Getting the Right Light
by Karl
Guest columnist from HP

For centuries, artists have used light and shadow to set the mood. Masters such as Vermeer and Rembrandt understood light's nuances and power. In the Golden Age of Hollywood, studio photographers used dramatic lighting to create glamorous star portraits for promotional purposes.

Today, digital cameras let you easily create great results with light. With just a few basic digital imaging techniques, you can make images more interesting – and more appealing to buyers – by focusing on what's most important – your subject.

Here are a few ideas that can help.

Start with a good exposure
Before you take your shot, check your subject in the camera's view frame. Avoid trying to ‘fix it' later. If you shoot an image that has too much contrast (or not enough), changes you make later with photo-editing software may not look right. However, with some practice you can alter the image to darken it and give the illusion of depth, and also compensate for flat lighting. You can also remove distracting areas in the background with a clone tool.

Darken and lighten the surrounding environment
Place the item you're photographing in an area where it's easy to experiment with several lighting options. For example, place it on a wooden table next to a window. Let the brighter, natural outdoor light play on one side, and let the cooler interior light create contrast and darken the other side.

Use outdoor light to best effect
Many items look better when photographed outdoors. If it's a sunny day, place your item in your yard or on a deck. To block direct sunlight but still let your subject be presented well, have a family member or friend hold a bed sheet off-camera. This is a great way to create natural shading that lets your item details stand out on a Web page.

Enhance the dimensional look
“Style” your item to look more interesting. For example, elevate your item above a surface by placing a hidden object, such as a book, underneath it. This lets you create a drop-shadow effect, which enhances your object's shape. Or, place larger objects in a room that's well lit with natural light. Use backlighting to good effect by hiding a lamp behind the item. Backlighting helps show your item's front, top and sides more distinctly in the picture. It's a good idea to first shoot the item “as is”, and then compare the overall effect with a shot using a fill-flash.

Experiment with black-and-white photography
Color photography is the tried and tested way of giving your prospective buyers visual information. However, sometimes, black and white photos can add more drama and mystique to your item. When used well, black and white photography can add an allure to items in categories like Jewelry & Watches. Black and white photography lets you show item details with a crisp, sharp texture, and can give them an artistic look.

Have fun!
Digital cameras are forgiving. Don't like the shot? Feel free to play with the lighting, the exposure, the surrounding environment, or the use of color versus black-and-white. Then shoot again and delete the bad shots. If you're a more advanced photographer, you may want to use layering, to lend added details on top of the original image, or feathering, which lets you create broader, smoother visual transitions within the image.

For more tips on digital photography, please visit eBay's HP Photography Zone. In future columns, we'll expand on photo techniques for advanced results.