Pictures

sckcs · Oct 12th, 2007, 11:44 PM

Does anyone have any good tips on taking pictures? I have a nice Sony 10 Megapixels and I still take the worst pics. I've been inside, outside, every spot in the house.
I think it makes such a difference in the success.

LouiseyPeasey · Oct 13th, 2007, 01:02 AM

Tripod! I have to say, a $16 tripod from Amazon made a bigger difference in my photos than anything else I tried. I use natural light as much as possible, but not direct sunlight. And I got a big matte white illustration board from the art store to use as a background.

CynthiaNYC · Oct 13th, 2007, 01:12 AM

A tripod is useful for shots that don't have to be closeup, but for those detail shots that are so necessary on handbags (for showing engraved hardware, tags, serial numbers, any flaws, etc.), the real key is lighting, lighting, lighting. Natural lighting is always best, but if you can't get reliable bright natural light on a regular basis you can invest in some inexpensive yet effective lighting sources.
I used to use a big "shop light" thing from Home Depot, believe it or not, and it was like twenty bucks. It's just unwieldy, so I got rid of it, and now have professional photo lights on stands. They were like $50 each, but for the number of items I sell, it was a great investment.
The other hint I have, that I see more and more sellers NOT doing these days, is to use a solid colored background. It's far less distracting than any sort of printed fabric--even beautiful fabric takes the eye away from the item being sold, and this is true of the camera's focus as well. If you try to photograph a bag or other item on a printed background the camera really isn't sure where to focus.
Last thing, experiment with different settings on your camera. Take the same picture from the same angle with the same lighting, and compare the differences in the final shot. I personally like to use the macro setting (it is symbolized by a little flower looking thing) for almost all shots, because it gives you a tight focus on the item and sort of blurs out the background a little bit.
One more thing and I swear this is it...LOL. I believe eBay has a photography board in their community forums, at least they used to when I used to post there years ago. It was a fantastic resource for me when I first started selling lo those many years ago.
Good luck!!

CynthiaNYC · Oct 13th, 2007, 01:13 AM

Oh yeah, I also use a big white board as a background too, but mine is just foamcore from Staples, that was like $3 for three pieces. I use one as a base to set the item on, and one standing up behind it as a backdrop. Makes most photos look really crisp. (See my avatar?)
And if you want to get fancy, you can even photoshop out any shadows, but that's for a later date.

roey · Oct 13th, 2007, 01:43 AM

Agree about natural lighting and macro setting. Once I discovered macro, my photos were crystal clear. Macro is great for focusing up close on details such as holograms and logos - details that are required for authenticity purposes.

BurberryGal · Oct 13th, 2007, 05:16 AM

Make sure your camera is at least 12" away from the subject matter. Most cameras can't focus on anything closer. It's also easier if you set your camera for auto-focus, especially if it's not the SLR type of camera.

4theluvof-it · Oct 13th, 2007, 01:56 PM

I use natural light, get descent pictures, but I still wasn't completely satisfied. I started looking at my camera and noticed I had a litte "flower" had no idea what it was, but I am definately going to try it!

Thanks for the great tips!

sckcs · Oct 13th, 2007, 02:36 PM

Thanks for all the great ideas. I'm definately going to use them.

Oct 12th, 2007, 11:44 PM	#1
sckcs Member	Pictures Does anyone have any good tips on taking pictures? I have a nice Sony 10 Megapixels and I still take the worst pics. I've been inside, outside, every spot in the house. I think it makes such a difference in the success.

Oct 13th, 2007, 01:02 AM	#2
LouiseyPeasey Member	Re: Pictures Tripod! I have to say, a $16 tripod from Amazon made a bigger difference in my photos than anything else I tried. I use natural light as much as possible, but not direct sunlight. And I got a big matte white illustration board from the art store to use as a background.

Oct 13th, 2007, 01:12 AM	#3
CynthiaNYC Member	Re: Pictures A tripod is useful for shots that don't have to be closeup, but for those detail shots that are so necessary on handbags (for showing engraved hardware, tags, serial numbers, any flaws, etc.), the real key is lighting, lighting, lighting. Natural lighting is always best, but if you can't get reliable bright natural light on a regular basis you can invest in some inexpensive yet effective lighting sources. I used to use a big "shop light" thing from Home Depot, believe it or not, and it was like twenty bucks. It's just unwieldy, so I got rid of it, and now have professional photo lights on stands. They were like $50 each, but for the number of items I sell, it was a great investment. The other hint I have, that I see more and more sellers NOT doing these days, is to use a solid colored background. It's far less distracting than any sort of printed fabric--even beautiful fabric takes the eye away from the item being sold, and this is true of the camera's focus as well. If you try to photograph a bag or other item on a printed background the camera really isn't sure where to focus. Last thing, experiment with different settings on your camera. Take the same picture from the same angle with the same lighting, and compare the differences in the final shot. I personally like to use the macro setting (it is symbolized by a little flower looking thing) for almost all shots, because it gives you a tight focus on the item and sort of blurs out the background a little bit. One more thing and I swear this is it...LOL. I believe eBay has a photography board in their community forums, at least they used to when I used to post there years ago. It was a fantastic resource for me when I first started selling lo those many years ago. Good luck!!

Oct 13th, 2007, 01:13 AM	#4
CynthiaNYC Member	Re: Pictures Oh yeah, I also use a big white board as a background too, but mine is just foamcore from Staples, that was like $3 for three pieces. I use one as a base to set the item on, and one standing up behind it as a backdrop. Makes most photos look really crisp. (See my avatar?) And if you want to get fancy, you can even photoshop out any shadows, but that's for a later date.

Oct 13th, 2007, 01:43 AM	#5
roey Member Location: In the sunshine!	Re: Pictures Agree about natural lighting and macro setting. Once I discovered macro, my photos were crystal clear. Macro is great for focusing up close on details such as holograms and logos - details that are required for authenticity purposes.

Oct 13th, 2007, 05:16 AM	#6
BurberryGal Purrberry Location: Clueless in California	Re: Pictures Make sure your camera is at least 12" away from the subject matter. Most cameras can't focus on anything closer. It's also easier if you set your camera for auto-focus, especially if it's not the SLR type of camera.

Oct 13th, 2007, 01:56 PM	#7
4theluvof-it Member	Re: Pictures I use natural light, get descent pictures, but I still wasn't completely satisfied. I started looking at my camera and noticed I had a litte "flower" had no idea what it was, but I am definately going to try it! Thanks for the great tips!

Oct 13th, 2007, 02:36 PM	#8
sckcs Member	Re: Pictures Thanks for all the great ideas. I'm definately going to use them.