Photographing for eBay
eBay is one of the most popular websites for selling used items. People can bid on items or buy them at a fixed price. It’s widely accessible and anybody can sell on their site after creating an account. It’s a great tool for small business like 210Geeks.com who do the majority of their selling online. This online selling is also known as e-commerce. There are many individuals that earn their living through strictly eBay sales out of home. While it may seem simple, there are some techniques for listing that can significantly increase the traffic to your items. Having great photography is one of those techniques, and it doesn't take hundreds of dollars to do so! Following these quick tips will help you achieve professional looking photos, easily!
Lighting - Having proper lighting is essential to taking great pictures. If you have access to natural light, utilize it! Studio lighting equipment is fairly cheap and can be obtained for under $100. When photographing items with light boxes, you want to have at least 2 lights. A key light is needed to face the product from the front or side. The second light, known as a fill light, can be used at an adjacent angle to the key light to eliminate harsh shadows. You can add a third light as a back light if you desire. This setup is known as three-point lighting. You also may want to adjust the White Balance and ISO settings on your camera to make sure the exposure looks its best. Once uploaded, you can also touch up your photos in programs like Photoshop or free photo editing programs online like Pixlr.
Background - Finding a background that bests contrasts with the object you are photographing is another essential step to taking great pictures. You’ll want to keep your background as simple as possible so the focus of the photo remains on the object. At 210Geeks, we use a pure white background for listing our items on eBay. White is a good color to use for most objects. Adjust your lighting setup to make sure your background exposure is smooth and consistent. Having lights too close or not positioned properly will cast some unwanted shadows. Experiment with your setup figure out what works best for you.
How to shoot - The distance you want to shoot at will depend on the size of the item you are photographing. Get as close as you can to your item while making sure all of it remains in frame. This is especially important for smaller items, as many eBay customers like to inspect closely for damages or defects. Using the ‘Macro’ shooting options for small objects is useful when trying to get a clear focus up close. Great focus and lighting is key for any picture. Using a tripod or similar camera stand is incredibly helpful for getting the perfect shot.
Uploading - First, you’ll want to import your photos from your camera to your computer. This is typically done through Micro USB for most cameras. Once your images are uploaded your computer, you’ll want to make sure to check the resolution to determine the quality. Uploading photos from your computer to your eBay listing is quite easy. On the ‘Add photos’ section of the listing form, simply click ‘Add/edit photos’. You will then need to select the photos from wherever they are stored on your device. You can crop, rotate, or adjust the brightness and contrast of photos in the preview menu to adjust to your liking and click ‘Apply.’ Once you are satisfied with your photos, click ‘Upload.’ That’s all there is to it!
210Geeks.com does the majority of our selling through eBay. This process is applied to all of the items we list. A great picture can be the difference between an eBay customer going with one item over another. It is always worth the time to make sure your eBay posts are picture-perfect!
Daniel McLaurin / Digital Marketing & Media