How many of you like great-looking watch pictures? Some of the photos are so epic that you want to get that watch immediately.
I am going to share with you my way of taking photographs using just my iPhone 7 plus. If you have a better camera than my phone, you should have even better pictures.
Like anything in life, it takes time to become better, and you need to put work to get solid results. By using this blog post, you will shorten your learning curve, and your pictures will help you sell watches faster.
I do not use a light box, because I do not get the natural feel for my pictures. Living in Hawaii, I have some excellent opportunities to make the pictures very unique all year long without freezing my ass off.
What you need to take great pictures:
- Camera
- Sun reflector
- Tripod (optional)
Here are some rules when you are taking pictures.
>. Pick the right time of the day
When I got advice from my photographer friend, he told me to take pictures early in the morning and late during the day before sunrise and sunset. The reason behind this is the natural lighting is not as strong as direct light. Also, when you are taking pictures during those times, you can take advantage of the cloudy days, which helps. Cloud cover yields good lighting but non-direct sunlight which is ideal.
If you have to take pictures during the day, the trick is to find a shady area and use the sun reflector circle. That way, you will block or redirect the natural light the way that makes the picture clear.
>. How to take pictures of the larger crystal watches:
If you have ever tried to take photos of Panerai timepieces, you know what I mean. Your best friend will be the sun reflector which you have to position in a way that you will not get any reflection on the crystal. It will take some time for you to figure out the best way to make it work. Practice makes it perfect.
> Lock the camera focus
Make sure when taking pictures, you are focusing on a specific part of the watch by locking the focus function of your camera on the watch. That will make a big difference in the final product.
> What kind of pictures should you take?
When you are trying to make people click on your listing on Facebook, eBay, Chrono24, Value Your Watch, and watch forums, make sure that your first pictures are the ones which would entice you to click on the ad personally. A great habit is to post your two best photos in the Watch Trading Academy Group and ask the community to pick the best one they like. If you people like the way it looks, you are good to go. If not, you better retake those pictures.
Here are some examples of cover pictures from the watch traders who are part of Watch Trading Academy.
> Don’t hide any imperfections.
When you are taking pictures, you need to portray the watch in the best way possible, and at the same time, you cannot hide the flaws. You do not want to mislead the buyer by thinking the watch is in fantastic shape because you used photoshop and the watch looks like new even if you have scratches on the case as well as bracelet.
Here are the angles of the watch you should always take to make sure that the description will be matching your pictures.
- Straight forward dial picture
- Shows the condition of the hands, and dial
- Both sides of the watch case
- Show the condition side of the case as well as bezel dings which gets hit the hardest in most cases
- Crystal picture
- Condition of the crystal
- Case back picture
- Show the movement (on some of the watches)
- Clasp picture
- Shows the condition of the clasp as well as if its OEM (original equipment manufacture)
- Bracelet/ Strap
- Show the condition of the bracelet as well as any stretch/flex
Now that you know how and what kind of pictures you should take to help the watch be sold faster, it’s time to share the best location for your photographs.
One of the best locations is one which is near you. You need to be creative because you do not need a fantastic background always.
For me, I like to take pictures on a higher level ground because it makes the watch pop better. Sometimes, I am looking for different background color variations, such as green flowers, taking pictures right by the ocean. This contrast makes the watch stand out in the foreground.
All of us have the perfect location near us if we search enough and get creative. Ask for feedback from the Watch Trading Academy Group, and I guarantee you that you will be able to come up with your signature pictures that people will know who you are when buying in a trusted manner.