Bags are bought on condition, and the condition lives in four places that photograph badly on purpose.
The shot that sells
The bag standing on its own — unpropped — three-quarter angle, soft daylight, plain background.
If it does not stand, show that it does not. A buyer discovers it immediately.
The shot that prevents the dispute
All four corners, close. They wear first and most visibly.
The list
- Standing, three-quarter, unpropped
- All four corners
- Hardware, close — plating loss and tarnish
- The zip worked, on video
- The lining turned out, including the bottom
- The base, which takes the wear
- Any stamp, code or serial the bag carries
- Dust bag and cards, if included
Light
Soft, from one side, never flash. Leather eats light; dark bags need more of it, bounced off a wall or a white sheet, not pointed at the bag.
Patent and coated finishes reflect like glass — move the light further away and watch for your own silhouette.
Smell cannot be photographed
Which is exactly why it has to be written. Common mistakes.
What goes wrong
Stuffing a bag with something coloured that shows through the opening, photographing on a bed, and shooting only the good side.
Questions people ask
Should I stuff the bag for photographs?
Lightly, with plain paper, so it holds its shape honestly.
How do I show hardware tarnish?
Close, in daylight, from an angle where the metal is not mirroring the light.
Does the dust bag need photographing?
If it is part of the sale, yes.
More: selling bags, describing condition.