How to photograph products at home with a phone

You don't need a studio for clean product photos. A window, a sheet of white paper or poster board and the phone you already have are enough for listing photos that read clearly as small thumbnails. This guide covers the setup and phone settings, then how to finish the image on a pure white background.

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What you need

A phone. Use the rear camera, which usually has more megapixels than the front one. ^[1]
A window with plenty of daylight that isn't shining directly onto your product. ^[2]
A white backdrop: a paper sweep or inexpensive poster board, running behind and underneath the product. ^[1]
A bounce card: white poster board or foam board, or a piece of cardboard covered in aluminium foil. ^[3]
Something to keep the phone steady: a mini tripod or a stack of books. ^[3]
Tape or clips for the backdrop, and for bright days a diffuser (a thin white bedsheet or sheer curtain over the window). ^[2]

Set up the light

Put a table next to the window so daylight reaches the product from the side, roughly 90° to the left or right of your setup. ^[1]
Tape the paper to the wall or a box behind the table and let it curve down onto the table top, so there is no visible edge or corner behind the product.
Place the product a few feet from the window, at a time of day when light is plentiful but not shining directly on it. On a sunny day, hang a thin white sheet over the window; outdoors, an overcast day gives the softest light. ^[2]
Stand the bounce card on the side away from the window to lift the shadows. ^[1]
Switch off the room lights. Daylight and indoor bulbs have different colour tones, and mixing them gives uneven colour. ^[3]

Phone settings and shooting

Turn the flash off. It overexposes the photo and distorts colours. ^[1]
Don't zoom. Phone zoom reduces image quality; move closer or crop later instead. ^[1]
Tap the product to set focus and exposure, then lock them so they don't change between shots. Use the exposure slider if the image looks too dark or too bright. ^[1]
Use macro mode (or a macro lens) for small items like jewellery and for close-up details. ^[3]
Keep the phone in one place and rotate the product to get different angles, so every shot is framed the same way. ^[1]
Shoot several angles (front, side, top, three-quarter) plus close-ups of texture, labels or any wear on used items. ^[1]

What marketplaces ask for (checked October 2026)

Amazon main images need a pure white (RGB 255, 255, 255) background, with the product filling about 85% or more of the frame and at least 1,000 px on the longest side for zoom. ^[4]
Walmart main images need a seamless white (255, 255, 255) background; the spec is 2200 × 2200 px square, with 1500 × 1500 px the minimum for zoom. ^[5]
eBay asks for at least 500 × 500 px and recommends about 1600 × 1600. ^[6]
Etsy recommends listing photos at least 2000 px wide and tall. ^[7]

Platforms change their rules; always confirm with the official source below before you list.

Finish it in SnapStudio

Pick the sharpest shot of each angle. Check it at full size: focus on the product, nothing cut off at the edges.
Open SnapStudio and drop the photo in. The background is removed in your browser; the image is never uploaded to a server.
Pick a background (pure white #FFFFFF, any solid colour, or a soft gradient) and toggle the subtle shadow and lighting cleanup.
Tick the export sizes you need and download the JPGs (plus a transparent PNG cutout) individually or as a ZIP.

Paper photographed in daylight almost never comes out as pure white, which is why the last step matters for Amazon and Walmart main images. Leave a little space around the product when you shoot; SnapStudio centres and scales it for each export size. For a cleaner cutout, make sure the product contrasts with the backdrop, and see removing the background from a product photo for what works best.

FAQ

Do I need a light box?

No. Window light, a white paper sweep and a bounce card cover most small and medium products. A light box or softbox lights help when you have to shoot without daylight.

What is the best time of day to shoot?

When the room is bright but the sun is not falling directly on the product. Overcast days give soft, even light.

Is my phone camera good enough?

For most listings, yes. Use the rear camera at its highest quality setting, keep the phone steady, and avoid digital zoom.

Why do my photos look blue or yellow?

Usually mixed light: daylight from the window plus a warm room bulb. Turn the room lights off and shoot with daylight only.

My white background looks grey. Is that a problem?

For Amazon and Walmart main images, yes: both require RGB 255, 255, 255. Replace the background with pure white after shooting, which is what SnapStudio does.

How do I photograph a white product?

Shoot it against a slightly darker or contrasting backdrop so its edges stay clear, then place the cutout on white in SnapStudio.

Open SnapStudio, free →

Free tool: check your listing photo for size, aspect ratio, brightness and background clutter.