Ebay Photographs: A Guide To Photographing Products To Sell
While it is true that anybody can start a business on eBay
, succeeding in this highly competitive arena requires its own unique skill set. The key to a successful eBay sale is a well-written listing accompanied by high-quality photographs.
The Basic Equipment
Quality photographs sell, so you need to take the technical part of your business seriously. To begin with, it is recommended that you set aside an area in your home or garage as a mini photo studio for taking your eBay pictures, rather than using your kitchen counter or study table. The kind of equipment you will need depends on the type of merchandise you are selling. If you sell only one type of item, you will not need a very varied selection. Nevertheless, you should have the basic gear. These include:
A Good-Quality Digital Cameradespite popular perception, this does not mean a high-resolution camera. For online use, all you need from a camera is 800 x 600 pixels (or at most 1024 x 600). If you use a very high-resolution camera, the picture takes a long time to load, and that is a definite negative in online advertising. Rather, look for models with high-quality lenses that offer macro setting capability (to photograph tiny details) and white balance setting (to ensure true colors). Other features to look out for include high optical zoom and autofocus.
Removable Mediathis eliminates the need for cables and extra software to download pictures to your hard drive. The most popular are smart media cards, compact flash cards, and memory sticks.
A Tripodtripod mounts helps you avoid blurry pictures from shaking hands. They also reduce the possibility of accidently dropping your camera.
Adequate Power Supplieshave rechargeable batteries, etc., on hand.
Proper Lightinga reasonably well-lit room is best. If you are selling jewelry or other metallic items, it is recommended that you buy a cloud dome, as metallic objects pick up random colors from any kind of light. It is a large plastic bowl on which you mount your camera. The cloud dome filters out all unwanted color tones. It also stabilizes your camera, thus eliminating the need for a tripod.
A Couple Of Interesting Backgrounds For Your Picturesthese add interest.
Depending on your merchandise, other props may include mannequins for clothes or display stands and risers for jewelry.
Taking A Good Picture
Once you have the above-mentioned gear, you are well on your way to taking top-selling eBay pictures. To begin with, confirm that the objects look their best. Check for dirt smudges, and give your products a final cleaning before photographing them.
While taking the pictures, make sure there are no irrelevant or distracting objects in the background. Moreover, just because a camera has an autofocus feature does not mean that all pictures will be crisp and clear, so double-check your picture before using it. It is also a good idea to use a photo-editing program before you upload the images.
While eBays Picture Services are great for your initial and gallery pictures, the site charges $15 for each additional photo you post using their service. By investing in an image-hosting site, you can insert additional images into your description without paying anything extra.
To conclude, there is a good way and a bad way to take photos for eBay, and simply snapping a picture and uploading it is not enough. Producing effective, salable eBay images is a skill, one you are now on your way to mastering. Successful advertising combines attractive pictures with eye-catching descriptions. Keep your listings simple, straightforward, and professional, and you can be sure of plenty of sales.
by: Jane M Dawson
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