Photograph the questions a customer needs answered, not just the scene you want to create. A beautiful arrangement can attract attention while leaving the buyer unsure about the item's size, contents or colour. Start with one product and make its photo set useful before repeating the process across the catalogue.
You can begin with the phone and space you already have. The aim of this checklist is a clear, honest listing—not a promise that any camera or a particular number of images will increase sales.
Write the shot list before setting up
Read your product description as if you have never held the item. List what is difficult to understand from words alone. A crochet piece may need texture and scale; a garment may need its shape and fastening; a gift set needs a clear view of what the price includes.
Etsy's product photography checklist includes detail and size/scale shots among useful photograph types. Use that principle to select views for your own product, rather than uploading several nearly identical angles.
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| Buyer's question | Useful view to plan |
|---|---|
| Which item is this? | Uncluttered main view with the whole product visible |
| What is the finish or texture? | Close detail without hiding relevant imperfections |
| How large is it? | Clear scale reference alongside written dimensions |
| What comes in the order? | Actual included items together; props distinguished |
| Which option am I selecting? | Photograph of the named colour or variant |
| What cannot be seen from the front? | Relevant reverse, interior, fastening or side view |
Not every product needs every view. Choose the images that remove uncertainty for that item. Do not pad a gallery with duplicate photos simply to reach a count.
Make a repeatable setup
Choose a background that lets the product stand out and a position you can reproduce. Before photographing the full range, take a test image and inspect it at normal phone size as well as enlarged.
Clean the lens and product surface. Keep the camera steady, focus on the important detail and check whether shadows conceal the item's shape. If the available light changes during the session, compare the first and last products rather than assuming the whole batch matches.
Record a few setup notes: background, camera position, approximate distance and the time or light arrangement that worked. The purpose is to make the next batch consistent, not to force every material into identical lighting. Reflective jewellery and textured fabric may need different adjustments.
Let the main photo identify the product
The main image often appears smaller in a collection card than on the product page. Make sure the item is still recognisable after that reduction and crop.
Avoid placing essential product details near the edge before testing the template's crop. If several items appear in the scene, a buyer should not have to guess which one is for sale. Explain the included quantity in the product text as well as the photograph.
Styling can support the product, but it should not become a substitute for a clear view. Keep at least one image that shows the actual item without decorative elements obscuring it.
Keep colour, scale and condition honest
Review edits against the physical product. Do not apply a filter that materially changes the colour or remove a feature the customer will receive. If handmade variation is part of the product, explain it and show a representative example rather than promising identical copies.
A scale photograph supplements dimensions; it does not replace them. A prop's apparent size can be misunderstood. State measurements and identify the relevant part of the product, especially when handles, chains or packaging change its total dimensions.
For seconds, samples or visibly imperfect items, show the relevant condition clearly. Do not hide it only in a distant image or a line the customer is unlikely to find.
Match every photo to the correct option
Before uploading, group images by product and variant. A blue-item photograph attached to the cream option creates uncertainty even if both products are available.
Use stable references in your filenames, such as FLR-YELLOW-front and FLR-YELLOW-detail, rather than relying on upload order. These are illustrative naming examples, not a required import format. Check the destination store's accepted formats, limits and image-selection behaviour.
Keep an original master separately from the web copy. Resize and compress the upload version as appropriate for the actual storefront, then inspect it for lost detail. Do not repeatedly edit an already compressed copy and assume its quality will hold.
Check rights and private information
Use photographs you own or have permission to publish. A picture found on a social account is not automatically available for your catalogue. Check permissions before using recognisable people, customer-submitted photos or someone else's creative work.
Inspect the background for addresses, parcel labels, phone numbers and other private details. Remove the private information from the scene before taking the photo where possible. Do not rely on a small preview to reveal everything that becomes visible when the original image is opened.
Avoid invented “customer photos” or synthetic images that misrepresent the product's appearance. If an illustration is used to explain a concept, label it as an illustration rather than presenting it as fulfilment proof.
Finish with the storefront, not the camera roll
Upload one complete set to a safe preview. Check the collection card, product page and any image displayed in the bag. Test the mobile view and an option change where supported. A file that looks correct in your photo library may crop differently in the actual template.
Write alternative text that describes the useful visual information. For example, “Yellow crochet flower keychain, front view” is more informative than a string of search phrases. Do not put prices or claims in alt text merely to add keywords.
Keep this final handoff record:
- Product and variant reference.
- Main, detail and scale-image filenames as needed.
- Included-items clarification and relevant dimensions.
- Rights or permission record.
- Original-master location and prepared web copies.
- Mobile crop and option-match check.
If a category has no dedicated image, a representative product photo can be a deliberate choice. Check that it belongs to the category, that you can use it and that the crop still makes sense. Do not use a random attractive image that promises unrelated products.
Combine the photo set with the catalogue-preparation checklist. Clothing sellers can also use the size and stock guide. When you are ready to test the complete listing, request setup guidance with a small, representative collection.
Examples are illustrative. Confirm current features, charges and suitability before making a business decision.
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