Photography For Online Auctions

The advent of digital photography and the availability of digital cameras has made it possible for everyone to use photography as a business tool. If you have ever bought or sold anything on an online auction you will know the importance of good clear photographs. Clear and accurate pictures of items for sale are needed. Artistic merit, whilst making an item appear attractive, is in this case, not as important as a truthful picture. Here are ten tips for effective auction pictures.

* Avoid harsh unsightly shadows by using plenty of soft diffuse lighting instead of strong directional light or flash. If you have a light tent, this is ideal. Regular sellers of small to medium size items should seriously consider one of these. As well as softening the light it will also reduce reflection off shiny surfaces.

*Be particularly careful about the background you use. Many people seem to forget the background, thinking it is only the item itself which is looked at. A busy background can be distracting and unsightly. Choose something simple and of a pleasing color. A board or sheet should do. A contrasting background can make the item stand out.

*Expose for your main subject. The background is incidental so make sure you expose for the item you are photographing. Use spot or center weighted metering if necessary and bracket your exposures.

* Try to give some sort of scale to the item. If you are photographing a piece of jewellery for example, show it being worn or place a ruler or a coin next to it so the bidders can immediately see it’s size.

* Make sure the image is sharp. Ideally use a tripod to eliminate camera shake. The image must be well focused. Use manual focusing if auto-focus gets confused and lets you down.

* Take a number of shots from different angles to show the item from all sides, if appropriate, to illustrate all its features.

*Take close-ups of any wear or damage to give an honest appearance of the item. Anything misleading or any attempt to hide faults will only lead to a dissatisfied bidder.

*Take close-ups of any labels or maker’s trademarks to show authenticity.

*If the item is boxed or comes with any special packaging, then show it in a photograph.

*Some sellers put a border round the main picture to make it stand out against similar items shown with yours. This can be done quite easily with software such as Photoshop.

Although the item description will tell the prospective bidder all they need to know, a series of good pictures may well be persuasive. If you give as much information as you can in a set of high quality images then you are more likely to get the best possible price.

Using Light Effectively

Light is the fundamental substance of photography. It lies at its heart. Some people talk about photography as “painting with light”. Successful photography depends on the quality of light not just the quantity. During the course of the day the direction, color and intensity of light can change dramatically. From the low reddish sunlight of early morning and dusk, to the hard overhead mid-day sun. Following on from my previous article about exposure, let’s look at some of the effects light inevitably has on your photography. A few simple tips can be used to help deal with tricky light conditions.

* Shooting into the light can give dramatic silhouettes or impressive dark skies. This can be seen in many sun rises and sun sets. An image taken into the sun can make the subject stand out against areas of shadow giving a feeling of depth and rich tones. Modern lenses are coated to help reduce lens flare, but it is still advisable to use a lens hood or shade the lens with your hand.

*In very sunny conditions or in high contrast situations use fill-in flash to lighten the shadows. Most cameras will have a fill-in flash mode, some do this automatically. When the camera is in fill flash mode the camera exposes for the composition and adds just enough flash for the main subject. The result is a profession looking image with no dark shadows. This is something wedding photographers routinely use. Alternatively, use a reflector to bounce the light back into the shadows areas.

* For indoor shots natural light can be very effective. Have the subject close to a window where the soft directional light can be very pleasing, especially for portraits. Again, a reflector can be used to lighten any shadows. You don’t need a purpose made reflector. Any white material can be used - a sheet or white card will do.

* When photographing in strong sunlight try using the dark shadows as an integral part of the composition. They can produce interesting shapes and patterns. Long shadows early in the morning or late in the day can be used to great effect.

* Outdoor scenes can be greatly improved by attaching a polarizing filter to the lens. This will reduce glare and enrich the colors. This is especially effective for sunny outdoor scenes reducing the reflection off water and giving the sky a deeper blue. It has a similar effect to wearing Polaroid sunglasses. Polarizing filters can be rotated to minimize/maximize their effect. Outdoor landscapes and portraits can also be improved by changing the default white balance from “auto” to “cloudy”. This will give warmer tones.

* Shafts of light can look spectacular. In woodland, for example, light coming down through the trees are like natural spot lights. The sun shining through a forest canopy can give a dramatic effect. Backlit leaves give a translucent look and can enrich the greens. The sun shining through a sudden break in stormy clouds can be very dramatic.

* Always remember, even dull lighting can give surprisingly good results. So don’t put your camera away just because you are loosing the light. A long exposure can result in a great shot, giving the effect of movement. Especially street scenes. So even in tricky lighting conditions it is always worthwhile taking the photograph. In fact, take a few at different exposures.

Above all else, your photography should be fun – so always have your camera with you and enjoy!