Product photo tips for second-hand listings

Buyers scroll past listings in a second, and the first photo decides whether they stop. Clear, honest photos also cut down on questions and on wasted meetings, because the buyer already knows what they are coming to see. You do not need a good camera: a recent phone and a window are enough.

Shoot in daylight near a window, but out of direct sun. Switch off the flash: it creates glare on screens and shiny surfaces and flattens colours. Ceiling lights at night give a yellow cast and harsh shadows. If the item is dark, put a white sheet of paper or cloth on the opposite side to bounce light back.

Use a plain surface: a bedsheet, a wall, a table or the floor. Clear away other objects. For clothes, use a hanger against a plain wall or lay them flat and smooth out the creases. For furniture, photograph it where it stands but tidy the area around it.

• A cover photo of the whole item, straight on, filling most of the frame.
• The back, the sides and the underside or sole.
• Labels: brand tag, size label, model number, serial number (hide part of the serial if you prefer).
• Every flaw, close up: scratches, dents, stains, worn corners, missing buttons.
• What is included: box, charger, cables, manual, dust bag, all laid out together.
• For electronics, the item switched on, with the settings screen showing the model or battery health.
• For furniture, one photo with a measuring tape or a familiar object for scale.

• Wipe the lens. A smudged lens is the most common cause of hazy photos.
• Use the main camera at 1x, not the wide-angle lens, which distorts shapes up close.
• Tap the item on screen to focus and adjust exposure.
• Hold the phone at the same height as the item for the cover photo.
• Shoot in landscape or square; the marketplace crops thumbnails to fit the grid.

• Phones and laptops: a screen photo on a white background shows marks and dead pixels; add the About or battery screen.
• Clothes: one full-length photo on a hanger, one close-up of the fabric and one of the size label.
• Shoes: both shoes from the side, the soles and the inside of the heel, where wear shows first.
• Furniture: front and side views in the room, the joints, and the back or underside.
• Books: the cover, the spine, the edition page and any highlighted or damaged pages.

Do not use photos from the brand's website or someone else's listing. They suggest the item may not exist and can be copyrighted. Do not use beauty filters or heavy editing that changes colours: the buyer will see the real item at the meeting. Avoid showing personal details such as your address, your face in a mirror, family photos or documents in the background.

AltF Marketplace removes location data (GPS) and camera details from photos when you upload them, but it cannot remove what is visible in the picture itself.

AltF Marketplace takes up to eight photos per listing. Aim for at least three, and five or more for anything valuable. The listing checker tells you if you are below that.