correctmyphotos

In my previous post I suggested that better photos could lead to better sales. While I don’t have direct evidence to support that statement it seems logical that a potential buyer would be more interested in bidding on an item if the photos were really good verses barely acceptable.  So how do you achieve better photos? Let’s start with the photo shoot set up—your photo “studio”.  I realize that we are not pros so don’t think you need to spend a lot of money and take photography lessons to get great eBay shots.  There are two basic setups; one using natural light and the other using artificial light.

Photo Studio Setup-Natural Light (left), Artificial Light (right)

The basic items you need for either setup is a digital camera, tripod, and back drop. I would also suggest a GretagMacbeth Color Checker Mini Gray Balance Card for reasons I will describe in the next post in this series—Photo Editing.

Digital Camera
You probably already have a digital camera that will work just fine. It should be at least 4 MP and have an aperture preferred mode of shooting.  Depending the on the size of the object you are photographing you may run into a depth of field issue (the front part of the object is sharp and the back is fuzzy) Setting the aperture manually instead of shooting in Auto mode on close up shots will solve this problem. Remember the higher the number the more depth of field you will have.  I use a Canon G5, a 5 MP camera that I have had for a number of years, and get very good results shooting my ceramic birds. 

Back Drop (or Background)
I prefer a neutral background (neutral is black, white, or gray, not biege or tan) Assuming the object you are photographing is small enough to be placed on a table I recommend a neutral gray flat (not shiny) background. White and black are other common choices, however a neutral gray is the best for shooting a colorful object.  I bought a couple yards of a gray fleece at a local fabric store. Before you buy the fabric look at it under natural light to make sure it is really gray and doesn’t have a little blue or other color cast. Also, you can get a smoother background with fleece than with a harder fabric. Note how the fleece is pulled away from the bottom edge of the box to make a smooth background.  If you can’t move the object you will want to remove as much clutter from around it before you shoot. You don’t want other objects to compete with the  item you are trying to sell.

Natural Light Set Up
My natural light set up is outside on our patio. This works in Minnesota in the summer, but I will either use our four season porch or artificial light in the winter. The important thing to note when using natural light is not to set up in direct sunlight. A bright cloudy day is great or wait until the area you selected is in the shade. The ideal setting would be a North facing room with big windows to bring in the natural light. (Now you know why artists like north facing studios.) The main advantage of using natural light is that you avoid shadows and glare that are difficult to avoid using artificial light unless you use a light tent.

Artificial Light Set Up
For indoor shooting I set up on the pool table in our lower level (a fancy name for basement). I have two daylight desk lamps that I position to minimize shadows and glare. You can also use a light tent and position the lights on the outside of the tent to diffuse the light and eliminate the shadows. I ordered one today so I will see how much difference that makes. Here is a photo comparison between the two lighting set ups. I do prefer the natural light approach, but the artificial light set up is pretty good.

Compare Artificial Light (left) with Natural Light (right)

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PhotographyBLOG (how is that for an original name for a photo blog?) is one of the UKs (most of us think that’s England, but I really don’t know where in the UK its based) biggest digital photography websites, which offers informative new product reviews and original in-depth news from around the world.

PhotographyBLOG started life in January 2003 with the sole purpose of being a weblog about photography. PhotographyBLOG is run by professional photographerMark Goldstein and the site has several key aims:

• to report on the latest photography news, both film and digital, both global and UK-based
• to offer opinion on that news from the unique perspective of Mark Goldstein, and to allow you to add your comments on that news and opinion
• to review digital cameras, printers, scanners, software and books
• to provide a meeting place for photographers of all abilities

I suggest you take a look visit PhotographyBLOG (http://www.photographyBLOG.com) and sign up for his newsletter.  Regardless of your experience level you will find something of interest. Check out the photo gallery for examples of outstanding photography submitted by amateurs and professionals and those in between. Sometimes those Brits spell words a little funny (like “colour”) but you will get used to it. Mark and his associates really do know what they are talking about.

PhotographyBLOG is one of the biggest UK photography blogs

Periodically, I will recommend a blog or website that I think might be of interest to you. If you have a recommendation don’t hesitate to send it to me. Just click on Comment at the bottom of a post.

Wayne http://www.correctphoto.com