Records are two objects in one sale, and the one that matters photographs worst.
The shot that sells
The jacket, square on, filling the frame, in even light. Gloss sleeves reflect, so keep the light off-axis.
The shot that prevents the dispute
The disc tilted into the light, so the surface reads. Scuffs, hairlines and cleaning marks appear only at an angle, and a flat photograph of vinyl is a photograph of a black circle.
The list
- Jacket front and back, square on
- Spine, for wear and for the catalogue number
- Label, both sides, readable
- Run-out area, angled — the matrix identifies the pressing
- Disc tilted under side light, both sides
- Seams and corners, for splits and ring wear
- Inserts, if present
Light
One soft source, off to the side. The angle you want for the disc is the one where the light grazes the surface — tilt the record slowly until the marks appear, then shoot.
For the run-out, get close with light raking across the etched area. It is small, shallow and the single most useful frame for a serious buyer.
Video beats photographs here
A slow turn of the disc under a light, ten seconds, shows more than six stills. Say whether you played it. Common mistakes.
What goes wrong
Shooting the record inside the jacket, using flash, and photographing a sleeve without showing its seams.
Questions people ask
Should I show the record out of the sleeve?
Always. Half the grade is the disc.
How do I show a warp?
Hold it edge-on and turn it, on video.
Does the inner sleeve matter?
Say whether it is original and photograph it if it is.