How to Photograph T-Shirts: Flat Lay, Prints and Color (2026)

To photograph t-shirts, steam out wrinkles, lay the shirt flat on a white or light grey surface and shoot from directly above with the phone parallel, in soft window light with room lights off. Take 5–7 photos: front, back, print close-up, fabric and label, a worn or hanger shot and a size chart image, at 2000 px or more.

T-shirts look simple to photograph, but most listing problems come from three things: wrinkles, colors that do not match the real shirt, and prints that look soft or warped. This guide focuses on what is specific to tees and graphic shirts. For general clothing advice, such as measurements and flaw shots for resale, read our guide to photographing clothes for selling online.

How to photograph t-shirts: flat lay, hanger or model?

Use flat lay for the main image, add a worn shot if you can, and use a hanger only when you need speed for large batches.

If you want the 3D shape without a visible form, our guide to the ghost mannequin effect explains how it is done.

How do you set up a t-shirt flat lay?

Lay the shirt on a large white board or clean floor near a window, shape it, and shoot from directly above.

1. Steam or iron the shirt, including the fold lines across the chest. Lint-roll both sides; dark tees show every hair.
2. Lay it on a matte surface about 1–1.5 m from a window with indirect light. White foam board, a sheet of seamless paper or a clean light floor all work.
3. Shape the shirt. Square the shoulders, fold sleeves slightly in or angle them down, and tuck the sides in a little at the waist so it does not look like a box.
4. Hold the phone parallel above the center of the shirt. Stand on a step stool or use an overhead arm; turn on the grid and level.
5. Use the 1x or 2x lens from far enough to fit the shirt with space around it. The ultra-wide lens bends the hem and shoulders.
6. Turn off overhead lights and shoot. Repeat the exact setup for every shirt so your shop grid matches.

Overhead framing and spacing are covered in more detail in our flat lay photography guide.

How do you get wrinkles out of t-shirt photos?

Remove them before shooting with a steamer, and use a sheet of tissue paper inside the shirt to stop the back showing through.

• Steam beats ironing for screen prints and vinyl transfers, which can melt under a hot iron. If you iron, turn the shirt inside out.
• Put card or tissue inside the shirt. It flattens the front, stops seams from the back showing through thin fabric and gives a clean edge.
• Smooth with your palm, outward from the center, just before shooting.
• Small creases can be fixed in editing, but heavy fold lines across a print never look right after retouching.

How do you photograph the print or graphic?

Shoot the print straight on, close enough to fill most of the frame, with side light that shows the texture of the ink.

How do you get t-shirt colors accurate?

Shoot in daylight only, set white balance on a white card, and compare the photo with the shirt on screen before listing.

Color is the top reason for "not as described" returns on tees. Heather grey turns blue, red turns orange and black goes brown under warm bulbs. Use one light source, avoid shooting near colored walls that bounce color onto the shirt, and turn off beauty or vivid filters. Black shirts need a little extra exposure and a lighter background so the shape stays visible. Our guide to product photo color accuracy covers white balance, gray cards and screen checks in detail.

On AiArter a white-background image costs 4 credits and a scene from the AI background generator costs 8. The shirt is cut out of your photo and kept as-is; only the background behind it changes. AiArter does not put shirts on models or generate try-on images, so shoot worn photos yourself.

How do you make a t-shirt size chart image?

Lay the shirt flat, measure chest width (armpit to armpit) and body length (shoulder to hem), and put the numbers in a simple table image.

These are example numbers only; measure your own blanks, since every brand cuts differently. Add a small diagram of where each measurement is taken, keep the font large enough to read on a phone, and use the same layout for every listing. Design templates or any graphics app can hold the chart so you only update the numbers.

Can you use mockups instead of photos for t-shirts?

Many print-on-demand shops do, but a photo of a real printed sample builds more trust and shows true color.

Mockups are fast and consistent, which matters when you have hundreds of designs. The trade-off is that mockup colors and print sharpness can be better than the real product. A common approach is a mockup for the main image and one real photo of a sample. Our guide to print-on-demand product photos compares mockups and sample shots in detail.

What photos should a t-shirt listing have?

Five to seven images in the same style for every design.

Use one ratio across the shop. Square works for Shopify and most marketplaces; Etsy crops search thumbnails, so keep the shirt centered (see Etsy listing photo size); Instagram feed posts look best at 4:5. If you shoot one square photo, AiArter's channel sizes (8 credits each) extend the background for other ratios instead of cropping the shirt.

Common t-shirt photography mistakes

• Fold lines across the chest from packaging.
• Lint and pet hair on dark shirts.
• Skewed prints from a tilted phone.
• Warm, yellow colors from indoor bulbs.
• Black shirts on black backgrounds, so the outline disappears.
• Inconsistent framing that makes a collection look messy.

Frequently asked questions

How do you take good pictures of t-shirts to sell?

Steam the shirt, lay it flat on a white or light grey surface near a window and shoot from directly above with the phone parallel. Add a print close-up, back, label, worn shot and size chart, and turn off room lights so colors stay accurate.

Is it better to photograph t-shirts flat or hanging?

Flat lay is easier to keep consistent and works well for graphic tees. Hanging is faster for big resale batches. A worn shot shows fit best, so many shops use flat lay as the main image and a worn shot as the second.

How do you make a flat lay t-shirt look less flat?

Tuck the sides in slightly at the waist, angle the sleeves and put tissue or card inside the shirt. Side light from a window adds gentle shadows that give the fabric shape.

How do you photograph black t-shirts?

Use a light grey or white background, add a little exposure and lint-roll carefully. Light from the side shows fabric texture so the shirt does not look like a flat black shape.

What size should t-shirt photos be?

At least 2000 px on the shortest side works for most marketplaces and stores. Use the same ratio for every product, and check your platform's current recommendation in the seller dashboard.

Should I use t-shirt mockups or real photos?

Mockups are fine for many print-on-demand shops, but adding at least one real photo of a printed sample shows true color and print quality and builds buyer trust.