Grab the Auctions or Online Ebay Buyer's attention! So, you have a beautiful antique watch or a stunning collectible doll that you would like to sell. Or perhaps you want to offer up that near-new camera you never liked. Excellent!
Sure, you can tell everyone how amazing your doll, watch, or camera is. But it's so much better to actually show how terrific it is! Picturing your item at its best for Ebay Selling helps reinforce those glowing adjectives you used to describe it, while also instilling confidence in people looking to Buy on Ebay. Some shooting tips:
Use Natural Light or External Flash
A big burst of flash might seem ideal for spotlighting your product. But a built-in flash is usually too harsh (think of those pictures you've seen where glaring "hot spots" overwhelm the subject). Better would be an off-camera flash or a set-up with two bright lights.Another option is natural light: specifically, soft and even - such as outdoors on a solid-overcast day, in the shade of a porch, or indoors next to a window. Make sure all key areas of your item are well-lit. Otherwise, with a subject in which one side is nicely lit and the other side in deep shadow: Use off-camera fill flash, or "bounce" light into the shadows with a portable reflector, a small white card, or large white poster board. Still another type of lighting is "available" indoor light - i.e., without flash, strobes, or window light. Such conditions would likely be too dark with a simple camera and no flash. With an adjustable camera, try a high ISO, although the image quality could be affected (more noise/grain).
|
Keep Your Auctions Online Ebay Subject Sharp
Every important detail in your product should appear crisp and clear. A soft-focused photo is especially noticeable when an ebay ad is enlarged. Ideally, you'll use a tripod or other support (say, a table or the back of a chair). Also when photographing up close: If your camera has adjustable exposure settings and your subject has some depth to it, switch to Aperture Priority, and choose a high f/stop number for a deep depth of field (more sharpness from front to back). Get Closer Fill up the picture frame as much as possible with your subject. Do this for two reasons: 1) So your subject grabs the viewer's attention, and 2) because buyers like to see those fine details. In most cases - except for tiny items - you won't need special gear. Simply move in closer physically, or zoom in tighter. Also, if your subject warrants it, be ready to turn your camera on its side for a vertical view! Many eBay sellers fail to take advantage of multiple images to show off their wares. For example, after shooting the entire object, try zeroing in on an eye-catching detail or two. Of course, super-tight close-ups might require a macro lens, close-up filters, or extension tubes, or, if your camera has it, the macro mode. You also can use image-editing software to "blow up" a detail area, although poor image quality could result - more grain, less sharpness.
Don't Forget the Background
Simplicity is the key. Be on the lookout for bright lights or other distractions in your background that could draw attention away from your subject.A backdrop can be helpful for smaller objects, as long as it doesn't visually compete with your subject (i.e., a brightly colored print fabric behind a wonderful yet subdued antique clock). Choose a plain fabric in a neutral color, or go with white seamless paper. Get Ready to Upload With photo-editing software, you can often improve an image by tweaking the colors, applying a sharpness tool, or boosting the contrast. Next, ebay.com offers this uploading strategy: - Save your edited picture as a JPEG(.jpg) file (file types other than JPEG and GIF should not be used). Then try this uploading process (in most programs) for adding your images to the Ebay Online Auction Site:
- Choose Save As from the File menu.
- Name your file.
- Select JPEG (.jpg) or GIF (.gif) from the Save as Type drop-down list.
- Planning on hosting your own picture? File size should be under 50 KB (kilobytes) for quick page downloads.
Lastly: Good luck shooting to sell!
Helpful Discussions for Auctions Online Ebay Selling
About Author / Instructor / Photographer, Kerry Drager
The content manager and an instructor for BetterPhoto.com, Kerry Drager is also the author of Scenic Photography 101. In addition, he teaches two online photography courses at BetterPhoto: Creative Light & Composition and Creative Close-ups. His work has appeared in Outdoor Photographer and other major magazines; Hallmark cards and Sierra Club Calendars; and in advertising campaigns for American Express and Sinar Bron Imaging. He is also the photographer of the photo-essay books The Golden Dream: California from Gold Rush to Statehood and California Desert, and is a contributing photographer for the books Daybreak 2000 and Portrait of California. Kerry's Pro BetterPholio website - www.kerrydrager.com - also was featured in Shutterbug magazine. He lives with his wife, Mary, in the country near Sacramento, California, with their six Newfoundland dogs, six cats, two horses, and a mixed terrier. Also check out Kerry's Creative Light and Composition photography blog.
|
