Beautiful, warm, crisp photos are key to selling your work on Etsy. Your photos need to convey not only the shape, size, color and texture of the work you are offering, but also the style and feeling behind your brand. There’s a lot to consider, and I always say product photography should be a continual process — no photo is ever perfect. I’ve put together a guide of the best articles on and off Etsy for you to study to help your product photography skills grow!
Setting up the Shot
The Best of the Etsy Blog…
Etsy Success: Product Photography for Beginners
Learn to take beautiful photos with this video hosted by successful seller MiniatureRhino.
Jen Kiaba, a.k.a Jenkiabaphotography, a self-proclaimed camera addict and seasoned photographer, helps you choose the right camera to shoot your product photos.
Styling is a tool with unlimited possibilities. SusyJack helps you create beautiful, creative photos which not only showcase your unique items on Etsy, but provide attention-grabbing images to show off on blogs, in periodicals, or anywhere you find a promotional photo op!
Taking a great photo is all about managing light. Nothing is more frustrating than photos that turn out too dark, too washed out, or off-color. It’s a particular challenge for sellers who have to use artificial light rather than natural light due to time constraints or inclement climates.
The Best of the Etsy Forums…
The Best of the Blogosphere…
Make shows you how to quickly create a light box for under $20.
The Case for Adding Human Models
Meredith convinces you to use human models and gives you ideas on how to find them.
Product Photography Tips
The Best of the Etsy Blog…
Before and after photos, along with tips from Etsy experts.
Shop Makeover: Feature Friendly Photos
Give your shop a makeover with these tips on getting your items featured.
UK Edition: Photography Tips With heidiadnum
Heidi shares wisdom on backgrounds, props, composition, and scale.
The Best of the Etsy Forums…
The “BIG NO” For Your Product Photos by TimothyAdamDesigns
Simple Tips and Tricks to Make Your Photos Stand Out! by phydeaux
The Best of the Blogosphere…
Biz Ladies: Tips for Great Product Photography
The Anatomy of a Great Product Shot
Category Specific Advice
The Best of the Etsy Blog…
Etsy Success: Photographing 2D Artwork
Jamie and Amy from Pikaland share their top solutions to photographing and presenting your 2D work online. Turn your images into objets d’art!
Shop Makeover: Photogenic Collaborations
Find out how clothing designer, Rubypearl‘s shop took off like a rocket after she began to make friends with photographers and stylists, helping her product photos improve.
How to Photograph Jewelry: Get the Basics with Vadjutka
Vadjutka, a professional photojournalist, now sells her jewelry on Etsy, and she has some crucial tips for jewelry sellers who want to take great photos of their items.
Photo Editing
The Best of the Etsy Blog…
How-To: Brighten Your Photos with Paperama
Paperama shares her techniques for brightening photos using a free (and easy) online tool.
Hot Tip: Resizing your photos the easy way!
Ever wonder how some sellers always seem to have their images ideally sized and cropped to make the perfect looking thumbnail? Here’s the secret!
The Best of the Etsy Forums…
Crop ’til you Drop by greenpix
The Best of the Blogosphere…
No need for expensive software when you have free online alternatives like these!
Etsy Shop Help: Using Picnik for Photos
Learn how to perfect your photos with this free and easy editing tool.
Etsy Success Holiday Boot Camp | Finding Your Niche | Sign up for Etsy Success Emails
164 comments
Sign in to add your ownHotLavaClothing says:
Great article with lots of tips- Mahalo! Picture taking is an area I'm continually working on :)
2 years ago
lovelygifts says:
Thank's for the tips!
2 years ago
bylynnkrestel says:
wow!! what a great collection of information!! thanks danielle!! xo!
2 years ago
VivaGailBeads says:
Thank you for the tips! I need all the help I can get! thank you.
2 years ago
callmemimi says:
Ooooh! I need so much this information ! Thank you ! off to take a picks ;)
2 years ago
Colettesboutique says:
So many great tips. Thank you.
2 years ago
abacusbeadcreations says:
Ah, it's a never ending battle for me - getting good pictures! Thanks so much for this helpful article!
2 years ago
gatelinesalsa says:
Awesome article!!!
2 years ago
WhisperingOak says:
Great tips. Thank you for the article
2 years ago
elosdesigns says:
"Wonerfull-a-Wonerfull"
2 years ago
thestapeliacompany says:
Thankfully, I'm doing a lot of this already (quite by accident), but this certainly is helpful. Thank you! :)
2 years ago
AZCreativeStudio says:
Great post! Thank you for all this great info!
2 years ago
LittleWrenPottery says:
I love etsy's photo tips, some great ones here from the archives.
2 years ago
Waterrose says:
Thanks for the photo tips....always appreciated!
2 years ago
almostsunday says:
This is fantastic!! Thanks so much :)
2 years ago
NaturalAmber says:
Wow, thank you! Lots of resources, and handful of successful tips.
2 years ago
SanibelsTreasures says:
Thanks for the help! This is great!
2 years ago
littlebugjewelry says:
Oh, I needed this, thank you!!
2 years ago
KettleConfections says:
Thank you for sharing these great tips and tools. We can't wait to use them for our next photo shoot of our candies!
2 years ago
papergirlstudios says:
Great compilation! Now if I can just get these tips to work!!
2 years ago
cindylouwho2 says:
great collection! I will be sharing this around for sure :)
2 years ago
TimothyAdamDesigns says:
What a list!
2 years ago
janellehaskin says:
Good photos really helped my shop a lot! Great advice! :)
2 years ago
econica says:
awesome!
2 years ago
JoyandWhimsy says:
Thanks! I'm always selling some new vintage photography book for inspiration - plus they make nice antiquey gifts! Photo Books of.... BIRDS, 1890s http://www.etsy.com/listing/36614183/1890s-birds-book-with-big-vintage LINDBERGH & AVIATION http://www.etsy.com/listing/36676687/lindbergh-pilot-photos-1920s http://www.etsy.com/listing/21114753/aviation-heroes-and-great-aerial-events JAPAN, 1870s http://www.etsy.com/listing/18628309/1870s-japan-photo-history-travel-book CIRCUS, 1930s http://www.etsy.com/listing/50977355/1930s-circus-photos-vintage-gift-book and more to come!
2 years ago
Asianexpressions says:
Thanks for the tips!
2 years ago
poppyswickedgarden says:
Wow! So many helpful tips for improving photography! This is great for new and seasoned sellers alike:)
2 years ago
maggiemaevintage says:
I can always use more tips on photography...thanks
2 years ago
WalkingToJericho says:
Wonderful! Well written!
2 years ago
odiliafu says:
Very helpful info! Thanks for the tips.
2 years ago
tumblebumbletots says:
Great article - thanks for posting.
2 years ago
DecoFamara says:
Great tips. Thank you
2 years ago
strawberryluna says:
It's always a good idea to rethink your photography & technique, thanks so much for the tips and new insights. :)
2 years ago
myvintagecrush says:
Nice collective article - thanks for all the tips! ...and now I'm scheduling another photo shoot
2 years ago
sacredsuds says:
WOW! definitely going to bookmark this post and return to it again and again. Thanks so much!
2 years ago
BlueRoomBijoux says:
Oh, thank you Danielle, everything sounds great! I really need a better camera! XOX
2 years ago
GalleryJuana says:
wonderful resource to keep! Thank you for covering 2d artwork tips as well.
2 years ago
BlackStar says:
I spent a good part of the morning researching cameras. There are just too many to choose from! Maybe I'll get some ideas in this article. Talk about perfect timing. Bookmarking. Thanks~
2 years ago
skyejuice says:
Thanks for the list! I just got a new DSLR camera lately, would reread up all these tips and try to apply :)
2 years ago
JunkStyleHome says:
Best article to date on Etsy!
2 years ago
jammerjewelry says:
Great article!
2 years ago
Slowshirts says:
Wait a second, does etsy save color files now when you upload an edited photo? If you edit using picnik?
2 years ago
BirdsChasingBugs says:
How did you know that this is exactly what is keeping me up at night?!? Thank you so much for this article. It's such a convenient collection of wisdom. I know what I'll be up to this evening!
2 years ago
youwannatalkjive says:
This was an awesome post, thanks for all of the tips and for always entertaining me on my lunch break <3
2 years ago
choisette says:
good photography is really the essence of a successful etsy shop.
2 years ago
EyeShutterToThink says:
Wonderful post :) Enjoyed reading it. As for the related items...I LOVE that camera turned into a clock by IMOTIME.
2 years ago
accentonvintage says:
Thank you for this article! Great photos are a challenge especially for one who never picked up a camera before!
2 years ago
chelebert12 says:
always love seeing any mention of photography!
2 years ago
tillymaison says:
great article, thanks for rounding up all of these great resources in one spot. it's amazing what a difference a great photo makes!
2 years ago
thevintagejunkie says:
ahhhh..... the photography thing! Still learning! :) Great article!
2 years ago
KrystalCirca1984 says:
Great compilation, I'll put ideas to use immediately!
2 years ago
SimpleJoysPaperie says:
Thanks so much for these fantastic tips and links! I love taking photos, but I know that I can always improve.
2 years ago
chanyeevon says:
These are very useful :D :D Thank you for compiling them together!!
2 years ago
girltuesdayjewelry says:
Vadjutka's article was a real life saver for me. When I was preparing to open my Etsy shop, I was horrified to find that my photo taking abilities really sucked! My jewelry looked so terrible in those initial photos that I thought I was sunk. No $$ to pay a professional, I started hunting for help and found it here on Etsy. So glad I did as now I feel confident in my ability to take a great photo that is intriguing and representative of my work! Thank you!!!!!!!
2 years ago
beliz82 says:
Very very useful article thank you very much !!!
2 years ago
emmarts says:
Thank you, Danielle!
2 years ago
dreamyvintage says:
Thank you! Super helpful :)
2 years ago
MagicMarkingsArt says:
Wow - what a great one-stop feature for photo information! Since this is a never ending process your article will prove to be quite useful. Off to update my photo and shop.
2 years ago
stringmealong says:
Fantastic timing with the compilation of articles! I just got a new camera today and am eager to put it to good use. :) Thank you so much for this, Danielle.
2 years ago
CaliforniaCraft says:
.✿THANK YOU!✿. These are all so helpful! I have a love/hate relationship with the photographing part of selling my tags, twine and other items. Tips are ALWAYS much appreciated, and all in one post... couldn't get much better!
2 years ago
VintageZen says:
Excellent Advice.
2 years ago
MaryFosterCreative says:
Thanks for this very helpful list!
2 years ago
TeasaaL says:
Hurray, thank you... now can someone please borrow me some time to read this all and to practice it? LOL
2 years ago
MegansMenagerie says:
Awesome tips! Thanks!!!
2 years ago
JL67 says:
Thanks sooo much for this wonderful list! :)
2 years ago
DalkullanJewelry says:
Thanks for the article, Danielle, I'm always in the market for photography tips!
2 years ago
OhDearWatson says:
Thanks Danielle... This is great
2 years ago
sofisticata says:
Thank you Danielle for another great article!! I love to read all the photo tips :) Always very helpful!!
2 years ago
jenniferwhitmer says:
Ah, Danielle, thank you for coming to my rescue! I am forever tinkering with my photos, learning the hard, long way, but in this article you have given me so many resources to study and play with. I love this about Etsy. You all seem to have your hearts and minds on the pulse of the sellers, always trying to help us reach higher and farther. To do our best. Etsy is an incredible business school of the most fun kind. I have learned so much from this community and am so pleased to be part of it. Thank you for this great and timely article.
2 years ago
76thStreetInk says:
This article couldn't have come at a better time. I'm having my products photographed for stylemepretty.com this weekend . Thank you so much :o)
2 years ago
Rosalinart says:
Hi Danielle!!!! Well I am so lucky to be married to a professional photographer, he has all the equipment to take wonderful photos, he has been teaching me about light and he is totally supporting me in the process for my etsy shop and boot camp.xxx
2 years ago
Rosalinart says:
Hi Danielle!!!! Well I am so lucky to be married to a professional photographer, he has all the equipment to take wonderful photos, he has been teaching me about light and he is totally supporting me in the process for my etsy shop and boot camp.xxx
2 years ago
tatimaia says:
OH! Thanks! I really need it!
2 years ago
mig1234 says:
Thanks for the guide to making a $10 light booth - I've been taking pictures in bright sunlight, and I think that makes them a little washed out - the diffused light should really help. Also, a fellow Etsian let me know about Picasa (free on Google). Picasa is great for cropping and tuning pictures, and makes wonderful slideshows of family photos.
2 years ago
belleskincare says:
Wonderful article, thanks!
2 years ago
WorkshopPelican says:
Thank you!!! Heaps of infomation. I now have to sit back and read all of these.
2 years ago
GoodOldDaysTreasures says:
Very helpful! Thanks!
2 years ago
LisaMiwa says:
Thank you so much. This is valuable info for me. I'll keep working on my photos.
2 years ago
SwankTownCouture says:
Great tips! Thanks!
2 years ago
QWorks says:
very useful tips!! thanks~
2 years ago
mrswoowoo says:
Thanks! Really good articles
2 years ago
katrinshine says:
Thank's for the tips!
2 years ago
KathyGDesigns says:
Thanks Etsy!
2 years ago
kimmchi says:
holy wow! Great post, so resourceful
2 years ago
abbyberkson says:
Oh my gosh, i really needed this! Thank you for all of the helpful tips and resources!
2 years ago
nowonder says:
Some trully great tips! Thank you danielle! All these ols style cameras are so cool :)
2 years ago
nordeasoaperie says:
lots of good tips!
2 years ago
breadandroses2 says:
So helpful. With the season bringing grey/rainy skies, it's a challenge getting warm, natural light for taking photos.
2 years ago
DreamReignDesigns says:
Thank you EVER so! much great info! Dream
2 years ago
JillianReneDecor says:
This is AWESOME! Thank you! :)
2 years ago
Fiftyleven says:
Thank you Danielle! I have looked at a lot of these but not all and it is so wonderful to have them in one place! Going to read about the easy way to re-size photos because the way I am doing it now isn't so easy =)
2 years ago
Katexpressions says:
Thanks so much for gathering all of this material and passing it on to us! I really appreciate all the work you have put into it!
2 years ago
CleanRinse says:
Great tips! Thank you!
2 years ago
SdVDesigns says:
so so helpful!
2 years ago
juliekruse says:
So great! Thank you.
2 years ago
rakshniyavintage says:
This is a wonderful list - I better start my reading, there's a lot to catch up on :)
2 years ago
PaperPicker says:
I agree, there is always room for improvement on photos. Since I only sell paper items, it's a challange for me to find ways to display them.
2 years ago
elleboudreau says:
What a wonderful post! I got right up and took some pictures today. :) Thank you!
2 years ago
HeartFelt4Kids says:
Great information...thanks!!
2 years ago
jeasongilspi says:
Really very informative and interesting site. and very useful information. http://hydroxatonesite.net/
2 years ago
LadybagsCanada says:
Awesome tips!! Thank you!!
2 years ago
mindbolt says:
Hello and thanks for this roundup! I would like to suggest another post about picking the right camera or maybe an update of the current one. I am looking to buy a better point and shoot (that's what i can afford) with a great macro shot ability and it's hard to sift through all the current offers.I've read various reviews online, but it would be nice to hear from etsy folks. Thanks!
2 years ago
Roomforbaby says:
Thanks! Gotta get to work!
2 years ago
theroyal says:
my photos could use a little work so thanks for this blog. it was a big help.
2 years ago
AutumnLeavesJewelry says:
I keep trying to get better pics all the time...good tips
2 years ago
lilabelledesign says:
great tips
2 years ago
arsniccandy says:
I NEED a tripod!!! I'm usually the model and photographer in my shop:)
2 years ago
meaicp says:
Thanks - it's so hard to get good photos of glass that is supposed to reflect everything - but I am learning more every day! Thanks for these tips.
2 years ago
buildforfun2007 says:
practice and patience and frustration seem to be my traits with taking pictures thank-you for the great article!!
2 years ago
REALBUTTERFLYGIFTS says:
Some great tips! Thanks...
2 years ago
CheersToJuly says:
love the tips - thanks so much :)
2 years ago
amysfunkyfibers says:
Off to shoot more pictures!Thank you for putting all of the tips together.Any hints on taking pictures of purples?
2 years ago
berisose says:
Great article, thanks for all your research....all the time!
2 years ago
rebeccasanchez says:
Great!!
2 years ago
littlelilybamboo says:
Thanks for the tips...and just in time! I'm redoing all my photos this week!
2 years ago
Fullofcraft says:
YAY Etsy! Thank you!
2 years ago
randomorder says:
Thank you, so much!
2 years ago
BotanicalBead says:
Great tips! thanks, I must get busy and try out some of the ideas.
2 years ago
LogCabinCreation says:
Thank you so much for the tips all in one spot - I appreciate all the good info and I hope my photos show I've been learning.
2 years ago
naughteebits says:
exactly what i need, thank you! =}
2 years ago
artbyaimeejoy says:
Yay! Thank you!
2 years ago
luoluo says:
thank you
2 years ago
LVEB says:
thanks for the tips!
2 years ago
javagirls says:
Thanks so much. I'm always looking to improve my shop and my photos. I have a great deal of valuable info here!
2 years ago
MyBibleCompanion says:
My issue is getting great pictures of the inside of my journals.
2 years ago
AndreaFuentesDesigns says:
one of my favorite articles, great links!
2 years ago
FabricFascination says:
Great tips. My husband built me a lightbox, which really helped. We still need a better camera though. Good thing Xmas is coming up.
2 years ago
prendasbyenid says:
Ok This one is really long! I have work to do, lucky me I have read a few already. I made a light box myself out of a box! It came out VERY useful!!! Photography boot camp here I go!!!!
2 years ago
lavishcraft says:
Wow lots of great info and side bars to read here.. I need all the help I can get with the photos aspect of my shop, thank you!
2 years ago
GemdropsoftheFalls says:
Thanks for putting all of these helpful photo articles in 1 PLACE! Love having one bookmark instead of 12! Reshooting photos is one of our top priorities for the upcoming holiday season. Wish us luck and let us know how we're doing!
2 years ago
coloradokathleen says:
Concise article! Helped me with my new camera.
2 years ago
staroftheeast says:
''There's a lot to consider, and I always say product photography should be a continual process — no photo is ever perfect.'' You are so right! I can't remember a day when I'm not retaking an item, although I liked the pictures a little while back :) Thanks for linking those great articles again!
2 years ago
olivewoodwork says:
thanks!
2 years ago
thePieceDeResistance says:
Thank you does not express my feelings enough! I feel our pictures are always improving but I also feel they are still not at the level they need to be, looking forward to these reads!
2 years ago
DANAsOPALsGEMsDESIGN says:
Photography is always a work in progress, great article, full of useful info, thanks.
2 years ago
love4shihtzu says:
I needed this! :O) thanks so much!
2 years ago
NeoArtifax says:
Nicely done! Great advice!
2 years ago
Retromagination says:
It's so great to not have to reinvent the wheel! Thanks Danielle for creating another one to SAVE for the present and future ongoing needs! It's an ever evolving process for me.
2 years ago
Crystalphotography says:
Did you know there are people on etsy that do product photography? I just finished a batch for a client.
2 years ago
HandmadeFromTheHrt says:
Thank you so much for these articles. I feel so inspired to experiment with photographing my products. Thanks!
2 years ago
amityfarmbatik says:
Thank goodness this imformation is available! I need a lot of help here.
2 years ago
meandsis says:
As we are just getting started this is a hugh help. I try to read any and everything I can find on the internet about photographing our purses. Etsy always has so much in one spot. Thanks for all the help!
2 years ago
FireKitsunePrd says:
Even as a photographer, I find this helpful. I'm used to only shooting outdoors and in natural settings. So studio lighting is so annoyingly trial and error for me...THANKS! :) Big hugs.
2 years ago
Iammie says:
Great articles!
2 years ago
Mosabox says:
A lot of useful info. Thank you very much.
2 years ago
TeaPartyHats says:
Thanks!
1 year ago
lizhutnick says:
Thanks! Great info!
1 year ago
MyBeadBakery says:
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I needed this!
1 year ago
jmijewelry says:
You must have been peeking! I am working on photos right now! Been trying to improve them so this is timely! Thanks!
1 year ago
karenleanneking says:
This is all great info; but I have one question. What is the best size of photos (pixel count) to use ? please answer x by x . Thanks!
1 year ago
MayThailand says:
Thank you for the tips!!! ^_________________^
1 year ago
WeddingForYou says:
Beautiful!
1 year ago
post082010 says:
wonderful! as always love the links!
1 year ago
YsMo says:
so iteresting!
1 year ago
doodlebirdie says:
Wonderful info, thank you!!!
1 year ago
Periwinklesky says:
This is a wonderful article, I'll need to come back to study ever little inch....I can't wait to learn more. So Inspirational ~ Thank you
1 year ago
PrairieStones says:
Photography has been a hobby of mine for many years, but when it comes to shooting jewelry for my site I still run into problems. Conquering natural lighting from indoors is always a challenge for me. I am always interested in information on how to make it work! Thank you.
1 year ago
ThePaperButton says:
Thanks for the big help =]
1 year ago
ToosDetectiveAgency says:
Even after following all of these tips, I've found the best thing for my pictures is to resize them. Not only do they load faster, but they fit in the little squares better. I read the FAQ about this somewhere on here, and really like Picnik for this. You don't have to create an account (because I get enough email I don't read already!), and it is very easy to use. Thanks for all the help!
1 year ago
MMKeepsakes says:
What is the very last step to move pictures from picnik to esty?
1 year ago
GemdropsoftheFalls says:
Best section for photo articles ever!! Thank you so much Danielle!
1 year ago
nailsbycharlotte says:
thanks fab info will help loads
1 year ago
sarah ahssini says:
thank you for this tips, i guess you can add your work to http://www.seodesign.us it's a nice web graphics photography resource website!
1 year ago
Christian from CoexistPhotography says:
I appreciate the pointers both as a customer and shop owner of CoexistPhotography.
28 days ago