At Home Furniture on Consignment (HFOC), we believe that photos are the key to selling your items. Your role in providing the best images is crucial, as it directly impacts the selling potential of your designer items.
Requirements for submitting the best photos to HFOC.
- We'll need at least 4-5 great high-resolution photos so that your item will look its best when it is listed. More photos are even better.
- The photos will need to be able to be cropped into a square to look the best on the HFOC website, social media, email and for all our marketing. You can either submit square photos directly or provide photos that can be easily cropped into a square without losing any important details. Taking the photos in portrait mode is usually best for cropping the images to square.
- Good lighting for your photos is essential. Please make sure that the lighting is as good as possible. Bright and light is terrific, but glaring sunlight is not.
- We can touch up the lighting and other elements a bit, but we never touch up the items themselves. This is to ensure that the items are shown in their current condition, maintaining transparency and trust with our clients.
- The best photos will be taken about 1.5 meters from ground level to give the correct perspective. This height is ideal for capturing the item accurately in terms of size and proportions
Top tips to get the best photos for listing your items online.
Lighting
- Natural light is best: Open curtains or blinds and position the furniture with a window behind you for bright, diffused daylight. Avoid direct sunlight, which can cause harsh shadows and discolour the item.
- If using artificial light: Use diffused light sources like lamps with soft shades or bounced light (light bounced off a white wall or sheet). Diffused light is light that has been scattered in many directions, reducing harsh shadows and creating a more even illumination. Take care, particularly with reflecting surfaces, not to have harsh lights nearby.
- Clean and uncluttered background: Declutter the room and remove distracting elements. Use a neutral-coloured background to make the furniture the star it possible.
- Highlight the details: Take close-up shots of unique features, materials, and designer logos (the makers mark is very important).
- Stage the furniture for living: Add cushions and a throw blanket to a sofa, or place a centrepiece and simple decorative items on a dining or coffee table. Also, get photos with all of the decorative items removed. This will help potential buyers visualise the furniture in their own homes.
- Straight lines and level shots: Use a tripod to place your camera about 1.5m from ground level or take your iPhone photos at this level (rather than standing height) to ensure straight lines and level horizons.
- Fill the frame: Get close enough to show the furniture details without leaving excessive space around it. Allow space surrounding the items so they are able to be cropped.
- Multiple angles: Show the furniture from different perspectives, including front, back and slide shots, close-ups of details, and lifestyle shots that show it your home. This will help potential buyers get a comprehensive view of the item and its features.
- High-quality photos: Use a high-megapixel camera or phone. Blurry or pixelated images will make the furniture look inexpensive.
- Editing: Please do not edit your photos.
- Orientation: It’s best to use portrait orientation for the photos, but they must be able to be cropped into a square.
