Smartphone-Based Product Photography Training to Strengthen Visual Marketing Skills of A Ribbon-Embroidery Community in Gebangsari, Semarang

Abstract

The ribbon embroidery community fostered by Lia Collection in Gebangsari Village, Semarang, produces fabric-based handicrafts featuring modified ribbon embroidery techniques. Despite their market potential, some members still have limited awareness of the strategic role of product photography and lack the skills to independently create promotional visual content using smartphones. This community engagement program aims to improve participants’ knowledge and practical skills in simple, attractive, and low-cost product photography. The program involves needs identification, instructional sessions, demonstrations, hands-on practice, discussions, mentoring, and evaluation through pretests and post tests. The training covers the role of product photography in marketing, product arrangement, lighting techniques, the development of a simple mini studio, smartphone-based photography, and basic image editing. The evaluation results show improvements across all assessed indicators, particularly participants’ understanding of the importance of product photography, its relevance to business development, their ability to arrange products effectively, and their capacity to produce product photographs independently. Before-and-after documentation also demonstrates more structured product presentation, cleaner backgrounds, and improved visual appeal. These findings indicate that practical, affordable, and context-responsive training can strengthen visual communication capabilities and support the marketing activities of community-based microenterprises