foundation combo (clipping path + shadows + color change) and add ghost mannequin as their apparel inventory grows. Established retailers may go with the full stack approach for complete consistency across their entire product catalog.

Portrait and headshot photographers

Professional portraits and headshots need to look polished but still natural. The goal is enhancing what’s already there, not creating something fake.

Typical professional edits for portraits and headshots include:

• Background removal/clipping path gives you versatile backgrounds for different marketing uses.
• Photo retouching helps with natural beauty enhancement, color correction, and flyaway hair fixes.

Corporate headshot scenarios may include:

• Basic combo of background removal + basic retouching.
• Premium package, adding advanced retouching and multiple background options for different brand uses.

Advanced portrait combination (for high-end clients or special projects) may include:

• Image masking for complex hair or clothing details.
• Color change for different outfit variations or brand color matching.
• Multiple background options so clients can use the same headshot across different marketing materials.

Wedding and event portrait combinations may include:

• Image masking for intricate dress details and flowing fabric.
• Retouching for flawless, natural skin and perfect lighting.
• Background removal for ceremony photos that need to work in albums and marketing.

How to choose your perfect edit combination

Use this simple framework to figure out which services make sense for any project:

1. What’s your end goal? Are these photos for marketplace listings, marketing materials, portfolio work, or client galleries?
2. What’s your biggest time constraint? Do you have a tight deadline, a high volume of images, or particularly complex edits?
3. What’s your budget priority? Are you focused on cost per image, or is premium quality and time savings more important?

Consider your photo use case

Sometimes the same photo needs different sets of edits depending on how you plan to use it. For example, a product photo might need:

• For marketplace listing: clipping path + white background + basic retouching.
• For social media: same photo but with different background + enhanced colors + shadows.
• For print: higher resolution + color matching + vector conversion.

How to mix and match your edits

Use this simple approach to figuring out which services work best for your projects:

• Start simple: Pick two to three core services that address your biggest pain points.
• Test combinations: Try different combos on smaller image batches to see what works best for your workflow.
• Scale up when it makes sense: Add more services as you see results and understand how they improve your final images.

When to add each editing service

Not sure which services you actually need? Here’s a quick reference for what each one does best.

Clipping path: When you need hand-drawn, crisp clean cutouts that you can use on any background.

Background removal: When you want clean white (or any color) backgrounds for product photos.

Image masking: For intricate shots with hair, fur, or complex borders that need precise, natural-looking cutouts.

Shadow: When products look flat or unrealistic—shadows add depth and dimension, and they actually help generate more sales.

Ghost mannequin: For apparel that needs to show natural fit and drape without models or mannequins, essential for consistent ecommerce catalogs.

Color change: When you have multiple color options and need to show true-to-life colors without reshooting every single shade.

Photo retouching: When imperfections distract from your subject—this corrects flaws and makes every element shine.

Multi-clipping path: When you need to select multiple areas within images for separate editing (like changing just the shirt color but not the pants).

Vector conversion: When you need scalable graphics and logos that maintain quality at any size.

Symmetry: When product alignment matters for brand consistency and that premium, professional look that converts better.

How to place your Path order

Ready to try combining services? Here’s exactly how to do it and how it works:

Getting started

1. Sign up for your Path account
2. Top up Path credits (optional but recommended—you get bonus credits when you top up)

The ordering process

3. Click “new order” to start your project
4. Select all the services you need for this batch—you can choose as many as you want
5. Upload your images using drag and drop
6. Get instant quote and you’ll see your total cost immediately
7. Set preferences like:
   a) File format for your edited images
   b) Additional comments or instructions
   c) Upload any supporting files if needed
8. Select turnaround time (longer turnaround means cheaper pricing, or choose rush for time-sensitive projects)
9. Review and approve your quote
10. Choose payment method and submit your order

If you need 1,000+ images edited a month, we offer bulk pricing with better rates and priority support.

Ordering edits with Path couldn’t be any easier

Now that you know which combinations work for your type of photography, placing an order is straightforward. Try Path free with 2 free edits and see how much better your photos look with the right services working together.

Let us look after your image edits, so you can get back to the fun stuff. Try Path free.

Learn more

The post How to Know Which Photo Editing Services You Need appeared first on Path Edits.

Clothing doesn’t cooperate like rigid products do. But there are plenty of proven tips and tricks to help with the three stages—prep, shooting, and post-production—so you can consistently create balanced, professional photos that convert.

Why symmetry matters in apparel product photography

Put simply, symmetry is pleasing to the eye. It represents order that our brain likes. Like a bookshelf with perfectly aligned spines or evenly stacked towels. But if you look at a building that has every window perfectly aligned except one, you’d notice it immediately.

The same applies to your product photography. If your apparel shots are crooked, unbalanced, or asymmetrical, shoppers notice—and not in a good way. Symmetry triggers trust, which in turn can help boost your sales. 

When buyers see balanced, well-aligned product images—like The Wildlife Trusts online storefront—they perceive higher quality and professionalism. It’s a subconscious signal that you care about details, which translates to caring about your products.

Pre-shoot preparation: setting up for symmetry 

The right prep can save you hours of editing later and help you achieve that balanced, professional look from the start.

Choosing the right garments and prep

• Select quality samples: Choose garments in excellent condition without permanent wrinkles, stretched fabric, or damaged seams that can’t be easily fixed.
• Steam thoroughly: Remove all wrinkles and creases before shooting. Pay extra attention to sleeves, collars, and hems where asymmetry is most noticeable.
• Know your fabrics: Delicate materials like silk need gentle handling and may require clips to maintain shape (without over stretching). Heavier fabrics like denim hold their form better but need proper steaming.
• Arrange details evenly: Position buttons, zippers, and accessories symmetrically before shooting.
• Check seam alignment: Ensure shoulder seams, side seams, and collar edges are properly positioned and won’t create uneven lines.

Mannequin and display preparation

• Choose proper sizing: Select mannequins (or models) that fit your garments without stretching or bunching the fabric. You can turn images into ghost mannequins later.
• Align mannequin straight: Position mannequins facing directly forward. Shoot straight-on or at a slight up/down angle.
• Support flat lays: Use foam core boards or batting inside garments to add structure and eliminate wrinkles for flat lay shots.
• Add dimension: Stuff sleeves and body sections with batting to create natural-looking volume and shape.
• Pin invisible points: Secure fabric from behind using straight pins to keep symmetrical draping.

Some pieces won’t work symmetrical and that’s fine. Still apply all other prep and shooting tips to get high quality photos. For example, this cape on Project Cece’s online shop is asymmetrical and calls for balanced composition rather than forced symmetry.

During the shoot: capturing balanced apparel images

Photographing and arranging products isn’t quick work—even teams with professional stylists might max out at 10 items per shoot day, though dedicated studios with specialized workflows can typically process more.

Camera settings for optimal symmetry

• Choose longer focal lengths: Use 50mm, 85mm or longer to minimize distortion that can make clothing look uneven or warped. If you’ve got limited space, zoom lenses can come in handy.
• Set consistent aperture: Shoot around f/8-f/11 to keep the entire garment in sharp focus from front to back.
• Position camera center: Keep your camera dead-center and level. For top-down shots, ensure the camera is truly overhead to avoid skewing.
• Use a sturdy tripod: Essential for consistent framing, sharp images, and avoiding camera shake.
• Set up even lighting: Use two lights (ideally), positioned on either side to eliminate uneven shadows. Adjust angles based on fabric thickness.
• Enable camera gridlines: Use your camera’s grid overlay to align garments perfectly within the frame. You can also shoot tethered and connect to a monitor to catch any issues in real-time.
• Frame precisely: Frame your shots exactly as needed from the start. If you plan on removing background or doing other edits like drop shadow, you can always adjust canvas size during editing. Just make sure to fully capture your product so you have plenty to work with in editing.

Styling techniques for balance

Different garments will benefit from different arm positions—some look better with hands close to the body, others with arms slightly bent away. Whatever you choose, make sure both sides match for symmetrical posing.

• Use clips, pins, and even tape behind the garment to create perfect draping while keeping them invisible from camera view.
• Review each shot immediately to catch issues before moving to the next setup. What looks balanced to your eye may appear crooked in the photo.
• Make small adjustments between shots rather than major repositioning. 

Post-production: fine-tuning your symmetry  

Even with perfect shooting, most apparel photos need symmetry adjustments. Good clothing editing fixes natural flaws without making products look artificial and matches both sides, not copy-pastes half a garment.

Basic symmetry edits anyone can do

• Crop and straighten: Use your editing app’s grid overlays to align garments perfectly within the frame and correct any camera tilt. In Adobe Photoshop, you can select several grids when cropping, such as Rule of Thirds or Triangle (both great for quickly centering your shots) or Grids (for more precision).

• Make minor adjustments: Fix small imperfections like uneven hems or slightly askew collars using basic retouching tools.
• Address wrinkles: You can’t get true symmetry on wrinkled fabric, so make sure to smooth out any obvious creases.

Professional symmetry editing techniques

Professional symmetry editing involves complex, precise adjustments that require advanced skills:

• Sleeve alignment: Matching sleeve length, cuff positioning, and draping between left and right sides
• Side-edge corrections: Ensuring garment edges create perfect parallel lines and consistent silhouettes
• Curve refinement: Smoothing necklines, armholes, and hemlines for balanced curves
• Detail alignment: Positioning pockets, buttons, zippers, and decorative elements to mirror exactly

These edits involve reshaping fabric digitally while keeping realistic texture and natural draping. Our mirror image symmetry service handles these complex fixes so you can focus on shooting and growing your business instead of spending hours on detailed post-production. 

When to DIY vs. when to outsource

Not every symmetry issue can be fixed with editing. Major fabric distortions or non-mirrored patterns need to be corrected during shooting—no amount of post-production can create symmetry that wasn’t captured originally.

Some garments, like the patterned shirt from Omnes, look balanced in shape but have naturally asymmetric designs. For these pieces, focus on getting the overall structure right during shooting, then handle simple fixes like ghost mannequin effects, lighting adjustments, and wrinkle removal.

Basic edits like cropping and straightening work fine as DIY projects. But complex symmetry corrections can take hours per image. For busy photographers and ecommerce brands, professional editing usually costs less than your time while delivering better results. 

And with marketplaces like Amazon requiring high-quality images, professional symmetry editing gives you that polished result that DIY edits can’t always achieve.

Symmetry checklist 

Check all these before approving your images and you’re good to go:

• No obvious wrinkles (natural fabric draping is fine)
• Sleeves and hems are aligned and match in length
• Collar and necklines are centered and balanced
• Buttons, zippers, and pockets are positioned symmetrically
• Fabric drapes evenly on both sides
• Lighting is balanced with no uneven shadows

Consistently balanced shots for every product

Not only does symmetrical apparel photography help your products look appealing, it also meets the high standards that customers expect in ecommerce. Whether you edit in-house or outsource the tricky stuff, what matters is finding the approach that works for your workflow and quality needs.

Need help getting perfect symmetry? Path’s editors handle complex apparel fixes, saving you time while delivering professional results for any marketplace.

The post How to Take Symmetrical Apparel Photos for Ecommerce appeared first on Path Edits.

This particular ghost mannequin application also allows you to set your image on any color background.

How to create a ghost mannequin in Photoshop: the step-by-step tutorial

For this ghost mannequin tutorial, we’ll use the following photos for our garment front and interior, and show you how to use the ghost mannequin technique to merge them together. 

Scroll down below for the full written tutorial.

1. Set up your layers

Open the image of the garment shot on a mannequin or model in Photoshop and double-click on the Background layer to make the layer editable. Rename the layer “Front.”

Create a new layer and place it behind the Front layer. Name the layer “Background.” Then, fill the new Background layer with 100% black by typing SHIFT+F5 (FN+SHIFT+F5 on a Mac laptop) and choosing Black next to Contents.

Note: If you’re working with a black garment, set the background color to 100% white. 

Creating a black background will help you see your selection accurately as you create it. We’ll change this background color later as needed. 

2. Select the background using the Magic Wand tool

Make sure the Front layer in your Layers panel is selected.

Select the Magic Wand tool from Photoshop’s toolbar or press W on your keyboard.

If you don’t see the Magic Wand tool, it may be hiding behind the Object Selection tool or the Quick Selection tool. Click and hold on whichever of these selection tools is visible to reveal and select the Magic Wand tool. 

With the Magic Wand tool selected, you’ll see two buttons at the top of the application window in the options bar: Select Subject and Select and Mask… Click on Select and Mask… 

If you get an error message saying nothing could be selected, make sure you’re on the Front layer.

A Preview Window will appear, and what you see in that window depends on the View Mode selected under Properties on the right side of the screen.

Make sure View is set to On Layers (Y). 

Click on the Select Subject button at the top of the screen. 

Photoshop will attempt to figure out the subject of your photograph and then create a selection accordingly. If your original photograph has a solid background that’s a different color from your garment, this selection will be close to perfect.

On the left-hand side of the Preview Window are tools you can use to help you work with the selection. 

If you need to refine the selection (such as the edge on the left-hand side of the dress in the image above), you can paint along the edge of the selection using the Refine Edge Brush tool or the Brush tool on the left-hand side of the Preview Window. 

See the tutorial on the Magic Wand tool for a detailed explanation of Select and Mask…

3. Select the mannequin using the Magic Wand tool

The next step is to remove the clothing from the mannequin in Photoshop.

Select the Quick Selection tool, then choose Subtract from the options bar at the top of the Preview Window. Add and Subtract look like dashed ellipses surrounding “plus” (+) and “minus” (-) signs.

Select areas of the mannequin that are still showing by clicking on them in the Preview Window. These areas will disappear from view as you click on them. If you accidentally remove part of the garment as well, type CTRL+Z (COMMAND+Z on a Mac) to undo, and then reduce the “Size” option next to the selection tool. 

The selection doesn’t need to be perfect, but it does need to be refined enough for you to feel confident removing any additional pixels from the image using your Eraser tool.

On the right-hand side of the Preview Window, move the slider for Shift Edge to the left, about 30%. This will move the selection inward slightly, helping remove any halo effects from the selection. 

Click OK.

4. Create Layer Mask

In your Front layer, click on the mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel to mask out the subject’s background. Then, select the mask icon next to the Front layer icon. 

Choose the Eraser tool from the Toolbar and make sure the foreground color is set to white and the background color is set to black.

Erase out any portions of the mannequin that are still visible. 

With the image we’re using, the model’s arms cover part of her skirt. We’ll need to use the Clone Stamp tool to “paint back” portions of her skirt.

To learn more about the Clone Stamp tool, check out this article on Photoshop tools. 

After “repairing” sections of the skirt covered by the model’s arms, you’re ready for the second stage of the ghost mannequin Photoshop tutorial.

5. Create selections of the interior

It’s time to break out that second image—the one that shows the interior of your garment (such as the neck).

Repeat Steps 2 and 3 with the interior photograph so you have a selection of the garment itself, and then create the layer mask. 

Using the Rectangular Marquee tool, select the neck area of the garment. Type SHIFT+CTRL+C (SHIFT+COMMAND+C on a Mac) to copy the selection and the mask. 

In your Front image, select the Background layer and type CTRL+V (COMMAND+V on a Mac) to paste the selection. Name the layer “Neck.”

Type CTRL+T (COMMAND+T on a Mac) to scale or rotate your neck layer so the back of the neck lines up with the front of the neck and shoulders. 

Repeat the process with any other portions of the garment where the back of the garment should show.

6. Warp and clean up interior portions

This is the step that separates a good Photoshop ghost mannequin from a great Photoshop ghost mannequin.

Remember, the photo you had that you grabbed your garment’s interior from lay flat, but you want those portions to look just as filled out as the front of your garment. You can use the Warp transform tool to do the trick.

Make sure you have the layer selected that you want to warp (we’ll start with the neck in this example). Choose Edit > Transform > Warp to enable the Warp tool.

Pull up on the center of the neck with the Warp anchors to form a curve, as an actual neck would form. You can also use the tool to adjust any other discrepancies you see. 

Once you’ve adjusted the curve of the garment, use the Eraser tool to gently remove any areas that don’t line up completely with the top edge of the neck.

Repeat the process with other areas of the garment where the interior shows.

7. Darken interiors

In order to finalize the illusion that this photo was taken on an invisible mannequin, you need to add drop shadows to the interior portions of the garment.

Select the Neck layer in the Layers panel. Choose the Burn tool from the Toolbar. If you don’t see the Burn tool, it might be hiding behind the Dodge tool or the Sponge tool. 

Once the Burn tool is selected, you have several options in the Options bar for what you want to darken—highlights, midtones, or shadows. Use your judgment over which of these options best suits the color of your garment. Then, “paint” with the burn tool over the areas of your garment’s neck that would be in shadow. 

Repeat the Burn tool adjustments on any other layers where interior portions show.

8. Get the background color you want

You’re almost done! Go back to your Background layer and change its color to white or whatever other color you prefer. Since you used black when you created your selection, you can be confident that your ghost mannequin will look good in front of any color. 

Getting the best photographs to work with

The better the source material, the easier it’ll be to create your ghost mannequin in Photoshop. While some sellers have actual invisible mannequins to use for their product photography, many rely on regular mannequins or models and the technique described in this tutorial.

To ensure you have the best photos to work from, do the following during your photo shoot:

Shoot clothing items on a symmetrical mannequin, arms pointing down.

• If you’re using a model instead of a mannequin, make sure their arms hang down and their legs are uncrossed. Also, clip back long hair or jewelry that could obscure the actual clothing product.
• Keep camera and lighting in the same place when shooting clothing interiors. Clip your clothing item to a piece of whiteboard or foam core, then stand the board up at the same location and height as the mannequin to ensure consistent lighting.
• Keep backdrops neutral and plain. A plain white or light gray, non-reflective backdrop is best. Our analysis of the top online clothing brands found that more than 94% of those brands have a plain, neutral background.
• Iron or steam clothes prior to shooting, and make sure garments fit on the mannequin properly — without folds or gaps.
• Place your camera at the same height as the product. In other words, don’t have the camera above the item, looking down. Shooting with the camera at the wrong angle will distort the product and require more post-processing work.

Make the most of your product photos

In an ideal world, you’d have complete control over your clothing photography. However, you can still create an invisible mannequin effect in Photoshop with less than perfect source materials.

Not enough time to figure it all out yourself? Send your photos to us, and we’ll whip up a professionally edited photo with a ghost mannequin in no time — and for less than 50 cents an image.

Ghost mannequin Photoshop FAQs

How do you do the ghost mannequin effect?

You can use the ghost mannequin effect on any garment that has been photographed on a model or a mannequin. Use the ghost mannequin effect to showcase garments without the distraction of a model or a visible mannequin in your ecommerce photos.

Why use ghost mannequin?

Using a ghost mannequin can help your customers understand what a garment will look like when it’s being worn. Ghost mannequins provide a more accurate understanding of how a garment will fit than garments photographed on a hanger.

What is the mannequin effect in Photoshop?

The mannequin effect in Photoshop is a technique that allows you to remove all visible signs of a person or a physical mannequin from your photo using a series of Photoshop tools. The end result looks like the garment is being worn by someone invisible, such as a ghost.

What is an invisible mannequin?

An invisible mannequin is the same as a ghost mannequin. Invisible mannequin photography gives the illusion of a garment being worn and shows how the garment will fit a person. However, in an invisible mannequin ecommerce photo, the model or mannequin is rendered fully invisible.

How do you take ghost mannequin photography?

1. Photograph the garment on a model or mannequin against a white background if possible.
2. Lay the garment flat on a white surface and take photos of the interior portions of the garment that are visible on a hanger.
3. Using the steps in this tutorial, carefully remove the model or mannequin from the photo, and stitch that photo with photos of the interior.

The post Ghost Mannequin Photoshop Tutorial: How to Make Clothing Photography Pop appeared first on Path Edits.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to combine multiple photo editing services in one order. Not only will this give you ideas on how to enhance your product photos in post-production, but also help you save time and money by helping plan ahead which combination of photo editing services to order.

Background removal + drop or natural shadow

Clipping path is a popular method for removing the background from a product photo. You can then use the cut-out product with a different color background or repurpose it in other ways. But the problem is straightforward product cut-outs can look flat.

You can create a more enticing product photo with a natural or drop shadow. Electronics, accessories, furniture, food and drink, and many other products can benefit from the shadow effect to stand out against a white background.

There are other shadow types you might want to use, like a floating or an enhanced existing shadow—it all depends on the type of products you sell. Items that naturally hang, like earrings or ceiling lamps, work well with a floating shadow, and so do products with unique angles like the sneakers in the example below.

An enhanced existing shadow is great for keeping the shadow captured during the shoot, like in the example below.

Background removal + reflective shadow

If you sell products like jewelry, watches, perfume and cosmetics, you can add a reflective shadow after removing the background with a clipping path. With such a simple change, you can create a luxurious aesthetic.

The reflective shadow gives an impression of a reflective surface beneath products, like in a store with a glass, metallic, or acrylic display.

Background removal + color change

In ecommerce businesses that offer multiple product variants, reshooting inventory every time a new product color comes in stock can be time-consuming and costly. You also have to be mindful about getting the lighting and composition consistent, so all products look the same.

However, you can streamline the process by ordering a color change in addition to background removal. All you need is a single photo that showcases your product.

Our editors will then carefully edit the different shades for a natural look so your customers can toggle between colors and pick the product variant most appealing to them. We complete every edit by hand, no automation or AI here, so you can rest assured your colors look realistic.

Product listings aren’t the only place to use color change shots—make the most of them in other parts of your marketing. For example, you can create a collage or a series of individual images for social media showing all color variations of your product. Or add all the different product color choices on a leaflet or brochure to distribute to potential clients.

Background removal + drop shadow

If you sell clothing and accessories, you already know how distracting price tags and hangers can be. With clipping paths, editors remove any distracting elements from the photo and cut out the background so all your product images are consistent.

Include a drop shadow in your order to add dimension and subtle product separation from the white background.

Camera glare + drop shadow

You may come across distracting camera glare in your photos, especially if you DIY your product photography. This happens when the light reflects off surfaces like glass and metal and shines into the camera lens. The effect may work for some creative lifestyle or product shots but not for professional ecommerce images.

There’s a simple fix—you can order photo retouching to remove camera glare and add a drop shadow for a pleasing photo ready for use in online stores and marketplaces.

Wrinkle removal (fabric) + drop shadow or clipping path

Getting your fabric products ready for the photoshoot is not an easy feat—packaging and transporting them can add wrinkles and creases even with the most careful preparation. Products like clothing, accessories, decor, and furniture may end up with various blemishes during the transit and shooting process.

A wrinkle removal will take care of any distracting imperfections. You can then combine it with a drop shadow or clipping path, depending on image use. In an ecommerce marketplace like Amazon, the clipping path removes the background, so you can use a white one to fit the listing photo requirements.

If you want to keep the original background, add the drop shadow to the wrinkle removal order and elevate the image further.

Photo retouching + color change

Photo retouching is the first step to removing imperfections like fabric wrinkles, tags, and blemishes on your product photos. Using photo retouching does not change the product’s appearance but enhances it to look professional and appealing to your customers.

For example, here, we first removed wrinkles from the model’s shorts while the rest of the photo stays the same. Then we added a product color change from brown to green.

Combining photo retouching with color change in the same order is useful if you have product variations in your inventory—it’ll save you reshooting the items.

With a lifestyle shot like this, it’s even more difficult to recreate the exact model’s pose and camera angle. In just a fraction of a second, the model’s facial expressions will change from one image to another.

But with color change, you don’t have to worry about that because all photos will look the same. You can order color change for products like clothing, accessories, jewelry, furniture, bedding, and others.

Ghost mannequin + drop shadow

Photos of clothing on hangers and mannequins don’t always do your products justice. To bring apparel to life, you can order a ghost mannequin service. Editors will remove mannequins or models (as well as the background) for a clean, cohesive look with an invisible model.

You can use ghost mannequin shots in different ways, but above all, this method will give cohesion to your apparel listings. To make the apparel look more realistic, add a drop shadow to your order, like in the example below.

Ghost mannequin + photo retouching (wrinkle removal)

You can’t always make products look perfect during the photoshoot, especially if you have a large inventory to shoot. If you order a ghost mannequin service to give the impression your clothing products are floating mid-air, you can also add photo retouching to make your apparel look its best.

Imperfections like wrinkles, seams, creases, stains, and loose threads can be hard to notice during the photoshoot, but editors can easily remove them.

How can you order multiple photo editing services for your products?

The combinations listed above are just some ways to mix and match product photo editing services from Path. To see the full list of editing services available, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Path account. Or if you’re already logged in, click the ORDER YOUR EDITS button at the top right.

2. Select your first editing service from the list.

Clicking on the v arrow will expand the subcategories of each service. For example, after selecting the Clipping path, you can choose the edit complexity based on the type of products in your photos.

3. Select your second service. If you pick shadow, for example, you can choose different types of shadow edits—natural, reflection, existing, floating, or drop shadow.

Some services may also have secondary subcategories with additional options.

4. Repeat step #3 for any additional services. Click the ADD INFO → button (bottom right) once you’ve added all the services you need.

5. You’ll be asked for editing turnaround time, any add-on services, and additional comments for your editor. Customize your order options accordingly and then upload your images.

Click UPLOAD IMAGES → to submit your image files, and then add contact information to receive the final edits. After you submit your order, you’ll receive your custom quote within 45 minutes—once approved, we’ll start working on them right away.

Read more about ordering multiple photo editing services on our help page or get a custom quote for your product photo edits now.

Professional photo edits for an ecommerce success

Without a doubt, photos are critical for selling products online. But achieving high-quality images takes time and effort.

Our Photoshop experts are all about saving you hours spent editing so you can get back to focusing on the things that move your business forward. Mixing and matching different types of photo editing services will speed up your workflow even more. No need to submit your order for each editing technique—we can do it all in one go and deliver them to you in as little as six hours.

The post From Flat to Fab: How to Use Multiple Types of Edits to Boost Your Product Photos appeared first on Path Edits.

Not every apparel shot will work to create ghost mannequin photos, but with our tips, you can learn how to create seamless ones that catch consumers’ eyes for all the right reasons. 

What is ghost mannequin photography?

Ghost mannequin photography involves taking a photo of a garment on a mannequin or a person and then editing the photo to remove the mannequin. Doing so adds dimension to the product while creating the illusion that the garment is floating mid-air. It’s a popular technique used by ecommerce brands to showcase their products. 

Ghost mannequin photography allows ecommerce brands to create compelling visuals that attract attention and convert customers. The cohesion that ghost mannequin photos bring to ecommerce store websites also makes it easy for consumers to browse products—all product listings have the same editing style and background, like you can see on outdoor retailer REI’s website: 

Why use ghost mannequin product photos

According to one survey, as many as 90% of people say product images are either extremely or very important when shopping online for non-grocery products. You can use ghost mannequin photos of your apparel products to meet these expectations. 

The following are just some of the advantages ghost mannequin photography can offer your business:

Add dimension and make products look realistic

It’s one thing to neatly arrange accessories or footwear for product shots in front of a white background, but it can be challenging to do the same with clothing. The garment’s style may not be suited for folding or laying it flat. The process is also time-consuming and doesn’t showcase the product at its best for shoppers to gauge how it looks when worn.

An invisible model, however, can demonstrate the fit of a garment—from lingerie and swimwear to outerwear.

Streamline your photoshoot

If you’ve ever hired professional models before, you know it can be expensive and challenging to coordinate. Ghost mannequin photography eliminates the need for hiring models and other creatives, like makeup artists, hair stylists, and assistants.

By skipping this part, you can focus on other aspects of your business or job and save time and money. Your shooting and editing workflow also becomes easier and faster with time.

Appeal to all customers

Without a human model in the photo, you don’t have to worry about isolating any of your customers by not representing them in your model choices for main product images. That’s not to say you shouldn’t consider inclusivity altogether. Nearly a quarter of consumers aged 18 to 25 want more diversity and inclusion in apparel and footwear brand advertising.

Eliminating models for product photos can allow you to focus on sourcing diverse, representative talent for marketing and lifestyle photos instead.

Showcase all angles and details

Shoppers want to inspect online purchases as they would in a physical store—they want to see the product from different angles. They also might want to see the inside of apparel, the fabric used, and small details, like lining, pockets, brand labels, and other features.

If you don’t use ghost mannequin photos for clothing, many of these details are omitted—for example, it’s virtually impossible to get a side view or interior shot without ghost mannequin images.

Environment-conscious women’s fashion retailer Girlfriend Collective uses a mix of ghost mannequin and live model photos for its products. On this bra listing, shoppers can see the inside lining of the racerback, something that would be impossible to demonstrate with a live model. 

Put the focus on the product

Humans naturally look for faces in visuals, not inanimate objects. Knowing this can be great for creating effective banners, landing pages, and lifestyle photos—but not so much for white background ecommerce shots.

With more than 80% of fashion shoppers checking out on mobile, having listing photos that are easy to see and navigate on smaller screens is crucial for any apparel ecommerce business. By removing a person from your product photo, you also remove the distracting elements, like parts of a model’s face, hands, or feet. Now, the attention goes straight back to the product.

Bring consistency to online listings and shop website

With ghost mannequin photos on your website, shoppers know what to expect when they browse your products. Simple thumbnails with the same composition make it easy to compare products as consumers go from page to page.

Australia-based CLEONIE SWIMWEAR, for example, uses ghost mannequin shots for main images so you can see a uniform, consistent look when browsing shop pages. The white background also makes it easy to see the true color of each item. 

How to execute ghost mannequin product photography

You can shoot and edit ghost mannequin photos in Adobe Photoshop yourself or outsource the job to a professional editing studio like Path.

For any ghost mannequin photograph to work, you’ll need two photos:

1. A photo of the clothing on a mannequin or a live model
2. A photo without showing any inside labels

The two types of photos will give you or the editor enough visual data to create a composite image with an invisible mannequin effect.

1. Put your garment “on” for the first photo

First, shoot your garment on a mannequin or a live model with their arms pointing down (for upper-body garments). Make sure you’ve steamed or ironed it first to get rid of as many wrinkles as possible.

Use a simple background, like a solid gray backdrop, and be sure to photograph the mannequin straight on, not at an angle. Doing so will avoid any distortion or skewing in the final image. Use a tripod to avoid any camera shake and keep the distance between the camera and the garment the same.

2. Take you garment “off” for the second photo

To photograph the inside of your garment, like the area of the clothing label, you can turn the garment inside out and put it back on the model or the mannequin. You can also use a whiteboard or foam core to clip your clothing item to it and stand it up in the same place you took the first shots.

Take a few photos using the same lighting, camera, and tripod setup for consistency. 

3. Edit your ghost mannequin photos together

Next comes image editing to combine your photos and remove any imperfections—you can follow our step-by-step tutorial to learn how to edit your photos for a professional finish.

Get the most out of your ghost mannequin product photos

There’s more than one way to enhance your ghost mannequin photos—during the shoot and at the editing stage. We have also provided marketing tips to help you make the most of your photos and increase sales.

Retouch imperfections

Make sure the fabric of your clothing is taut and clean before the photoshoot. You should also look for wrinkles, seams, creases, stains, and loose threads. Have a steamer, safety pins, tape, and scissors on hand for any last-minute fixes on-set.

Checking that the clothing is polished will help you get a high-quality product look, but even at the best of times, you can miss an imperfection. Not all is lost because editing can usually fix those. It’s a tedious process, but you can use photo retouching services to outsource and make room for more important business tasks. 

Add shadow to give depth to products

If your ghost mannequin shots look flat, use drop shadows and reflective shadows to add depth. Doing so prevents your products from looking like cardboard cutouts and gives them dimension. Such a small change can instantly transform your photos for the better. 

Apply color change for new variants

For any ecommerce business selling hundreds of items, it’s costly and time-consuming to shoot each new color variation of clothing. Instead, you can do a color change edit to the original ghost mannequin image for any new fabric colors or prints. 

Add your branding or other elements for marketing images

Maybe you don’t have product labels and tags at the time of the shoot. You can add tags to the interior in post-processing. Doing so is also helpful if your branding design changes but you don’t have the resources to reshoot your whole inventory. You can see how this photo from M.M.Lafleur showcases the brand tag. 

Using the original ghost mannequin photo, you can also cut out the item and hang it on a rack or hanger with added design elements like graphics and text to highlight specific details. For example, the sustainable farm-to-closet clothing brand Pareto uses a photo of this crewneck sweater to show consumers the careful considerations behind the product’s design. 

Create outfits 

With ghost mannequin photos of your clothing, you can create image groups to increase sales without having to shoot each combination using live models.

• Show product variations in a single image: For easy product comparison, you can add a different color, pattern, or shape options in one photo. The responsibly-made underwear and loungewear label The MORI Club sells a bra duo pack. Using a single photo, consumers can choose which two styles to pick. 

• Introduce the whole collection: Similar to product variations, you can combine all garments to show a selection of each new collection. The Los Angeles-based fashion label House of Aama uses this method to reveal newly-launched pieces on the brand’s Instagram page. 

• Style outfits and sell them as a bundle: If you have ghost mannequin photos of your inventory, you can start curating outfits and selling them as product bundles. Getting rid of leftover stock, introducing buyers to new items, and offering seasonal promotions are just some benefits of bundling. Girlfriend Collective, for example, sells this bundle of workout outfit essentials and shows the higher price if shoppers buy all items individually. 

360-spin images

Let customers see the product from every angle before they buy using 360-degree spin product photography. Augmented reality makes virtual shopping even more immersive by showing products in 3D. Shopify reports that some product pages using this technology increased conversion rates by up to 250%.

You don’t have to go straight into investing in an augmented reality app, though. A basic turntable and multiple shots of your product will give you an affordable entry into 360-spin photography.

Make online shopping a seamless experience

Shopping for clothes is a personal experience, but it can be challenging if consumers can’t get a good look at the products. Ghost mannequin photography is one feature you can add to your toolkit to help improve the user experience and boost conversions.

Consider outsourcing to a photo-editing studio like Path if the process is too time-consuming. Besides making your customers’ shopping journey easier, you’ll also save hours of your work day.

The post How to Use Ghost Mannequin in Your Product Photography Mix appeared first on Path Edits.

Not sure which other photo editing tricks can bring the needed drama and extra definition to your product images? Let’s explore your options with before / after examples so you can learn to spot the needed photo editing technique.

1. Background removal via image masking

While clipping paths are ideal for removing backgrounds from items with straightforward edges, not every job is clean. In some cases, we have hair, fur, grass, and other fine details that don’t lend themselves to the nice clean lines we use when we create clipping paths. For images with these hairy details, image masking, compared to clipping paths, is the way to go.

Image masking is a more advanced method of background removal that’s also more detailed and time-consuming. This is why we use it as needed, not as a go-to choice.

The masking post-production technique uses artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize the borders of an object and make some parts of the image transparent, bringing pixel intensity of the identified parts to zero.

Generally, the more complex your object’s silhouette, the higher resolution you’ll need to use when editing—and the more likely image masking will yield cleaner, true-to-life results.

2. Get rid of product blemishes and imperfections

However carefully you handle your object during a photoshoot, the inevitable fingerprint, dust, smudge, or otherwise imperfect spot will make an appearance.

If you have these issues in your shot, photo retouching can help. The best retouching method depends largely on the material and reflectiveness of the item.

In the example below, a chair image was improved by removing the inconsistent spots that appear on the fuzzy suede-like material. The original image shows the fabric’s imperfections, whereas the edited image shows the product as it’s meant to be displayed.

3. Smooth wrinkles on fabric

While you want to iron or steam any fabrics prior to shooting, wrinkles and imperfections are also typically inevitable. Photoshoots are long and models are only human—an odd deep crease is almost unavoidable on most of the fabrics. You can use a “digital iron” to smooth out those wrinkles in Photoshop.

In this case, the Healing Brush Tool, Clone Stamp, and Content Aware Fill Tool help to make a perfect photo even with slight imperfections.

Check out how retouching turned a pair of messy, heavily creased shorts into a neat pair from visibly natural materials in the example below from fashion boutique Motif Concept Store.

4. Add or remove reflections

While some lighting effects are intentional, product shots can also end up with the occasional glare, reflection, or otherwise unwanted distraction due to light. Natural lighting is best for product photography, but you can’t control it. And setting up artificial lighting for your product photoshoot requires advanced skills and expensive equipment.

In other cases, you might want to add a reflection of a product to your shot. Maybe you weren’t able to get the angle right, the lighting wasn’t working, or you didn’t have a reflective surface available for the shoot. This is also possible in Photoshop. These images work well in print and digital ads, social media imagery, emails, and other marketing collateral.

5. Remove price tags and hangers

When shooting products, it’s best to remove price tags, hangers, and other distracting elements prior to taking the pictures. But that’s not always possible. Sometimes, you need to rely on Photoshop to remove these items after the fact.

And while it might seem straightforward, removing these unwanted elements may involve a combination of post-editing techniques like clipping paths, image masking, the healing brush, and more.

6. Change colors in Photoshop instead of taking new shots

When you have a product available in a number of colors or prints, but otherwise the design is exactly the same, you can simply change the color in Photoshop. Rather than spending time and money on coordinating an entirely new shoot for each new print or variant, you can prep your images using the content you already have.

Best part is, because it’s tedious and not too advanced, color change is a service you can easily outsource. Check out how natural the edited khaki shorts look in the example below.

7. Add shadow for dimension on white background

It may seem trivial to a novice in ecommerce sales, but every seasoned etailer knows the value of a drop shadow in the background. It gives an object extra dimension and depth, helping it jump off the page instead of looking flat and lifeless. Moreover, items look more realistic with a shadow.

See how a small natural show turns this flat image of earrings into a more realistic photo that jumps off the screen. It almost gives it a 3D-like quality.

Creating realistic drop shadows to a series of products styled as a web catalog needs a lot of attention, as the shadows should contribute to the general feel of consistency and professionalism, as opposed to creating a chaotic feel to the listings. And you want to make sure your shadows are realistic. Bad shadows could make your image look low-quality and spark mistrust in your audience.

8. Add a ghost mannequin for apparel product photos

To do ghost mannequin edits, you’ll need to know ahead of time. While other editing techniques can be applied to almost any product image, ghost mannequin photos must be shot and edited a certain way. You can’t just shoot an image of a T-shirt in a flat lay mode and then convert it to the ghost mannequin type. You have to take a picture of a garment on a mannequin to enable further manipulations.

This image editing technique is a popular compromise for brands that need models for their apparel photos but don’t have the ability to hire models for shoots. So it has the best of both worlds: it doesn’t cost a small fortune, but it looks almost as if worn by a person, making it easier for potential buyers to picture wearing it.

Depending on the garment cut, you may need to do one or a combination of ghost mannequin services: neck joint service, bottom joint service, or sleeve joint service. The most advanced technique in this category is called mannequin to model, where a piece of clothing is Photoshopped onto a model. The trick here is to make sure both plastic and live models are in the same pose.

Product photo enhancements as a service

Ecommerce photos almost always go through post-processing enhancements to be able to effectively do their job of attracting customers, educating them about the product, and ultimately converting them into buyers.

No Photoshop skills or spare time to do it yourself? You can outsource the most tedious and time-consuming edits to Path, your virtual photo-editing studio. Our edits start at just 39¢ per photo, and every edit is completed by hand—not some automated, mistake-prone software. 

The post Beyond Clipping Paths: 8 Ways to Improve Product Photos in Post-Production appeared first on Path Edits.