How to Take Photographs of Items to Sell on eBay

So you’ve finally decided to join the eBay revolution and sell your most prized junk or actual valuables. Of course, you want to get the best price you can. And it all starts with a good picture. The better your item looks, the more your potential bidders will pay. So here are a few tips on how to get that great eBay item shot…

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Digital camera
• Computer
• Internet connection

1. Choose a white background for your photo. You can use a poster board, but make sure you put your item on the matte, not the shiny side. A nice white wall or even white tablecloths or sheets (with no wrinkles) will work too.
2. Light that puppy up! Soft, even lighting is what you’re aiming for. If you’re going to be selling a lot, you might even want to invest in a light kit. If not, make sure the room is well-lit. Flash isn’t recommended, as it can create harsh shadows.
3. Angle the item off-center to create a professional, pleasing look.
4. The item should fill the frame. You’re not selling blank space! Get as close as you can, without losing focus. If need be, you can crop it later.
5. Take lots of pictures, from every angle—front, sides and back. Your chances of making a sale increase with every detail and photo you include of the item. It shows you're being up front and have nothing to hide.
   
   Plus, your chances of getting that money shot increase with every photo you snap. You can always delete the ones that don't turn out.
6. If you’re selling a case or accessories along with your item, make sure you include pictures of those as well.
7. Next, review the pics on your computer screen (not your tiny camera or printer screen). Save the best, delete the rest. Now do a little Photoshopping–-even out the colors, crop it up. Do not "fix" your item through fancy photo editing. I would call that "fraud."
8. Save your image files as JPEG’s of about 300x500 pixels. EBay has a new super size picture option that can display images up to 800x800 for an extra 75 cents, so save your main portrait pic to that size.
   
   Speaking of display options, eBay offers several for the savvy seller. The first pic is free (yay!), additional pics are fifteen cents each, or you can buy what they call a “picture pack” of six pictures for a dollar. That seems to me to be the best deal.
9. Finally, always select the “Gallery” option. It's 35 cents, but it’s so worth it! This option allows the bidders to see your item on the search page, which means they don’t have to click through to your listing to get a peek at the item. As an ebay customer, I rarely click through just because of an item description, I want to see that baby right up front! Good luck and happy selling!

Tips & Warnings

• If you've got a tripod, use it.
• Don’t copy item pictures from Google images, other eBay sellers or stock photos. Your potential buyers deserve to see exactly what they’re bidding on, nicks and all. In fact, they're depending on it.