Photos Of Books

How to Take Great Pictures of Your Books

Photography is an art, but it doesn't take an expert photographer or an expensive camera to create great pictures.
Whether it's to show your friends or for selling on eBay, a good photograph always stands out. A good picture is clear, undistorted, and has a crisp focus and vibrant colors. Images of this quality look both appealing and professional. A great deal of the images you will see online are lacking in all of these qualities, which means a good picture will stand out that much more. A little bit of effort can make a great deal of difference.

Before you pull out your digital camera, there are a few alternatives to think about first. If you're planning on taking this picture so you can sell the book online, sites like eBay have stock photos you can use, provided the book is a recent printing. The disadvantage to this method is that it isn't very personal, and of course it won't work for old or rare editions. For new books close to mint quality, though, it's a very easy way to get a high quality picture with little effort. On the other hand, it's likely it won't stand out.

Another approach is to use a scanner if you have one. You'll get a crisp undistorted image with the push of a button, since laying the book flat eliminates many of the problems that arise when you try to take a picture from an angle. It's easy, and it looks good. The disadvantage is that the flat image that results doesn't have the full 3D-ness of a real book. Professional photographers are of the opinion that bringing the book to life is worth the extra effort, and it saves you the trouble of the scanner besides.

To take a quality picture of a book, first get a piece of solid posterboard. Black is classic and goes well with just about anything, but if you're feeling ambitious you can go for a color that complements your book. Just be sure the posterboard doesn't steal the show. That's why we're using posterboard in the first place--wood tables and most other household surfaces can take emphasis away from the book and distract the viewer.

For lighting, indirect sunlight is perfect. A flash works great as well as long as you take care of reflecting light. For this reason, and to create the 3D-effect, we'll take the picture of the book at an angle. An overhead shot will just turn the cover into a white blur if you use flash. Of course, make sure the spine is facing the camera, since it's a much more interesting shot than a line of white pages. Make sure to fill the entire frame with the book for optimal quality, and to take lots and lots of shots so you can pick and choose the best. Once you've transferred the pictures to your computer, flip the image so that the book is right side up. Voila! You'll be amazed at what a difference these simple tips will make.