Take Vinted-grade and eBay-grade product photos with just your phone, daylight, and a £20 setup.
Pro Product Photos on a Smartphone You don't need a DSLR. The top 10% of UK Depop and Vinted sellers shoot everything on phones. Here's the system. Step 1: Use Daylight Shoot near a north facing window between 10am 2pm Avoid direct sunlight (creates harsh shadows) On dark winter days, get a £15 ring light or daylight bulb Step 2: Build a Cheap Background A2 white sheet of card from Hobbycraft (~£3) Curve it up against a wall to remove the floor line Use a clean wood floor or large fabric drop for lifestyle shots Step 3: Shoot Square (1:1) Vinted, Depop, Instagram all crop to square Compose tighter than feels natural — fill 80% of the frame Step 4: The 6 Shot Sequence 1. Hero shot: Item front, perfectly flat or styled 2. Back / reverse 3. Detail / texture close up 4. Brand label / size tag 5. Any flaws (build buyer trust) 6. In context (worn, styled, or scale shot) Step 5: Edit Lightly Use Lightroom Mobile (free) or your phone's built in editor: Brightness +10 Shadows +20 Whites +10 Saturation 5 (avoid over saturation) Never use heavy filters — they distort colour Step 6: Export at Right Size 1080×1080 minimum JPEG (smaller file = faster listing upload) Keep originals in a phone album for re listing Common Mistakes Yellow lightbulb light (use daylight only) Cluttered background (kills perceived value) Only shooting one angle (suspicious to buyers) Wrinkled clothes (steam everything before shooting)