Taking Good Photos

1. 1. Use natural light

   Natural daylight produces the most accurate colours and avoids the harsh shadows or yellow tint that artificial lighting often introduces. Position your bottle near a window with indirect light — direct sunlight can cause glare on glass and wash out label details.

   If natural light isn’t available, use a well-diffused, neutral-coloured lamp. Avoid mixed lighting (e.g., daylight from a window combined with a warm desk lamp), as this creates uneven colour casts that make your bottle look different from photo to photo.

   Tip: overcast days are ideal. The cloud cover acts as a natural diffuser, producing even, soft light without harsh highlights.

   Examples

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2. 2. Clear the clutter

   The bottle is the subject — everything else is a distraction. Before photographing, remove any objects that don’t belong in the listing: keys, papers, other bottles, food, remote controls, and anything else that draws attention away from what you’re selling.

   A clean, neutral background works best. A plain table, a solid-coloured surface, or even a sheet of paper behind the bottle keeps the focus where it belongs.

   Examples

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3. 3. Keep the camera still

   Blurry photos make it impossible for buyers to read labels, assess condition, or trust what they’re seeing. Hold your phone with both hands and brace your elbows against your body, or rest the phone against a stable surface. If your phone has a timer or voice shutter, use it to avoid the shake that comes from tapping the screen.

   Take a moment after each shot to zoom in and check sharpness. If the label text isn’t crisp, retake the photo.

   Examples

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4. 4. Focus on worthwhile details

   Beyond the standard overview shots, capture close-ups of anything a buyer would want to inspect:

   • Label text, especially batch numbers, ABV, and bottling year
   • Capsule and seal condition
   • Any damage: scratches, chips, tears, or stains
   • Special features such as embossing, holograms, or unique markings
   • Fill level (photograph at eye level for accuracy)

   If there are flaws, photograph them clearly. Trying to hide imperfections leads to disputes. Showing them upfront builds trust and sets correct expectations.

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5. 5. Exhibit the contents

   If your listing includes packaging, a presentation box, booklets, or other accessories, arrange them together in a way that shows the buyer exactly what they’ll receive. Place the bottle in or beside its box with any extras clearly visible.

   Photograph the packaging open and closed if possible. For presentation cases, show the interior as well. Buyers want to see the condition of foam inserts, satin lining, or any branding inside the case.

   Examples

   

   

6. 6. Stay out of the picture

   It’s surprisingly easy to end up in your own photos. Watch for:

   • Fingers: holding the bottle while photographing. Set it down instead.
   • Reflections: glass bottles act as mirrors. Check for your reflection (or your phone) in the glass before shooting.
   • Shadows: your own shadow falling across the bottle or background.
   • Feet: when photographing from above, check the lower edge of the frame.

   A quick review after each shot catches these easily.

   Example

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7. 7. No filters or editing

   Do not apply filters, colour adjustments, beauty effects, or any other post-processing to your photos. Buyers need to see the bottle as it actually is, not as it looks through an Instagram filter.

   Cropping and straightening are fine. Adjusting brightness slightly to compensate for a dark environment is acceptable. But altering colours, contrast, sharpness, or saturation misrepresents the item and can lead to disputes.

   If you find yourself needing or wanting to apply various kinds of filters or editing, then you may simply require better photos to begin with. Good photos don’t need post-processing.

   Examples

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8. 8. Clean surfaces

   Before photographing, wipe down the bottle and any packaging. Dust, fingerprints, and smudges show up clearly in photos and make even a well-kept bottle look neglected. Pay attention to:

   • The glass surface — a quick wipe with a lint-free cloth removes fingerprints
   • The capsule and shoulder of the bottle — dust collects here
   • The background surface — crumbs, stains, or marks on the table are distracting
   • Packaging — dust the box or tube before photographing

   Examples

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9. 9. Show all sides

   A single front-facing photo isn’t enough. Buyers need to see the full picture. At minimum, photograph:

   1. Front label (straight on, fully readable)
   2. Back label (including any small print, barcodes, or batch info)
   3. Capsule and top of the bottle
   4. Base of the bottle (if it contains markings or a stamp)
   5. Both sides of the bottle (to show fill level and any side-specific wear)
   6. Packaging — front, back, top, and interior

   Think of it this way: show a buyer everything they’d inspect if they were holding the bottle in their hands.

   Examples

   

   

   

   

Good photos don’t just make your listing look better — they reduce questions, prevent disputes, and help buyers purchase with confidence. A few extra minutes behind the camera pays off.