How to photograph electronics for selling: clean off every fingerprint and speck of dust, use one large soft light from the side, and shoot 8 to 10 photos: front with the screen on, back, every side and port, accessories, a powered-on settings screen, and close-ups of any wear. Blur serial and IMEI numbers before posting. Export at 2000 px.
Electronics buyers are suspicious for good reason: they can't test the item, and used phones, laptops, consoles and cameras are where most "not as described" disputes start. Good photos prove the item works, show its real condition and answer questions about ports and accessories before they're asked. This guide covers screens, fingerprints, reflections on glossy cases, condition shots for resale and what to hide for privacy. For lighting basics on shiny surfaces, see our guide to photographing reflective products.
- Clean first: microfiber cloth, a blower for ports and keyboards, and cotton gloves for handling. A camera sees fingerprints you don't.
- Screen on for proof: for used items, show the device powered on, ideally on a settings or "About" screen that confirms model and storage.
- Light from the side: glossy glass and plastic reflect whatever is in front of them; keep lights and yourself out of that line.
- Every port and edge: buyers zoom in on ports, hinges, corners and screens.
- Privacy: blur serial numbers, IMEIs, account names and notifications; strip photo location data before you upload.
What setup do you need to photograph electronics?
A soft light, a matte background, white and black cards, and cleaning kit. Matte matters: a glossy table reflects into glossy devices.
| Item | Why it matters for electronics | Cheap option |
|---|---|---|
| Large diffused light | One soft highlight on glass instead of hot spots | Window with a sheer curtain |
| Matte white or grey sweep | Clean background that doesn't reflect into the device | Matte poster board |
| Black cards | Give glossy edges and screens a dark, defined reflection | Black foam board |
| White card | Fills shadows on dark devices | Printer paper |
| Microfiber cloth and blower | Removes fingerprints and dust | Lens cloth and a clean makeup brush |
| Cotton or nitrile gloves | Stops fresh prints while you arrange the shot | Any lint-free gloves |
| Tripod | Sharp, consistent shots, needed for screen exposure | Phone tripod and timer |
Should you photograph electronics with the screen on or off?
Both. Use a screen-on photo to prove the device works and a screen-off photo to show the glass condition. For new or sealed items, a clean screen-off or official-wallpaper shot is enough for the main image.
- Screen on: set brightness to about 50–70% so the display isn't blown out, turn off auto-brightness, and lower your camera's exposure until the screen content is readable.
- What to show on screen: a settings or "About" page with the model, storage and battery health (phones and laptops often show it), or a game menu for consoles.
- Screen off: angle the device so a black card reflects in the glass; scratches show up as light lines against the dark reflection.
- Dead pixels and burn-in: a full-white and a full-grey screen reveal them. Show them if they exist.
- Moiré lines: if you see rippling bands on the screen, move the camera slightly back or change angle a few degrees.
Pasting a perfect screen image onto a used device hides cracks and burn-in, and buyers can open a dispute when the item arrives. For resale, the screen in your photos should be the real screen. Composite screens are fine only for new-product marketing where the item is sealed and the image is clearly illustrative.
How do you get rid of fingerprints and dust in electronics photos?
Clean, then handle the device only with gloves, then do a final check at 100% zoom on the first shot. Retouching dust out of 10 photos takes longer than removing it once.
- Power the device off and wipe the screen and case with a dry microfiber cloth in straight lines.
- Use a blower or soft brush on ports, speaker grilles, keyboards and camera bumps.
- Put on gloves before placing the device on the set.
- Take a test shot, zoom to 100% and look for specks on the screen, lenses and glossy back.
- Wipe again if needed, then shoot the full set without touching the glass.
Never retouch scratches or dents out of a used item's photos.
How do you stop reflections on screens and glossy devices?
Move the light to the side and control what the glass faces. Screens, glossy backs and chrome edges act as mirrors, so anything bright in front of them (a window, a ceiling light, your face) shows up.
- Light at 45–90° to the device, never behind the camera.
- Tilt the device back 5–10° so the screen reflects the ceiling or a black card rather than the camera.
- Black card above the camera gives screens a deep, even black.
- Shoot from a little further back and zoom 2× to shrink your reflection and avoid wide-angle distortion on laptops and TVs.
- Matte everything nearby: dark clothes, ceiling lights off.
If a glint survives, see our guide on removing glare from a photo.
How to photograph electronics for selling used: the condition shot list
For resale, photograph every surface, every port and every flaw. The goal is that nothing surprises the buyer when the box opens.
| Shot | How to take it | What it proves |
|---|---|---|
| Front, screen on (main for used) | Device straight on, settings or home screen visible | It powers on; model and condition |
| Front, screen off | Angled so a black card reflects in the glass | Scratches, cracks, screen protector |
| Back | Flat, light from the side | Scuffs, camera lenses, color |
| All four edges | Rotate on the table; camera at device height | Dents, buttons, corner wear |
| Ports close-up | Each port in focus, light angled in | Ports present, clean and undamaged |
| About / specs screen | Settings page with model, storage, battery health | Exact spec and battery wear |
| Accessories laid out | Everything included, top-down | Charger, cable, box, manuals |
| Flaw close-ups | Each scratch or dent with a coin or finger for scale | Honest condition |
For laptops, add the keyboard (shine on keys shows wear), the hinge open at 90°, and the underside label area. For cameras, add the sensor or lens mount and a shot of the shutter count if you can read it. For consoles, show controllers and the cable set. Most resale marketplaces expect photos of the actual used item rather than stock images; check your marketplace's rules for used electronics.
Should you show the serial number in electronics photos?
Show that a serial or IMEI exists, but blur most of it in public photos. Full serials can be misused (for example to file false warranty or lost-device claims), while a partly visible label still reassures buyers the item is genuine. Share the full number privately with a serious buyer if they ask.
- Photograph the label or settings screen showing the serial or IMEI.
- Open a blur tool such as our free blur image tool, draw a box over all but the last few digits, and choose blur, pixelate or a black box. It runs in your browser and the photo isn't uploaded.
- Also hide account names, email addresses, phone numbers, notifications and Wi-Fi names on any screen shots.
- Check reflections in the screen: your face, room or house number can appear in glossy glass.
- Strip GPS and camera data from the files with the free photo metadata remover if you shot at home.
Turn your front shot into a pure white 2000×2000 main image for 4 credits. The device is cut out of your photo, so the real screen and condition stay as shot.
Make a white main image7 days free · 50 credits · No credit cardWhat background works best for electronics?
Pure white for marketplace main images, light grey or black for secondary shots. Black devices on white show their outline clearly; silver and white devices can disappear on white, so use a light grey or add a soft shadow.
| Device color | Main image | Secondary / lifestyle |
|---|---|---|
| Black / space grey | Pure white with soft shadow | Wood desk or dark luxury scene |
| Silver / white | Pure white with a defined shadow, or light grey | Black or charcoal for contrast |
| Colored | Pure white | Matching pastel background |
Our guides on photographing white products and making a background white cover the free manual methods. AiArter's white-background tool produces pure white (RGB 255,255,255) with the device centered at about 85% of a 2000×2000 frame and an optional soft shadow, for 4 credits. Check cable edges and screen corners at full zoom; a reflective black screen against a dark shadow can confuse any background remover.
Common electronics photography mistakes
| Mistake | What it looks like | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Fingerprints and dust | Smudges and specks on glass | Clean, then handle with gloves |
| Overexposed screen | Bright white rectangle, nothing readable | Lower screen brightness and camera exposure |
| Light behind the camera | Glare across the screen | Light from the side; tilt the device |
| Stock photos for used items | "Not as described" disputes | Photograph the actual unit |
| Missing port shots | Questions about damage or missing ports | Close-up of every port |
| Full serial or IMEI visible | Privacy and fraud risk | Blur all but the last digits |
| Accessories not shown | Arguments over what's included | Top-down shot of everything in the box |
Electronics photo checklist
- Device cleaned; gloves on; test shot checked at 100%.
- Soft side light; black card for screens.
- Screen-on proof, screen-off condition, back, all edges, ports, specs screen, accessories, flaws.
- Serials, IMEIs, accounts and notifications blurred; location data stripped.
- Main image on pure white; silver devices with a defined shadow.
- Resized for each marketplace with our free marketplace image resizer.
Listing a batch of refurbished units? The bulk background remover takes up to 50 photos per batch with one ZIP download, and failed photos aren't charged. Selling on eBay? See our eBay photo requirements guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do you take good pictures of electronics to sell?
Clean the device thoroughly, use soft light from the side, and shoot on a matte background. Take the front with the screen on and off, the back, every edge and port, the accessories, a specs screen and close-ups of any wear.
Should I show the screen on when selling a phone?
Yes. A screen-on photo of the settings or About page proves the phone powers on and shows the model and storage. Add a screen-off photo angled against a dark reflection to show scratches.
Should I hide the serial number when selling electronics?
Blur most of it in public photos and leave only the last few digits visible. Full serial and IMEI numbers can be misused, and you can share the full number privately with a buyer who asks.
How do you photograph a screen without glare?
Place the light to the side rather than behind the camera, tilt the device back slightly, and hold a black card above the camera so the glass reflects black. Turn off ceiling lights and wear dark clothes.
How do you photograph a laptop for sale?
Shoot it open at about 100° with the screen on, then closed from the top, the underside, each side for ports, the keyboard close-up, the hinge and the charger. Include the About screen showing processor, memory and storage.
Can I use stock photos to sell used electronics?
Use photos of the actual unit. Stock images don't show condition, and most resale marketplaces expect real photos of used items. A stock photo can be an extra image at most, labeled as such.
Upload your device photos and get pure white 2000×2000 main images with soft shadows, with the real screen and condition kept exactly as you shot them.
Start free trialSee pricing7 days free · 50 credits · No credit card. Trial images carry a small “Made with aiarter” mark; paid plans export clean files you can use commercially.
