What in the world do marching ants have to do with e-commerce?
Some would say, everything.
According to the Pixc blog, Step 4 in creating the ghost mannequin effect involves outlining the mannequin modeled clothing with the lasso tool in the Photoshop program. The enclosed area is easy to identify because of the blinking image that the site calls walking ants. By following the rest of the steps the photo cropping and editing process allows the user to create the ghost mannequin effect that is so popular on many online clothing websites.
Whether the owner is running an online only vintage clothing store in Los Angeles or the owner is someone maintaining a website to accompany her small town clothing boutique on Main Street, photo edition techniques are important. While a few online stores can get by with amateur looking photos, the best shops use specific techniques to enhance their products.
E-Commerce Opportunities Rely on Quality Photographs to Sell Both Products and Services
Although many business owners have the time and the talent to edit and modify their own product photos, other business owners rely on photo editing services to create the images that are needed. For businesses that have immediate need for multiple images, photo editing services are sometimes the only answer. For example, real estate marketing companies often have to produce 30 or more photographs of a single property within just a couple of days. And while it may be possible to get pictures ready for one listing, successful agents who are dealing with multiple properties simply do not have the time to edit their own photos.
Different businesses rely on different kinds of photography techniques and photos editing skills that are specific to the products that are being sold. The ghost mannequin effect, obviously is a technique that is used by any site that is selling clothing of any style. The marketing theory is that the ghost mannequin effect makes a piece of clothing appeal to any person. I live model, for example, can send the message that only a person who looks like the model might should buy the product. And when compared to a limp piece of clothing folded on a counter, the use of the ghost mannequin effect allows for views from the front, the back, and both sides.
And while retail clothing sites rely on images of clothing, other businesses need different kinds of photos. Restaurants, for example, need online photos of nearly all menu items. Used car dealers, on the other hand, often need photos of overall shots of the vehicle that is for sale, as well as close up of upholstery, trim, tires, and accessories.
Online Advertising Generates Nearly $150 Billion a Year in Revenue
With the growing number of online offerings it is no wonder a number of photographers are needed. Photo editing experts, still life and portrait photographers, and visual marketers are all careers helping online businesses present their products. It should come as no surprise that the projected employment of photographers is anticipated to grow 3% between the years 2014 and 2024. And while this growth may be slower than the average for all combined occupations, experts predict that there will always be jobs for the most talented professionals. And while salaried jobs may be more difficult to find as an increasing number of companies contract with freelancers, the photographic jobs will still be plentiful. As companies hire freelancers rather than hire their own photographers, many photographers enjoy the opportunity to work for themselves.
The freelance photography business is a combination of both old school and new school techniques. While these professionals need to still understand the basics of apertures and shutters and light control, depth of field, and motion, they must also master new digital photo editing techniques. While at the same time photographers have to understand the use of an f/22 aperture in a brightly lit situation and an f/2 aperture in a dimly lit location, they may also need to be prepared to apply a variety of digital photo effects to create the most unique images. Photography is one career that continues to develop and adjust to the increasing prevalence of the digital world.
