Good photos sell items and back up insurance claims. You don't need a studio — you need even light, a clean background, and a repeatable setup.
Light
Soft, even light beats bright, direct light. Shoot near a large window in daytime, or use two lamps at 45 degrees to cancel shadows. Avoid on-camera flash, which flattens detail and creates glare on slabs and glossy surfaces.
Angles and coverage
- Front, straight-on, filling the frame.
- Back, same framing.
- Detail shots of flaws, signatures, and certification labels.
- The cert number and grade label, readable and in focus.
Reduce glare on graded slabs
Tilt the slab slightly and move your light source rather than the item until the reflection slides off the label. A piece of white paper as a bounce fills shadows without adding hotspots.
Honesty photographs better than perfection. Showing a flaw clearly builds buyer trust and protects you from 'not as described' disputes.