How to Photograph Hand Tools for an Online Store

Light the metal

Shoot during the day with light from a window, and avoid direct sun, which makes harsh shadows and hot spots on metal. Avoid dark rooms, which hide the markings. Keep the light even, so the background does not show grey shadows.

Frame the tool on a plain background

Shoot straight on, not at an angle, and fill about 70 to 85 percent of the frame with the tool. Keep the whole tool visible, so no edge is cut off. A plain white or light grey background is the standard for most listings. A neutral table or cloth works if you cut the background out later. Avoid heavily textured surfaces.

Show the condition and the set

Buyers judge a used tool from its photos. Show the wear, the rust or the cleanliness clearly, and keep the brand markings and model numbers readable, because buyers search for specific models. For a set, lay out every included item in one organised photo.

Check the white before you upload

• The background is pure white (RGB 255,255,255) with no grey, checked with an eyedropper or a histogram.
• The edges are clean, with no halos or leftover background.
• Any shadow matches the rest of the set, or is removed where a marketplace bans shadows on the main image.
• The colours match the real tool.
• The file is square, if the marketplace uses a square grid.