What a product photo does not tell you
Short answer: The photo does not tell you how heavy the fabric is, how much it stretches or how the colour looks in daylight. That is the job of the text. Read the text beside the photo before you decide.
What a product photo does
A product photo is taken to show the clothing at its best, and it does that well. But a photo is a flat slice of an item that in reality has weight, feels a certain way on the skin and moves. Those are the things a photo cannot show, and you have to find them elsewhere.
Cut and neckline
The photo shows the cut, neckline, sleeve length and where the garment ends on the body. You can see whether the neck is round or V-shaped, whether the sleeves are short or long, and whether the clothes fit close or loose. That is useful, and it needs no text.
Length and the model's height
The photo can show length if you know the model's height. Most shops write it under the photo together with the size the model wears. Without those two details the photo says less about length than you think. Where a piece ends on a tall model is not where it ends on you.
What the photo shows poorly
The photo shows fabric thickness and drape poorly. A T-shirt can look full in a picture and be almost see-through in real life. Studio light and editing can make thin fabric look thicker and the other way round. That is why the fabric weight in the text is more reliable than a look at the picture.
Thickness and drape
Thickness and drape are linked. Thick fabric falls heavily and lies flat, while thin fabric falls lightly and follows the body more closely. In a photo both are hard to read, because the clothes may have been arranged for the camera. See bamboo clothing for men and read the text on each item.
What the photo does not show
The photo does not show how the fabric feels, how much it stretches or how the colour looks under an ordinary lamp. Stretch cannot be read from a still image, because the fabric is not moving. The colour also looks different in your living room than on the screen. See bamboo tennis socks for women.
Close-ups of the fabric
Close-ups of the fabric help with the knit structure, meaning how the stitches lie and whether the surface is smooth or rough. They do not help with weight, because a close-up looks the same whether the fabric is thin or thick. Use them to judge the surface and not to guess the thickness.
What the text should tell you
The text has to say what the photo cannot. Look for the material composition, the fabric weight and the garment measurements. Composition says something about stretch and softness, fabric weight about thickness, and measurements about fit. If one is missing, ask the shop before ordering instead of guessing.
Using both together
Use the photo and the text together. The photo gives you cut and look, and the text gives you the numbers that decide fit and use. If both match what you are looking for, the chance of a good purchase is much greater. See long-sleeved bamboo T-shirt for women and read the details beside the photo.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the garment fit differently on me?
The model's height and build are rarely the same as yours. The photo therefore shows how the clothes fit the model, and not necessarily how they will fit you.
Can you trust close-ups of the fabric?
They help with the knit structure but not with weight. A close-up looks the same whether the fabric is thin or thick, so also read the fabric weight in the text.
What should you look for in the text?
The material composition, the fabric weight and the garment measurements. Those three details say something about stretch, thickness and fit, and they are exactly what the photo cannot show you.
You can find the full range at Bamboo-Clothing.com.
