Buyers decide in seconds whether to click a listing, and those seconds are spent looking at your photos. The good news is that bad product photography usually comes down to a short list of avoidable mistakes, and none of the fixes need expensive equipment.
Here are twelve to check against your own listings.
1. Shooting under ceiling lights
Indoor bulbs give photos a yellow or grey tint and create hard shadows. Move next to a window and use daylight instead, with the lights switched off.
2. Using harsh direct sun
Bright sunlight is as bad as dim light, causing glare and dark shadows. Soft, indirect light works best. If the sun is streaming in, tape baking paper or a thin white curtain over the glass.
3. Ignoring shadows
Even with good light, one side of the product can look dark. A sheet of white card propped opposite the window bounces light back and evens things out. It costs almost nothing.
4. A cluttered background
Kitchen counters, patterned carpets and busy rooms pull attention away from what you’re selling. For your main photo, use plain white or pale grey paper, curved from the wall down onto the table so there’s no visible edge.
5. Not checking the marketplace’s rules
Some marketplaces insist the main image has a plain white background or meets size requirements. Look up the rules before you shoot, rather than redoing everything later.
6. A dirty lens
Phones live in pockets and get smudged constantly. A quick wipe with a soft cloth makes photos noticeably sharper.
7. Zooming in
Digital zoom throws away detail. Walk closer to the product instead, and let your phone’s camera work at full quality.
8. Using the flash
Flash flattens textures and causes bright reflections, especially on shiny items. Turn it off and rely on daylight.
9. Blurry, wonky shots
A cheap tripod or phone stand fixes shaky photos and keeps every product framed the same way. Tap the screen on the product to lock focus before taking the picture.
10. Only one angle
A single photo leaves buyers guessing. Show the front, back and sides, close-ups of materials and details, labels and sizes, and any flaws if the item is secondhand. Honest photos prevent returns and protect your reviews.
11. No sense of size or use
Plenty of returns happen because the item was bigger or smaller than expected. Include one photo next to something familiar, like a hand or a cup. Add a lifestyle shot showing the product in use: a bag being carried, a print hanging on a wall, a mug on a breakfast table.
12. Over-editing
Brightening and cropping help. Changing colours so the product looks better than it is leads to disappointed buyers. Keep edits light and colours true, and use the same editing style across your whole shop so it looks consistent.
Set up a photo corner
Once you’ve fixed these, make it easy to repeat. Keep your background, white card and phone stand together in one spot near a window, and photograph several products in one session while the light is good.
Watch what your photos do
Your sales figures will tell you which photos work. If a listing gets plenty of views but few sales, test a different main image. On marketplaces where search results are mostly pictures, your first photo is effectively your advert, and improving it is one of the cheapest ways to sell more.
About Shortcuts to Success
Practical, honest guides to earning extra money alongside your job. We cover freelancing, selling online, content income and local gigs, including the costs and risks most side hustle sites skip.