One of the keys to having successful auctions on Ebay is a photo. Someone once said that a single picture is worth a thousand words. The Chinese has a proverb said; “One picture is worth ten thousand words.” This is especially true when you are trying to sell something online. It’s especially true when you are auctioning off collectible. People like to see what they are buying or bidding on. The better the pictures the better your chances of selling the object(s). I discovered that fact eight years ago when I auctioned a set of “Gone With the Wind” collector plates. They were in mint condition, still in their original boxes, complete with certificates of authenticity. There was a lot of “Gone With the Wind” memorabilia on Ebay at the time selling for a great deal less than I made on my auction. What made the difference? I had included pictures of each dish, its box, and its certificate of authenticity. The pictures made the difference because they were clear photos that showed every dish in minute detail.
Making great photos of small objects isn’t hard but it does require some special equipment and the mastery of some special techniques. Great tabletop photography is an art form but it’s an art form that almost anyone can learn with a little practice. The first thing that you need is a good “Tabletop Photo Studio.” Commercially made tabletop studios can cost as much as a $1000 or more a decent one can be had online for less than $60 plus shipping and handling. Mingxing Photography makes a Large 24" Tent Softbox Table Top Studio Kit with 2 Lights, Camera Stand and 4 Backdrops for $51.99. The great thing about this kit is that the ten folds up and becomes a carrying case to store and transport the studio. One of the services that I offer at Have Camera Will Travel is to shoot tabletop photos on site for people looking to auction off jewelry and such and this kit allows me to have everything at my fingertips. All I have to do is set it up on the client’s kitchen table or on their dining room table. This particular kit is available online at Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JYI0XK/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=.
Ambient Light
Where you set up your tabletop studios is very important because the ambient light can detract from the quality of the photos you take. Close the blinds and turn of the room lights. You want to light the objects that you are photographing with the pure 5100ºK Halogen lights that came with your tabletop studio. The two 50-Watt Halogen lamps will provide all the illumination that you will need and the Softbox tent assures even illumination with no shadows. This will make adjusting the cameras White Balance easy. If you can’t control the ambient light in one location look for another location to set up the tabletop studio.
Setting Up Your Camera
Begin by switching your digital camera to “M,” the full manual mode. The program modes are for vacation snapshot takers, not for the serious task at hand. Not to worry, I will lead you through the set up systematically.
Adjusting the White Balance
Most advanced point and shoot cameras as well as DSLRs allow you to dial in the exact color temperature in degrees Kelvin, while others provide you with a number of “Presets” to select from. Pull out your cameras instruction manual to find out what White Balance adjustments your camera offers and to find out how to access the White Balance Menu. Cameras that allow you to dial in the exact color temperature usually have a “Custom” selection on the White Balance menu. If you need to shoot with a “Preset” select “Incandescent” or “Tungsten” for continuous hot light kits. The “Auto White Balance” selection should be your last choice because it can create uncontrollable color shifts.
ISO
Select an ISO speed of 400 or 800.
Auto Focus VS Manual Focus
For close up shots, shots made with the camera 1-foot or less from the object, go with manual focus. For shots made with the camera at greater distances from the object being photographed, the auto focus feature does a great job.
Metering
Center-Weighted or Spot-Metering is preferred over Matrix-Metering when doing tabletop photography. Spot Metering works best when shooting in a tabletop studio/tent using a white background. With white backgrounds, a Matrix-Metering system tends to expose for the white background leaving the subject dark and under exposed.
Lens Aperture
For the best depth of field set the lens aperture at f-8 or f-11.
Shutter Speed
If you are shooting using Aperture Priority mode the camera will select the appropriate shutter speed. If you are shooting on full manual, you need to dial in the appropriate shutter speed as indicated on the LCD or in the viewfinder. For shutter release, to avoid jiggling the camera, use a cable release if your camera accepts one, or use the cameras built in timer.
Finally, composition is very important when shooting tabletop photos. Forget everything you ever heard about “The Rule of Thirds.” When doing tabletop shoots, you want to almost fill the entire frame with your subject. Leave just enough space around the object to frame it. Use your camera aspect ratio to compose your shots too. Compose using the ‘portrait’ aspect ratio for tall objects and the “Panorama” aspect ratio for wide objects.
There’s a lot more to tabletop photography than I covered in this introductory article but these tips will get you started off on the right foot,
