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The Olympics are in full swing which means patriotic inertia and a warm blanket of goodwill are fast becoming the overriding emotion in most of us. The intermingling of cultures and a diverse spectrum of people representing their nations on our screens makes the world seem much smaller & more interconnected than we thought it was. It is.
We can all talk ’til we’re blue in the face about the fiscal benefits of our service, but let’s not forget to recognize some ancillary goodwill benefits of our service. Humanitarian rewards that harness the powers of an interconnected global marketplace to benefit people on a higher level than just monetary savings. The redemption of equipment that has been cast aside.
A medical facility in Tanzania now has the ability to perform full panoramic X-rays, vastly improving the quality of healthcare in the area. That same X-Ray machine had been used in a thriving American suburb less than 6 months before. An anesthesia machine made obsolete by emerging technology in America ended up in Chile where it was used during a critical surgery. Or perhaps the story of some patient monitors sold by a well funded metropolitan hospital that ended up at a struggling, under-funded rural hospital in America.
Just a couple of examples of thousands of similar transactions that occur every year. Maybe you sell an un-needed X-Ray machine to a doctor just a few states away who is able to stay afloat with the money he saved buying used. Or maybe you sell a piece of equipment that goes to a village half-way around the world and becomes a critical part of the local healthcare infrastructure.
We aren’t talking about saving the world one pulse oximeter at a time. We know that these positive effects are just small drops in an ocean, but they still add up. This is just one way our world has benefited from the interconnectivity created by new technologies and emerging markets. When you choose to resell your old or no longer needed equipment not only does that equipment get a chance at redemption, but it might give someone else a second chance at better health.
Twenty years ago the idea that folks would be making expensive business purchases from strangers thousands of miles away with simply the click of a button existed only in science fiction and cheezy Sandra Bullock movies. You can hardly trust the guy down the block at the hardware store, how could you ever possibly trust an anonymous stranger who you only know by their online handle?
Thanks to the evolution of multiple technologies and a constantly evolving online culture, it’s now easier to experience a satisfactory online transaction and there’s millions of them occurring. One of the keys to a smooth transaction comes from delivering on expectations and a clear communication of those expectations. Good photography needs to be in your aresenal of online commerce weapons if you want to compete in today’s crowded markets.
I want to share a few quick tips and resources that we use around here to guarantee quality photos that clearly communicate what is being sold (expectations) and does so in a professional manner (increasing trust). Please feel free to use these tips as your own, just don’t use this knowledge to ridicule or mock those that take inferior photos.
Keep it Simple
You’re not looking to make profound metaphors or advance the culture through a picture of a used exam chair. You #1 priority is to accurately portray the item for sale.
Keep it Interesting
You can mix up the composition of pictures and get some interesting angles on some of the equipment that will make your listing stand out in the online galleries. But don’t forget to keep it simple, if you’re convoluting what the item is, it’s not worth trying to make it interesting. Just be wary of any item that has reflections and please keep your clothes on when photographing.
Mix it up
Get plenty of up close, medium and long shots. If you are including a bunch of accessories, get a long shot of EVERYTHING that is included in the auction. If there’s a small detail of note, get up close and snap it. Keep in mind that the buyer has only your pictures to decide if they are going to send a wad of cash two thousand miles away. A small scratch on the underside of a curing light may seem insignificant to you, but including that in the photos can convey an accurate condition of the item and instill trust in the mind of a potential buyer.
Get Technical
Make sure you have a basic understanding of your camera and it’s capabilities. Learn how to use the automatic and manual features. The holy trinity of photography that separates a great picture from “what is that?!” : Color Balance, Framing, and Focus. Make sure you adjust the focus to ‘macro’ for close up shots and make sure you properly white balance. Here’s a great site that simply explains white balance. Here’s another great tutorial on color theory that helps explain in advanced detail all about color and light for those that are more inclined.
Here’s a couple of examples.
This first picture is not properly white balanced. There’s too much yellow showing up, and not enough blue. This creates a dingy, aged aesthetic.
Now here’s a picture in which the Red channel is being overrun by Cyan, which creates a cold, steely visual.
Finally, third time’s a charm. Here’ we have an accurately balanced picture with even distribution among all color channels. This provides the most accurate representation of the product being offered.
There’s a lot that goes into providing accurate information for prospective buyers. But you’ll find that if you take the extra few minutes to do a thorough job you will more effectively communicate accurately and it’ll save you time and headache down the road. A simple case of miscommunication can lead to buyer dissatisfaction and distrust, and can cost you money in the long run.
Here’s a few other helpful photography sites chock full of good info to help you along the way:
Here.
Here.
& Here.
