Using Ghost Mannequins for eCommerce Photography

Nowadays, more and more brands and retailers use ghost mannequin photography to get a 3D, hollow man effect for their products. Ghost mannequins are also known as invisible mannequins, because of their capacity of becoming non-viewable in photos. So if you want to learn how to use ghost mannequinsto achieve a 3D effect for your products, then you just need to read this tutorial.

Ghost mannequinphotography is mainly used when you want to photograph products such as shirts, blazers, jackets, or jeans. The photos you realize with the help of these mannequins help your customers to get a better image of themselves wearing the garments they see. Many brands and retailers prefer shooting all of their garments using this method, as it helps them maintain consistency. One of the greatest advantages of ghost mannequinsis that they help you bring the inside of your garment to life, without using Photoshop.

Tools to use

So now let’s see what you need to use for eCommerce photography.

• Ghost mannequin.Depending on your needs, preferences, and budget, you can choose from the various mannequins that you find. You need to get one with removable chest and arms, so you can remove pieces individually to get the invisible product shots that you want.
• For professional product photography, you need to use a camera that has at least the minimum requirements that are recommended for industry photography.
• Studio lighting. You are recommended to use a source of continuous cool LED lamp, as they ensure consistent exposure, shadows and contrast.
• Some of the garment types that you can use for this type of photography are blazers, coats, jackets and dresses.
• Styling tools.You can use various tools to help the garments fit more tightly. These may include pins, clips, tissue paper, or tape.

How to choose the right ghost mannequin for your garments

As you probably imagine, ghost mannequinsare available in various sizes and styles. So before you choose the mannequin to use, you need to ensure that it fits your products, as this is an essential part in getting great photographs.

A good recommendation is to have various different mannequins on hand before you start your shooting session. However, if you don’t have a range of ghost mannequinsto use for your photos, then you can rely on using some of the tools mentioned in the previous section, such as pins and clips.

Now that you got your ghost mannequin ready, it is about time to stack up the garments in a certain order of shooting. It is really helpful to make a logical order, such as grouping together those garments that fit without having to constantly change the mannequins and their pieces. This saves you a lot of time and effort.

Preparing and shooting

If you follow the next steps in order, it will be easier for you to shoot the photos.

1. Select the pieces you need to remove from the ghost mannequin.

Depending on the product types that you want to photograph, you may need to remove certain pieces from your ghost mannequin, such as the arms, or the “V” chest piece. 

2. Dress your mannequin.

Start with the sleeves and gently dress the mannequin in your chosen garment. Fix the shoulders and make sure that all the seams are well lined up with the shoulders of your mannequin. Also, ensure that the fabric has no noticeable stretching. When you’re ready, your garments should look as if an invisible person were wearing it.

3. Style your garment.

If there are any areas where your garment doesn’t fit perfectly on the mannequin, you should use some styling pins. In case there are any areas that you would like to give emphasis to, then tissue paper is useful. Make sure that your garment fits on the mannequin symmetrically, without any noticeable creases.

4. Shoot the garment

Start your shooting session. You can now be as creative as you want, and shoot the garments from various angles, to give your customers a better view of your products.

Final thoughts

Ghost mannequinsare ideal to use for eCommerce photography, as they help your customers get a better image of how your garments would look on them.