- Cast
- Brightness and Light
- Color and Contrast
- Zoom
I see many great items listed on Poshmark; however, the listing images are just not selling them. I’ve had my fair share of not-so-great Poshmark photos, but I learned what works and what doesn’t.
Like any online store, your product images are the most important. Better ideas lead to more shares resulting in more sales.
Think of your Poshmark photos as your first impression to potential buyers. But, it’s not just about that single item either. The style and quality of your images will tell others a lot about you and your store.
I don’t think you need a fancy DLSR to take amazing Poshmark photos. You can create impressively quality images using your phone. I’m going to help you take the best pictures to be on your way to making some money.
Set the stage.
Keep it simple. You don’t want too much going on in the photo. Sometimes I see listings where I’m not even sure what it is being sold. You want just enough to make the item pop. Also, staging a good shot will show shoppers the wearability of the item, which is SUPER important.
You may have a cute yellow mini skirt, but they might overlook it if potential buyers have no idea what to pair it with. You want to use your incredible style and taste to display your items so that shoppers can picture themselves wearing them.
I always love the flat lay cover images. It’s a great option if the item no longer fits you or you’re like me and not into modeling. You want to keep these photos clean but also stylish and fun.
Don’t clutter the image too much; you want the item you are selling to stand out. Neutral colored surfaces work best, like a table or desk. I’ve also used a fluffy white rug. I would avoid using prints as background unless it compliments the item.
Another option is taking a hanging photo. I use a simple light gray wall in my apartment and a lovely wood hanger to display the items. The neutral-colored wall allows the item to stand out, leaving the image soft and simple. It is also much more accessible than staging a shot. Choosing the right things, the right layout, and getting the right angle all take time.
If you don’t have much time to list, taking a clear and bright hanging shot is a great option. Ensure your items are clean, ironed if needed, and hide hanger strings.
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Get the lighting just right.
Good lighting is essential. I see listings all of the time of adorable items, but the lighting is terrible. Dark photos make the thing look dingy and old. There are some fixes for illumination using the editing tools, but there is just so much you can do without over-editing. You want to start with an excellent lit photo and enhance it if needed.
I find that natural lighting is always the best. Find a room in your house that gets the most sunlight. Take note of the best time of the day to capture that great lighting. Keep in mind this changes with the seasons. In the summer, I was able to take my Poshmark photos anywhere from 3 pm to 6 pm in my office. Since that winter rolled in, I only get about an hour of good lighting a day.
You can use a flash. However, I wouldn’t recommend it. Flash sometimes changes the colors a bit and will overexpose the image. Always try for natural light, but if you don’t get direct sunlight, pick yourself up some new bulbs that give the most natural light. Above is a helpful chart that shows what lightbulbs work and give off what type of lighting.
Edit, but don’t over-edit.
Like I said before, you want to take the best possible photo and only modify it if needed. Enhance your photos, don’t change the look of the item. I use the iPhone editing tools, and they have worked great for me. They have a variety of excellent built-in editing features. Use basic manual adjustments as opposed to preset filters. Here are a few things I use to enhance my images.
First, I usually adjust the cast setting. I find many of my pictures have a yellowish tint to them due to certain lighting conditions in my apartment. Using cast, I can balance the photo’s overall color. I use the cast set to the image of a more excellent tint than a warmer hue. Here is a before and after the cast adjustment. You can find cast under the “color” menu on the iPhone editing screen.
Notice I got the yellowish tint out, and the white looks whiter and not beige. We’re not done just yet, though – on to lighting!
A bright and well-lit image will always be the first to catch someone’s eye. Be careful not to go too bright, though. That can make the color look dull. Instead, capturing the perfect brightness will make your photos beautiful, colorful, and sharp images. You can find brightness under the “light” menu in the iPhone editing screen.
As I explained above, sometimes, colors can seem less vibrant and even faded when you adjust the lighting and brightness. That’s where these tools come into play. Below is a very colorful dress, but you can see the colors look dull after adjusting the brightness. All I had to do was change the color, to bring the color in the dress back to life.
The devil is in the details.
It’s not easy buying clothing online. You can’t feel the fabrics for texture, weight, or elasticity leaving many buyers, including myself, undecided. Providing detailed descriptions and close-up images will help you boost sales. Take clear photos of fabric and any detailing. Use the Pic Stitch app if you need more than four images.
This is a new feature, and I’ve only used it a couple of times. It’s great to show where imperfections are located. As you can see in the middle photo below, I had fixed a hole in a sweater and wanted to make sure any buyer knew precisely where it was and how it looked.
The zoom feature can be found in the editing tool if you hit the last icon on the right and choose markup. You can write, draw and zoom in on images.
Poshers scroll through hundreds of listings, so you want to make a first good impression. Be true to who you are and create images for your listings that your style. This will attract people with the same style and taste as you leading to more sales. As you spend more time taking your Poshmark photos, you will develop your unique style.
Happy Poshing!
Laura
