Merchandise Photography Tips for Your Consignment Store

In this day and age, we can take amazing pictures right from our phones. This includes pictures for your online store. This is made especially easier with photo apps that allow you to upload images to your online shop quickly. Use these merchandise photography tips for your consignment store to capture the best images and maximize the chances of making a sale.

Get comfortable with your camera

I’m sure you’re taking your photos on a phone since phone cameras are high quality these days. You can still capture a great image with your phone once you get used to it. With the internet, it’s so easy to find lessons and advice for free to help you master smartphone photography.

Good lighting

To start, set up your studio in a room with good natural lighting. You want to go for soft shadows, which can be accomplished by getting close to a window. Images taken far away from a window have the opposite effect. Although you probably are used to using your flash to capture your best images, it’s best to turn your flash off for merchandise images as it can do more harm than good.

Play with editing

Editing sounds complicated, but it really isn’t too bad. Once you find what works for you, it becomes second nature. Of course, there are many apps to edit your images; some are free but not all. VSCO is a great option because most of their editing is free such as exposure, contrast, color balance, highlights, the list goes on. You will want to use these tools to edit your images rather than using a filter, giving the viewer a false idea of the item. Once you find the perfect combination for your images, you can pretty much do the same editing for every image.

Get a backdrop

For your backdrop, it’s best to use the color white for multiple reasons. Your website can have a consistent look, there are fewer distractions, any necessary editing is easier, and white allows for better lighting all around. You can either purchase a backdrop or use a white sheet or poster board from any stores around you. Lay your backdrop on a table by the window, making sure the backdrop is behind and underneath your product.

Use a tripod

Not all of us are surgeons with steady hands or professional photographers who can naturally capture the perfect angle, which is why a tripod will be your best friend. Your arms will thank you as well. Buying a tripod doesn’t have to be crazy expensive, but it is a good investment because, with proper care, it will last you years. Amazon’s Choice tripod is only $20.59, and it is even adjustable. The size of the tripod you need all depends on the kind of product you sell, do some research and find the best tripod for you.

Know your angles

When you’re in the moment of taking pictures, you might think you’re taking the best picture, but later, when you’re editing, your opinion might change. Help your future self by taking pictures from many different angles. At times the image you have in your mind doesn’t end up looking as good as you imagined. Similarly, the picture you captured in a moment of inspiration might end up being the best angle.

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Paulette Squicimari