3D Renders Instead of a Photoshoot: When It Pays Off and When It Doesn't
5 min read
Back in 2014, IKEA was already making most of its product images on a computer. When 3D renders can replace a photoshoot for a maker, when they can't, and what makes them look real.
The new product is ready on paper, but the first unit won't be built for another month. The website, the catalogue and the ads need images now. Most makers wait, and waiting costs them the start of the season. There is another way: images made from a 3D model.
The short answer
3D renders are the better choice when a product comes in many colours and sizes, when it doesn't exist yet, or when the whole catalogue needs to look consistent. A photoshoot is still best for people, emotion and real projects at customers' homes. For most makers, the best result is a mix of both.
The big brands have done this for years
In 2014, IKEA's IT manager Martin Enthed said that about 75% of IKEA's product images on a white background were computer generated, not photographed (PetaPixel, 2014). Shoppers didn't notice. The reason is simple: once a product is modelled, every new colour or size becomes a new image without a new photoshoot.
A small sauna, hot tub, garden house or furniture maker can now do the same.
When 3D beats a photoshoot
- The product doesn't exist yet. You can start selling and collecting inquiries from drawings while the first unit is still being built.
- Many variants. Three lengths, four finish colours and two roof types make 24 variants. Photographing them all means building them all. From a 3D model, they all come from the same file.
- A consistent catalogue. The same angle, light and background for every product. Shooting outdoors over several seasons almost never gets you there.
- Weather and season. You can show a sauna in a garden on a summer evening, even in November.
- Changes. New door handle or roof material? Fix it in the 3D model and every image updates. A photoshoot would have to be repeated.
- More than photos. The same model gives you short videos for ads and, if you need it, a 3D configurator for your website.
When a photoshoot is still better
- People and emotion. A family in a hot tub or friends by the sauna look best in a real photo.
- Real projects. A photo from a customer's garden proves you have done it before. That builds trust a render can't replace.
- Hard materials. Very dark, glossy or irregular finishes take more work in 3D. Compare against a real sample before publishing.
Side by side
| Photoshoot | 3D renders | |
|---|---|---|
| Needs a finished product | Yes | No, drawings are enough |
| New colour or size | New photoshoot | New image from the same model |
| Depends on weather and season | Yes | No |
| Consistent catalogue | Hard | Yes |
| People and real emotion | Best | Weaker |
| Proves you have built it | Yes | No |
| Same work also gives videos and a configurator | No | Yes |
What a 3D model looks like in use
Below is a garden house model. Catalogue images come from a model like this, and buyers can change the same product themselves.
What it takes for renders to look real
- Accurate dimensions. Drawings, or at least the main measurements. Buyers notice when a door is too narrow or a roof too low.
- Photos of real materials. Close-ups of the wood, finish, metal and fabric in daylight.
- A few real-life photos. If the product has been built before, photos from several angles help check that the 3D version matches.
- A review before publishing. Compare the first images with the real product or sample and mark what differs. One round like this usually fixes most mismatches.
Being honest with buyers
A render should show what the buyer will get. Don't show extras that aren't included, and don't make the product look bigger than it is. If an image is computer generated and the product hasn't been built yet, a short label such as "render" is worth adding. Buyers understand, and trust stays intact.
Where to start
Pick the one product with the most variants, or the one you haven't photographed yet. Model it, get catalogue images for every colour, and compare how many inquiries that page brings in. If it works, the same model can be used for videos and a configurator. For how renders differ from a configurator, see this guide.
