Creating a Great Product Photo 

Goods Marketplace requires large, high-quality photographs of each product listed on our portal. If your images don’t comply with our image requirements, your listing may be rejected by our Product Screening Team. 

If you don’t already have photos available that meet our requirements, this information will help you shoot your own great-looking, guideline-compliant product photos.

Photographing Products

Photographs should show products outside any external packaging and on a white background. They should be well lit, well exposed and in-focus. 

Review the following information, and you should be able to take amazing photograph of your product without needing a studio or professional-level photography equipment.

Camera Settings

• Use a DSLR camera or good quality point-and-shoot. 
• Select the largest size and quality settings your camera has available.
• Use MANUAL mode for total control over exposure, if comfortable. 
• If not, use AUTO mode but take care to ensure the images are properly exposed and in focus.

Setting up a Backdrop

To comply with our image requirements, your primary product photo needs to have a plain white background.

• Set up a sweep of white paper or a lightbox on a tabletop. A white wall will suffice for larger items. 
  
  
• Keep in mind that the entire product must to be surrounded by white in the images.
  
  
• Do not use wrinkled fabric or any surface that is not smooth and solid.

examples

Lighting

You can choose to use artificial or natural light to light your products. Regardless of which set-up you choose to use, do not use on-camera flash. It creates harsh reflections and shadows.

Artificial Light

Set up two photo lights (or two identical lights—same wattage and temperature) on either side of where the product will sit. Turn off any other light sources and block out any window light to avoid unattractive color casts. Adjust the position of lights to evenly illuminate the product and minimize dark shadows on the object and the background. 

Natural Light

If you don’t have photo lights, use natural light. Set up outside or alongside a large window. Similarly, turn off overhead lights and any other light sources to avoid unattractive color casts. Hold or position white poster board or paper near the darker side of the product to bounce light and soften any harsh shadows.

Shooting Tips

• For the best results, set your camera on a tripod. Use the button self-timer or a remote to reduce shaking and produce the sharpest images possible.
  
  

• Products should be photographed out of packaging. Clean and polish products before starting.
  
  

• Only one angle of each product, straight-on, is required. It may be ideal in some instances to shoot multiple angles, detailed shots, or images of the product in use.