Simple "pictures for e-bay" setup with P'n'c?

[SlowSteve]

Hello All.

Mrs Steve wants to sell a load of stuff on eBay - which is a good think as I am close to having to reinforce the walls as they are bowing under the sheer enormity of junk in the house.

Most of the stuff is small - babys clothes, toys, shoes etc.

We use to just lay them on the floor and take a picture handheld - but now I've started reading about photpgraphy the images look awful.

I have a point and click camera - a Coolpix s220, a half sized tripod, and access to lights etc.

Please could someone give me some suggestions regarding producing easy to shoot images that will look a bit better. For example, should I make a white box to put the stuff to be pictured in? If so - gloss? Matt?
How would it be best to set up the lights? Or should I depend on flash for something more constant?

Many thanks for what is I'm sure a horrifically stupid question.

Thanks

Steve

 

[Zarch]

Rather than making a white box, what about something like this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/50X50cm-Photo...s=63&clkid=8038706742322869808#ht_1852wt_1141

Don't cost much at all off eBay..... i've just picked up the 50cm one and its quite natty for 15 quid.

 

[flossie]

I know this might sound a bit odd...but when I occasionally buy second hand tat (sorry, valuable pre-enjoyed heirlooms) on ebay, I'm actually more convinced by a poor technical quality - but clear - shot than one that looks like its perfect, because that could be an image downloaded from a website by a scammer.

Just a thought... some people less cynical than myself may feel otherwise!

 

[Zarch]

I know this might sound a bit odd...but when I occasionally buy second hand tat (sorry, valuable pre-enjoyed heirlooms) on ebay, I'm actually more convinced by a poor technical quality - but clear - shot than one that looks like its perfect, because that could be an image downloaded from a website by a scammer.

Just a thought... some people less cynical than myself may feel otherwise!

Maybe the OP could put his eBay username on a piece of card next to the item to avoid those thoughts going through the buyers mind?

 

[flossie]

Maybe the OP could put his eBay username on a piece of card next to the item to avoid those thoughts going through the buyers mind?

That's actually a really good idea, I'll remember that - particularly where it comes to high value items (cameras, hifi, etc) that are particularly prone to scammers!

 

[*Babs]

Not photography related, but selling related ...

I co-own a small business setting up sales for baby clothes, toys, etc. Like NCT but without the complications and commission Toys and shoes sell OK, but baby clothes just don't sell. At all I think it's because Asda and Primark sell clothes new for really low prices, so people aren't willing to pay money for 2nd hand. Even if it's "nice" stuff from Monsoon, Next, etc.

She may be better doing bundles of clothes all by size and selling them as a job lot. It won't bring in a lot of cash, but they should sell and clear the space.

Alternatively, try an NCT sale rather than eBay, but price low to sell if you don't want to take things home.

 

[flossie]

Please could someone give me some suggestions regarding producing easy to shoot images that will look a bit better. For example, should I make a white box to put the stuff to be pictured in? If so - gloss? Matt?
How would it be best to set up the lights? Or should I depend on flash for something more constant?

Anyway - to answer the original question a bit more helpfully...!

You want a neutral background. Grey is ideal but pretty much any matt, plain, colour will do - anything bright white and/or glossy will just cause your camera to over-expose, which means the background looks great but the product looks boring & dull!

Patterned-backgrounds are distracting, you want the only thing to be the product you are showing (unless you are showing something in context to help it sell - e.g. a chair in your living room, a happy baby playing with a toy, etc etc...)

For lights, as you are trying to sell something instead of doing portraiture, you want things to be as flat as possible, and minimise distracting reflections and shadows, as well as strong contrasts. A flash can solve this, but used badly will be worse than using daylight, so you will have to read into this and be prepared to take various test shots to get the settings and angle right...