Auction Photography

[Eau Rouge]

I know we have all seen some brilliant items sell for pennies because the seller got lazy or didn't want to take the time to take some usable photos for his or her auctions. I think the last couple of weeks have proven that good photos are well worth the effort if you are selling anything on eBay.

In the last two weeks, my restored Graphite RC10 sold for over $100 more than a NIB kit, and last night my Tecnacraft on-road wheels sold for a whopping $456. Yes, they are wanted items, but I really would have to say that good photography and written descriptions are invaluable for auction success. Following some of the early threads here in this forum, I built a light box out of a cardboard box and about $50 in supplies from Home Depot, and it's already paying me back.

I can't stress enough how important it is to take your time and set up a nice area for photos. It's completely worth it, even if you don't have an expensive camera. You can take good shots without a whole lot of effort.

These types of shots are the result of about 2 hours worth of work, 3 CFL 5000k bulbs, 3 cheap can lamps, a cardboard box, 3 sheets of tracing/marker rag paper, a tripod and a digital camera. Nothing fancy, nothing trick done in Photoshop afterward except the cropping and bordering actions, and I got stellar results in a makeshift photo studio...

[Halgar]

Awesome pics!

You're right about the importance of a good description, equally important is a good title that uses good keywords without being a keyword bomb trying to suck in every conceivable viewer.

[carloco8]

Awesome quality pics! Simply perfection. The Alu rims just scream "see me, see all my detail, not a scratch..... yup we are 500+ material"

[Eau Rouge]

A couple of my 1/43rd diecast cars that I was using as test subjects...

[mrlexan]

My first problem is space, but that is containable. My biggest question, where do you find the paper. I have yet to find a good source with exactly what I am looking for. Suggestions.

I agree 100% with Doug and nice pics for sure.

[Eau Rouge]

I had the paper on my drafting table. A pad of 100% Marker Rag gave me 3 11x17 sheets. Tracing paper works great, too, as you can layer it to give you the exact amount of light opacity you want. Try Hobby Lobby or your nearest art store for marker or tracing paper. For the background paper, I was just using black illustration paper also available at an art store (I had mine from college) but you can also find it at a local Hobby Lobby or Michaels.

My space is a small banquet table. I have it set up in my small shop, and it's working well so well. I'll have to snap a shot of the whole setup... takes up almost no space.

[call-911]

Another nice thing about Doug's setup is that since it's made out of a carboard box, when you're done taking pics, you can fold the box back up and stuff it behind a desk or someplace for storage.

[badhoopty]

Another nice thing about Doug's setup is that since it's made out of a carboard box, when you're done taking pics, you can fold the box back up and stuff it behind a desk or someplace for storage.

i can see it in the reflections on the helmet. it's a nice lighting effect with the beveled cutouts.

i have something similar but with a pvc frame and a bedsheet. it was cheap and it's effective, but its a huge pain to setup and teardown, i'm diggin the cardboard box design with the rag paper and the more neutral backdrop.

i use 3 el-cheapo 500w halogen worklamps for light, using a tungsten setting on my super duper canon sd400... it works pretty good.

[Mr. ED]

I can only add that anyone should try their hands on taking better pics, no matter if you plan selling or not.
A cool picture can really make you appreciatie your own builds more, and is likely to get you more comments too.

A little something I did after Oople put up a photo competition recently:

[Dr. Robotnik]

I can only add that anyone should try their hands on taking better pics, no matter if you plan selling or not.
A cool picture can really make you appreciatie your own builds more, and is likely to get you more comments too.

A little something I did after Oople put up a photo competition recently:

admin says no cursing... even in a picture.

it was kinda funny though. in a way of making fun of the blind funny...

[Mr. ED]

Hey ed, that could either be because of the stealth-shadow atmosphere-first pic, or the image hosting on oople not working for you... which one 'd it be?

[Dr. Robotnik]

Hey ed, that could either be because of the stealth-shadow atmosphere-first pic, or the image hosting on oople not working for you... which one 'd it be?

I don't know what stealth-shadow atmosphere is, I can only see the white box with the red x. So I guess oople doesn't work for me. If I type in the location from your pic it says I need to log on to oople so that may be it...but I am not an oople member.

[Eau Rouge]

Jimmy might not allow remote linking, or there might be some other problem... but there is no photo there.

[aconsola]

Any hints on taking good photos of:
1: parts that are still sealed in plastic bags(without opening them)
2: unpainted lexan bodies/parts

[call-911]

I would imagine an unpainted lexan body would show up perfectly in Doug's setup with a black or charcoal background.