How to Take Photos to Sell Clothes Online: 9 Steps That Work on Any App
Shoot in daylight beside a window, put the item on a plain background, make the first photo a full front view, and add close-ups of the label, any flaws and the fabric. That covers most of what buyers need to decide. Use a vertical 4:5 crop for Vinted and a square for Depop and eBay, and keep the item centred with a margin so the thumbnail does not cut it off. The steps below take about five minutes per item and need no equipment beyond a phone.
1. Use daylight, not the ceiling light
Stand next to a window and turn off the room lights. Mixed light gives yellow, patchy shots and changes how a colour reads. On bright days, avoid direct sun on the garment, which blows out whites and creates hard shadows. A cloudy day beside a window is ideal.
2. Pick a calm background
A plain wall, a white sheet or a clean floor keeps attention on the garment. Clutter, a made bed or a busy rug distracts buyers and makes the item look smaller. If the background is not plain, the listing photo tool can remove it and put the item on white or light grey, in your browser, without uploading the picture.
3. Choose how to show the garment
Hanging on a door or a wardrobe rail is quick and shows shape. Flat on a bed sheet works for knitwear and tees; smooth it so there are no creases. Worn is good for fit, if you are comfortable with it. Pick one style and use it for the whole shop, because a consistent profile looks more trustworthy than a mix.
4. Make the first photo count
The first picture is what shows in search and the feed. Show the whole item, front on, centred, with a little space around it. Do not crop off a sleeve or a hem. Platform feeds crop thumbnails to a fixed shape, so an item pushed to the edge loses a part of itself in the preview.
5. Photograph the label and the flaws
Add a clear shot of the brand label and one of the care or size label. Then photograph every flaw you know about: a bobble, a faded cuff, a small stain, a loose thread. Buyers who see the flaw in advance do not open a dispute about it later, and disputes cost more than the extra photo. Our guide on Vinted disputes and returns covers why this matters.
6. Show detail and measurements
Take a close-up of the fabric, zip or buttons. Put a tape measure beside the garment for chest, length or waist and write the numbers in the description as well. Sizes differ across brands and countries; the size converter helps you write the right equivalent.
7. Match the crop to the platform
Vinted's feed favours a vertical 4:5 crop. Depop and eBay work well with a square. The photo tool presets the right crop for each platform, and you can change it. Padding around the item matters more than the exact ratio.
8. Edit lightly, never misleadingly
Brightness and a straight horizon are fine. Do not push saturation to change a colour, and do not retouch out a flaw: it leads to returns and bad reviews. If the true colour is hard to capture, say so in the description.
9. Use all the slots
Platforms cap the number of photos per listing and the caps change, so check the current limit in the app. You do not need to fill every slot, but four to six well-chosen shots usually answer the questions buyers ask in messages. Download the finished set at once from the tool and upload it as is.
Before you list
Check what the platform will take from the sale, so you price correctly: eBay UK, Depop and Vinted all differ. Then try the fee calculator on your price.
A five-minute routine you can repeat
Set up once: pick the spot by the window, clear the background and put a tape measure and a smooth sheet nearby. Then for each item: iron or steam it, take the full front shot, the back shot, the label, the fabric detail, then every flaw. Check the shots on the phone at full size before you move on, because a blurry label photo is the most common reason buyers message to ask for another.
If you sell regularly, batch the work. Photograph ten items in one session, then edit and upload together. The tool handles up to ten photos at once and downloads them as a zip, which fits that habit.
Finally, look at your own thumbnails. Open the app and find your listing as a buyer would: scrolling a feed, you see only the first image at a small size. If you cannot tell what the item is at that size, change the first photo.
Frequently asked questions
How do I take good photos of clothes to sell?
Use daylight beside a window, a plain background, a full front view as the first photo, and add the label, any flaws and a close-up of the fabric. Keep the item centred with a margin so thumbnails do not cut it off.
Do I need a mannequin to photograph clothes?
No. Hang the garment on a door or rail, or lay it flat on a smooth sheet. Choose one style and use it for every listing.
What size should photos be for Vinted, Depop and eBay?
A vertical 4:5 crop suits Vinted; a square suits Depop and eBay. Leave a margin around the item.
Should I remove the background from my photos?
It is optional. A plain background keeps attention on the item. The free Resale IQ photo tool can put the item on white or light grey and runs in your browser, so photos are not uploaded.
How many photos should a listing have?
Four to six well-chosen photos cover most buyer questions: front, back, label, close-up and each flaw. Platforms allow more; check each platform's help page for the current limit.
Resale IQ turns 14M+ listing records into one answer: BUY, WATCH, or SKIP — with buy-below price and best sizes.
Check this item →