Clear Backgrounds and Foregrounds
by A.B. Russell
eBay Staff Member

This month's topic is a very important one, and it's best to talk about it before we begin photographing.

A clean background and foreground are far more important than many people believe. If you have any doubt, look at photos of products you see in magazines or items you see on television. Remember the amount of money these companies have spent to produce these images. Also remember that in a lot of cases, these companies are in direct competition with you as an eBay seller.

When you're photographing a small object, whether you use a dedicated background or not, be certain that there is nothing distracting in the background. It's perfectly all right to place your item on a table and use a wall as a background, but don't allow clutter to show. In fact, don't let anything show that will distract from your item. Pay equal attention the foreground. If there's something on your shooting surface that will detract from your item, move it.

Make your item very prominent in the image. This is generally easier when you're shooting something small. While, for artistic purposes, many photographers will move their main point of focus off center, it's better in most cases to place your item in the center of the frame. If your item is three-dimensional, you should consider placing it at an angle to the camera so that the viewer can see at least two sides.

If you're shooting medium or large sized items, the principles are the same. It may be more difficult, but you want your images to be free of distractions this will emphasize what you're selling. In most cases, simpler is better. Unless you have an extreme artistic leaning, you'll want to avoid a setting for your item and use as plain a background as possible. With larger items, such as a car, it's a very good idea to place them at an angle to the camera. This gives your potential buyer more information and they may be more likely to bid on your item rather than the next one.

See you next month.