Clothing photographs are not about styling. They are about fit and condition, and both are measurable.
The shot that sells
The garment flat, square on, whole, in daylight, with nothing cropped. Shops hang clothes; sellers measure them.
The shot that prevents the dispute
The tape measure across the chest, in frame, readable. It converts a claim into a fact.
The list
- Flat, whole, square on
- Tape across the chest, and across the waist for trousers
- Composition and care labels, readable
- Collar and cuffs, close
- Underarms
- Hems and any repair or alteration
- Every mark, located
Light
Daylight, indirect. Dark cotton needs more light than you expect; black garments photographed in a dim room become shapeless rectangles.
For texture — knitwear, weave, pilling — side light shows what flat light hides.
Flat or on a person
Flat is the honest default and takes two minutes. A worn shot is fine as an extra, but a garment on a body tells a buyer about the body.
What goes wrong
Shooting on a hanger in a dark hallway, cropping so the shoulders cannot be judged, and brightening a photograph until a stain disappears. Common mistakes.
Questions people ask
Do I need a mannequin?
No. Flat and measured beats styled and vague.
How do I show colour accurately?
Daylight, no mixed sources, and say what it looks like indoors.
Should I iron first?
Yes, lightly, unless creasing is part of the condition — in which case show it.
More: selling menswear, describing condition.