Photo Tips for Selling Crafts Online

by Vanessa
(Tarzana, CA)

Do whatever you have to in order to get the highest quality photos you can. Sometimes you see things for sale on Etsy or eBay with small cell phone photos that just don't let you get a good look at the item.

Take a good sized picture. If you need to show detail, show it in a separate photo rather than trying to make one picture show everything.

Also, remember to include something that will give a sense of scale. I've seen coins, pencils, sewing accessories or hands used for this purpose.

Pay particular attention to the display surface and background. Your creative eye can sometimes work against you here. Resist the urge to pick something interesting. Your display surface and background should be neutral so that the art or craft item is the focus of attention. Try different textures as well as colors to see what shows your item to best advantage.

Some items are best shown in use. I sell hand-painted scarves and shawls online. People like to see them laid out flat so they can see the total design, but they also like to see them on a model or hat form so they can see how they drape and how the pattern looks when the item is wrapped or folded.