You do not need a camera or a light kit. You need daylight and a plain surface.
The setup
A window, with the item beside it and you between the item and the room — not with the window behind the item, which is how you get a silhouette.
A plain surface. A sheet of white card, a wooden table, anything that is not a patterned bedspread.
Phone on something. A stack of books is a tripod. Shake is what makes a photograph look amateur more than anything else.
Flash off. Always.
The shot list
- The whole thing, straight on, filling the frame
- The back
- The detail that matters — the label, the hallmark, the stitching, the signature
- The flaw, close, in focus
- Something for scale — a hand, a coin, a ruler
Shots 4 and 5 are the ones sellers skip and the ones that prevent disputes.
What ruins a photograph
Backlight. Yellow indoor bulbs. A busy background. Editing that brightens a colour into something the buyer will not receive — which is a misdescription with extra steps.
Questions people ask
How many photographs?
Enough to answer the obvious questions. For anything with condition, five or more.
Can I use the manufacturer's photo?
No. It is not yours to use, and it hides the condition of your actual item.
Should I edit them?
Crop and straighten. Do not change the colour.
Do photographs matter if I am selling live?
Yes. The listing is what people find afterwards.
Next: setting a price.