Shopify is the default e-commerce stack for Quebec DTC brands, and Shopify themes have evolved fast in 2025–2026. The image specs that worked two years ago now look small, low-resolution, and out of step with current themes (Dawn, Sense, Studio, Crave). This guide walks Shopify-ready product photography in Montreal for 2026 — what to shoot, what to deliver, and how to brief a session that fits your theme.
Shopify image specs in 2026
Shopify recommends product images at 2048×2048 minimum, with a hard ceiling around 4472×4472 (20 MP). Modern themes auto-serve responsive sizes, but they need a high-resolution master to start from. Square (1:1) is the default product image, but most modern themes also expect a vertical hero block (4:5 or 9:16) and a horizontal banner (16:9 or 21:9) for the section above the fold.
We deliver every Shopify shoot as a 2048×2048 master, plus 4:5 vertical, 9:16 vertical mobile hero, and 16:9 desktop hero — all from the same capture, framed wide enough that all three crops are clean. That replaces three separate photo sessions with one.
The Shopify PDP image stack
A high-converting product detail page in 2026 has 6–9 images in the gallery: 1) clean hero on white or near-white; 2) alt angle (45° or three-quarter); 3) detail macro; 4) lifestyle scene; 5) scale or “in-hand” frame; 6) packaging; 7) “what’s included” flat lay; 8) an infographic with feature callouts; 9) a swatch or comparison chart for variants.
That sounds like a lot. It’s actually the same 6–9 captures we’d take anyway for an Amazon catalogue, repurposed. See our Amazon photography page for the parallel spec, and our product imaging service for the full multi-channel deliverable list.
Theme-specific hero blocks
Dawn 2.0, Sense, Studio and Crave all have a “rich text + image” or “image with text overlay” section above the fold. That section is wider than the square PDP image and crops differently on mobile vs desktop. We capture a parallel “hero block” frame in landscape with a clear safe zone for the heading text — so your developer or designer can drop the image into the section without fighting the crop.
If your theme uses a video hero (Crave, Studio), we shoot a parallel short-form video clip during the same session — 6–10 seconds, looping, vertical and horizontal cuts.
Variant photography: colours, sizes, options
Shopify themes show a thumbnail per variant. If your “Black” variant thumbnail and “Olive” variant thumbnail were shot under different light, the buyer perceives the brand as inconsistent. We standardize variant captures: same camera position, same key light angle, same surface, just the variant swap. That keeps the swatch grid coherent.
For colour-critical categories (paint, fabric, cosmetics, eyewear), we use ICC-managed colour. See the colour-accurate workflow page for the full process.
Shopify Markets, multilingual, and bilingual delivery
If you sell into multiple markets via Shopify Markets, you may have French, English, and U.S. English storefronts with different image variants (packaging language, pricing overlays). We deliver per-market files when needed. See the bilingual workflow for how French/English captures are coordinated.
Mobile-first composition
70%+ of Shopify traffic in Quebec is mobile. The desktop crop is wider and shows more context, but the mobile crop is what most of your shoppers actually see. We compose the original capture so the centre 60% of the frame works on mobile — and the wider context only adds for desktop. This is invisible work that keeps you from losing the click on small screens.
Pricing and turnaround
A Shopify launch package for 10 products covers hero, alt, detail, lifestyle, scale and infographic frames per SKU — typically 60+ final images plus 10 short videos — for around $1,800 CAD. Theme hero block captures are included. Larger catalogues drop the per-SKU cost. See the pricing page for tiers.
Standard turnaround is 5–7 business days; rush available. For brands launching a new theme, we sync with your designer or Shopify Plus partner so the deliverables match the theme’s section sizes.
FAQ for Shopify sellers
What resolution should I upload? 2048×2048 minimum, JPEG quality 85, sRGB.
Do I need a video on the PDP? Conversion lifts 8–15% in our client data when video is added. Yes, if you can.
What about WebP? Shopify auto-serves WebP from your JPEG masters. Don’t pre-convert.
Can you sync with my Shopify Plus partner? Yes — we work with several Montreal partners and can deliver per their checklist.
Do you upload to Shopify for me? We can. Most clients prefer to keep that in-house but the option is there.
Related guides
- Amazon photography
- Product imaging service
- Video product photography
- 360° spin photography
- Colour-accurate workflow
- AI vs professional product photography
Ready to upgrade your Shopify catalogue? Browse the portfolio, review the full services overview, and contact us for a date. New Shopify clients get a free image-SEO audit on the first 25 SKUs.
Essential Guides for Shopify Product Photography in Montreal
Everything you need to optimize your Shopify store’s product images:
- White background product photography Montreal — clean, conversion-optimized images for Shopify PDPs
- Product photography pricing Montreal — budget guide for Shopify store owners
- How to choose a product photographer in Montreal — find the right partner for your Shopify brand
- Background removal services Montreal — perfect white backgrounds for your Shopify theme
- How to prepare products for a photo shoot Montreal — pre-shoot checklist for Shopify brands
