Buyers here are asking one question — can I use this on Saturday — so the photographs should answer it.
The shot that sells
The item whole, three-quarter, in daylight, with the model name readable.
The shot that prevents the dispute
The working part, close: the face of a bat, the frame and grommets of a racket, the sole of a shoe, the bearings or cable of anything that turns.
The list
- Whole item, with the model readable
- The working part, close
- Specification markings — size, weight, grip size, bore diameter
- Any crack, chip or repair
- Strings and grip, for rackets
- Everything included — bag, cover, spares
- Video of it flexing, turning or working
Light
Daylight, from the side. Varnished bats and glossy frames reflect; shoot in open shade rather than under a ceiling light.
For face marks on a bat and for sole wear on a shoe, raking light again.
Weighing on camera
For bats and anything where weight is a specification, put it on a scale and let the figure settle in frame. Stated weights are frequently the label's rather than the item's. Buying sporting goods.
What goes wrong
Photographing a racket in its cover, shooting gear that has not been cleaned, and leaving out the specification markings. Common mistakes.
Questions people ask
Should I clean before photographing?
Always. Nobody wants somebody else's season in a photograph either.
How do I show a hairline crack?
Raking light and a close frame, with a finger near it for scale.
Video or photographs?
Both. Video for anything with a moving part.