How to photograph and cut out container images

The principle: two layers

For products to really sit inside the box, BoxCraft needs two images of exactly the same size: the empty container as background and only its front panel as a transparent PNG. The products sit in between – the front panel hides their bottom edge, just like in real life.

Taking the photo

• Place the open, empty container on a calm surface – tissue paper works well.
• Camera slightly raised (30 to 50 degrees), straight from the front, ideally on a tripod.
• Soft daylight from a window, no harsh shadows, no flash.
• Centre the container so it fills about 85 to 90 percent of the image width.

Cutting out and separating the front panel

1. Crop the image to the target size, e.g. 1200 × 900 pixels.
2. Remove the background, e.g. in Photopea or Photoshop (“Remove background”). Save as the background PNG.
3. Duplicate the file, select only the front panel with the polygon lasso, invert the selection and delete the rest. Save as the front panel PNG – same size, don’t crop.

Setting the inner area

In the builder you define in percent where products may sit. The area should stay inside the walls and end just below the top edge of the front panel. Rule of thumb: bottom = 100 − top edge position in percent − 5. For deep containers like bags or backpacks, use a little more – the products then peek out over the top.

Common mistakes

• Different image sizes: the front panel ends up misaligned. Always use the same canvas.
• Inner area set too low: products disappear behind the front panel.
• Product photos on white backgrounds: cut-out PNGs look far more realistic.