Generate authentic lifestyle photos to connect with your customers

Image quality has always been a top priority for online shoppers, and lifestyle visuals that “bring products to life” help understand how products can be used, stored, and styled.

You need lifestyle photos of your products to provide valuable context, establish connection, and, ultimately, “sell without selling.”

You can create genuine, UGC-like content on your own or hire professional photographers and models: either will take time to plan, prepare, shoot, and edit. But you also have a quicker option: create lifestyle images with AI.

Let’s explore how you can generate authentic product photos using Claid’s tools.

Show your products in action

With AI Photoshoot, you can highlight different properties of your products by showing how they are used (worn, played with, poured, placed, etc.).

Perfect for: PDPs (product detail pages) to help customers visualize how your products can fit into their homes, routines, and daily experiences.

Choose Creative mode and describe people, actions, and props in a prompt. 

You can also use a reference image: Claid will interpret its composition while preserving your product’s original shape and proportions.

Demonstrate how your products fit

For apparel, shoes, and accessories, AI lifestyle photography lets you show how products will fit different people.

Perfect for: lookbooks, fashion PDPs, and social media to drive sales with authentic content.

Claid’s AI fashion suite features an extensive library of AI models that can “wear” your garments. Upload your clothing piece (you can use several images with the item captured from different sides), choose a model, and write a prompt so that AI recreates the setting you’re aiming for.

Note: You can add complementary items for styling with your products or describe the full look in the prompt.

Demonstrate different environments

Show your product  in different relevant settings: a home, an office, a cafe, a gym, or outdoors. With AI Photoshoot’s Creative mode, you can describe the location and atmosphere to experiment with different environments.

Perfect for: Social media posts and landing pages to show a range of usage.

For fashion items, you can also place them in different scenes with AI Fashion Models: create streetwear shots, relaxed vacation photos, and other images that demonstrate your clothing in use.

Capture shared moments and gatherings

If your products can be used and enjoyed in a social setting (relevant for food and drinks, furniture, electronics, etc.), don’t miss the chance to show this. To make your brand feel relatable, show your products as part of real, shared experiences: a dinner with friends, a family movie night, or a weekend workout.

Perfect for: Ads, social media posts, and landing pages to make a real connection with your audience. 

Tips to get the most realistic AI lifestyle photos 

Not all prompts will work. To get authentic lifestyle content for your products, you’ll need to do prior research, experiment, and iterate on the results.

Here are the best practices for generating AI lifestyle photos:

• Research your target audience. Before diving into “production,” analyze the habits and expectations of your customers. Monitor trends in your product category, talk to real customers, check out influencer profiles, and so on. This will give you an idea of what kind of images your audience is likely to connect with.
• Draw inspiration from UGC. Product photos generated by users are peak lifestyle content. If shoppers are already creating images with your items, pay attention to the location, usage context, and styling choices they go for. If you’re only starting, take a peek at competitors.
• Write clean, detailed prompts. The most important thing in navigating AI photography tools is mastering prompts. They should include a concise description of the location, lighting, and all the elements you want to add.
• Capture real feelings. Lifestyle photos that feel authentic convert better because emotion drives attention. While it’s generally not recommended to describe emotions in the prompt (it should include specific details and not abstract concepts), you can evoke them through body language, lighting, and interaction.
• Include proportions and size cues for AI-generated lifestyle images. It often makes sense to indicate the size of your product (for instance, a 6-inch dog toy) or clothing fit (an oversized hoodie, a bodycon dress) in the prompt. This will eliminate unnecessary guesswork by AI.

Sometimes, it’s enough to tell AI Photoshoot to “generate a lifestyle image”—and take it from there. The tool can get you started on creative ideas.

Finally, combine editorial photography with lifestyle and UGC images to attract people to your products. Clean studio shots will demonstrate the product’s features, while contextual pictures will add usage examples and emotional hooks.

Excited to try generating lifestyle photos?

Explore Claid’s AI Photoshoot and AI Fashion Models

Lifestyle product photography FAQ

What is lifestyle photography?

Lifestyle photography shows people and products in real-life contexts. It focuses on how people interact with your products, rather than isolating them in studio shots. Everyday moments, family interactions, social gatherings, and product demonstrations are types of product photos you might want to incorporate.

What’s the difference between lifestyle and editorial photography? 

Lifestyle photos focus on everyday, authentic use, while editorial photos are stylized, storytelling visuals often used in campaigns or lookbooks. The best approach is to use both. 

Why do I need lifestyle photos of my products?

Lifestyle visuals add emotional depth, build trust, and can increase conversion rates by showing context, scale, and personality. With the rise of UGC and consumers seeking genuine images, lifestyle photos can help you drive sales and loyalty, especially with the younger generation.

Do lifestyle photos always feature people?

No. Products placed in natural settings can be just as effective.

How can AI help create lifestyle photos?

AI lifestyle image generators let you create an array of on-brand visuals instantly, without photographers, studios, or long production timelines. You can test different settings, models, and styles to find what resonates with your audience, at a fraction of traditional costs.

Can I create both lifestyle and editorial images with Claid?

Yes. For clothing items, you can generate photos in AI Fashion Models without a prompt, and you’ll get studio-like shots. For other products, you can use Precise mode in AI Photoshoot or experiment with editorial prompts in Creative mode.