Kevin's Photography Tips

Kevin’s eBay Photography Tips

I cannot make this any easier or clearer. If you want to bring top dollar for your items you need professional looking photos. This is especially true if you sell in the jewelry, collectible or antique categories. Below I provide provide photography tips as well as affordable, professional photography set-ups that are perfect for eBay sellers.

Get a Professional & Affordable eBay Photography Set-up!

I have searched the photography marketplace for what I believe are the best set-ups for eBay sellers. I have tried these or have seen them personally demonstrated. I have to admit, the professional kits do a much better job than home made set-ups and yet, are still very affordable.

If you are serious about your eBay business you need to set yourself apart from your competition. The best way to do that is with professional looking photos of your products.

The Photography Kits I recomend for eBay sellers are:

• Cloud Dome - Perfect for eBay sellers of Jewelry and small collectibles
• Photo Studio in a Box - Perfect for eBay sellers of medium sized items

                             

            Cloud Dome                     Photo Studio in a Box!

Click here to see all the eBay Photography Equipment I recommend.

What Camera Do I Recommend?

I don’t recommend a particular brand or model. Just about every digital camera sold today will meet your needs for eBay pictures. However, here are a few requirements your camera should have.

• Must be digital
• must have the ability to "white balance" to your source light
• Must have Macro (ability to take pictures very close. You may be selling an item that is very small, or will need a close-up of collectible items)
• Ability to turn off the flash (most digital cameras today do not need a flash. The exception is when photographing an item that is black such as a black leather coat. Without the flash, you can’t get the detail of the coat’s texture).
• Camera should come with an easy way to download the pictures to your computer (some use smart cards and some use USB cables. If you buy one with a USB cable, make sure your computer has USB inputs)
• Camera comes with its own editing software (you will need to crop and possibly do some slight editing/adjusting before you submit the picture to eBay)
• A decent sized LCD screen on the back of the camera so you can see what you are taking without having to look through a small viewfinder
• Ability to plug in a power source (if you are taking several pictures, you will drain your batteries, or be very annoyed that the camera keeps shutting off just about the moment you start to take the picture. Speaking from experience.)
• Ability to mount the camera on a tripod
• A “nice to have” feature is the ability to plug in remote lamps that will by-pass your own camera flash (this is more for a professional set-up)
• Another "nice to have" feature would be a video out jack so you can hook your camera up to a 13" portable TV next to your camera so you can get a much better view of your shot.
• Personally, I would also want the camera to be light weight and small to medium sized

Again, almost every digital camera on the market today will meet these requirements. Casio makes a few models that are called "eBay Ready" but the price is about twice what you really need to pay. You should be able to find a camera with all the features above for about $150 - $200. A great place to look for deals on cameras is eBay!  There is a lot of great comparison information about cameras at www.cnet.com. So check there first before you buy.

More Photography Tips

If I were to give just four tips that, once I learned them, improved my photos dramatically, they would be:

1. Use a white or gray background for most objects

2. Use reflector boards and/or light difussers

3. Always "white balance" your camera to the background before you take the picture (check your owner's manual for instructions)

4. Always use a tripod & hold your breath when you click the camera (or use the timer).

Doing just these four tips will make your item appear to "float in space" with a totally white, neutral background.

Want some additional tips from a true professional? I have a good friend Al Tanabe, who was a professional photographer for many years. He specialized in still life photography for magazine ads and catalogs and has won numerous awards for his work. His background is perfect for eBay photographs (and may I add, a great friend for an eBay seller/instructor to have).

Here are Al’s tips for your eBay photos:

• Make sure that your camera has been “white balanced” so your camera will capture the true colors of the item (refer to your owner's manual)
• Don’t use a flash, use indirect lighting or diffuse the light
• There is no such thing as “too much light.” Light brings out the texture, color and character of the object. Modify the “quality” of the light with diffusers and use reflector cards.
• For lighting, use 60-watt “daylight” balanced bulbs at a minimum. Halogen lamps are also inexpensive and have a very nice quality of light. BE CAREFUL OF HEAT! Both incandescent and halogen lamps create a great deal of heat. If you place the diffuser in front of the lamp, it may melt.
• When photographing a shiny object such as silverware or jewelry, use reflector cards profusely. A photo of a shiny object is a photo of the reflections.
• On an overcast day, move your photography stand out to the patio. Natural light will bring out the true colors of your item. But avoid direct sunlight.
• Wipe the item clean before taking the pictures to remove lint and fingerprints
• To help keep items upright that would normally roll over, use a beanbag under the background cloth or a pink pearl eraser behind the object. (You can also use Wacky Tacky as long as it does not leave residue on the object)
• Use a longer lens setting. If your camera has a zoom lens (most do) set it to 50 mm up to 80 mm. (refer to your owner’s manual). The longer setting keeps the object from looking distorted.
• Check your owner’s manual to see if there is a close-up or macro setting. Use it for small objects or items about the size of a remote control.
• Get close to your item, and then get closer.
• Use a tripod as much as possible
• Watch for stray reflections on the shiny surfaces
• For small collectibles, construct a “pedestal” by placing a box or even better, a Quaker Oats (cylinder) box under a velvet backdrop and place your object on top. This creates a point of focus for smaller objects. It also gives an impression of greater value.

Well there you have it. These are all great tips from an award-winning photographer of stationary items used for magazine ads and catalogs. Thank you Al!

Copyright 2006 Kevin W. Boyd at www.trainingu4auctions.com