AI product photography for marketplace listings

A listing image set: one compliant main image plus three to five lifestyle or secondary images that still show your real product accurately.

Best for: Sellers who already have a clear photo of their product and want better secondary images without a studio shoot.

• A sharp, evenly lit photo of the real product, shot by you or someone who gave you the rights.
• Access to the marketplace’s current image requirements (open them in a second tab; they change).
• An image editor that supports layers and masks.

1. 1

   Audit the source photo

   Zoom to 200%. Check focus on the label, clean edges, no colour cast and no reflections of the room. A weak source photo becomes a weak result, and fixing it later costs more than reshooting now.

   ✦Tip. Shoot against a plain light wall with a window to one side. Add a white card opposite to soften shadows.

2. 2

   Make the compliant main image without AI creativity

   Cut the product out, place it on a pure white background (RGB 255, 255, 255) and size it to fill most of the frame. Marketplaces typically ask for a minimum pixel size on the long edge, no added text, badges or watermarks, and an accurate product. Confirm the current numbers in your marketplace’s seller help before exporting.

3. 3

   Plan the secondary images first

   Write the list before you generate anything: one lifestyle scene, one scale/size image, one detail close-up, one “what is in the box” image. Each image should answer one buyer question. This stops you from generating dozens of pretty pictures that do not sell.

4. 4

   Generate the scene, not the product

   Ask the image model for an empty scene with a clear space where the product will sit. Models alter labels, logos and proportions. Generating only the environment, then placing your real photo into it, keeps the product exact.

   ✦Tip. Match the light: tell the model where the light comes from, then flip your product cut-out if its shadow side disagrees.

5. 5

   Composite and add a believable shadow

   Place the cut-out on the scene, match scale to nearby objects, and paint a soft contact shadow on a separate layer. Add a subtle reflection only if the surface is glossy. Check the edge of the cut-out for a bright halo against dark backgrounds.

6. 6

   Compare against the physical product

   Hold the product next to the screen. Check colour, label text, number of parts and proportions. Anything the AI invented (extra buttons, different caps, changed wording) must be removed. Misleading images lead to returns and policy problems.

7. 7

   Export and name the files

   Export sRGB JPEGs at the size your marketplace requires. Name files so you can tell versions apart, for example sku_main_v1.jpg and sku_lifestyle_kitchen_v1.jpg. Keep the layered files for later edits.

Replace anything in [square brackets]. Prompts are starting points: results vary between tools and versions, so review every output.

Prompts are written in English because image, video and most text models follow English instructions best. To get answers in your language, add “Reply in English.” to a prompt for a text assistant.

Photograph of an empty [kitchen counter / bathroom shelf / desk] in soft morning window light from the left, shallow depth of field, clear flat surface in the lower third left empty for a product, natural props blurred in the background, neutral warm colour palette, no text, no logos, no people.

My product is [describe it] and is [width x height x depth] cm. List 5 everyday objects a buyer knows the size of that I could place next to it so scale is obvious at a glance. For each, say how to arrange them so the product stays the hero.

Write a short, factual alt text (under 120 characters) and a lowercase hyphenated file name for each image in this list: [list your images]. Describe only what is visible. Do not add claims about quality, certifications or results.

• ✕Letting the model regenerate the product, which quietly changes the label.
• ✕Using a lifestyle image as the main image.
• ✕Matching the scene’s colour but not its light direction, so the product looks pasted on.
• ✕Skipping the check against the real object.