How to Take Etsy Pictures on a White Background

There is nothing like a crisp white background to make your Etsy item stand out. But getting that white background on your Etsy pictures can be challenging.

So how do you take Etsy pictures on a white background? There are a few different ways to get a white background on your pictures including white poster board background, a light box system, and photo editing software. Some of these methods are more complicated than others.

In this article, we’ll cover all the different ways you can get a white background on your Etsy product pictures to make your items look professional and clean. We’ll started with the easiest and least expensive option and work our way up.

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How Do I Get a White Background on My Photos?

You basically have three different options for getting a white background on your Etsy photos, although it should be noted that a crisp white background isn’t always the best. Depending on what you’re selling, you might be better to have more creative background, whether that’s a live model demonstrating the item or a background the matches your item.

For those who want a crisp clean background that that their item shines without distraction from the backdrop, here is how to get a white background.

Poster Board Backdrop

This is the option I use and love. It’s very inexpensive and easy to set up.

You can find white poster board at most stores, including most Dollar stores. You’ll want to buy two, one for the “floor” and one for the “background”.

Here is an example of a pair of shoes that we listed on another platform but using the same method to get a white background.

On your DSLR camera or smartphone, you can adjust the brightness and/or white balance to make the white background more crisp if needed.

It’s best to take your pictures like this in an area with a lot the natural light. This will give you the best results. Otherwise, you’ll want to get a couple of lamps to shine on your item from different angles.

If your item is too big for poster board, like clothing, you could also just find a white wall in your house to take the pictures.

Here is an example if you are selling vintage clothing on Etsy, how you can hang your clothing up and photograph in front of a white wall. Again, you can change the brightness and/or white balance to make the background brighter.

Just be careful if you’re changing the brightness and/or white balance on your camera not to discolor your item too much so that the buyer can’t tell what it’s true color is.

A Light Box Setup

A lot of people prefer to use a light box for their small item photography. This can be difficult if you sell larger items on Etsy, but it works great for small things.

Light boxes generally are all white on the inside with the option to change out background colors. The sides and sometimes the top are usually somewhat translucent so that lights from lamps can shine through the sides to eliminate as much shadow as possible. This will give you a “shadowless” white background to your Etsy pictures

Other lightboxes, like this one from Amazon, are completely enclosed with all of the lights built into the box. This way you simply have to pop it up, plug it in, and take your pictures.

This is probably one of the simplest light boxes that I’ve ever seen and I highly recommend it as it’s worth the time you save in setting up all the lights and potential for more editing after the fact.

Here is a great review of the AmazonBasics Portable Photo Studio:

White Background Software

The third and last option for getting a white background on your Etsy product photos is using a photo editing software that removes the background and makes it white.

Personally, I find these types of software to be too time-consuming to get the pictures just right. Here are a few examples of a picture of a candle that I tested using Background Burner.

I had to play around with them a lot and I tried a darker background and a lighter background. I wasn’t really pleased with the results of either.

I played around with these for about 15 minutes and this is the best I could get either test to look.

Etsy Photo Background Ideas

Like I said earlier, a white background might not always be the best option for your Etsy Pictures. Here are some examples of Etsy listings that don’t use a white background but their items still look very professional.

Here are some ideas of items you could use as an easy background for your Etsy pictures if you decide not to go with plain white.

colored poster board
sheet of bead board
floor tiles
table runner or table cloth
wood planks
reflective surfaces (just be careful when taking pictures that you avoid glare)
bright colored fabric or cardstock
live model for demonstration purposes

How Do I Upload Photos to Etsy?

Thankfully, Etsy makes it really easy to upload your photos to Etsy whether you’re using a computer or mobile device. I recommend using your phone because it takes less time to take the photos, edit, and upload than if you did it form a computer.

Upload Photos to Etsy from a Computer

Log into your Etsy Account.
Go to “Listings” and click on the black “Add a Listing” button in the upper right.
At the very top you’ll see the “Photos” box when you can “Add a photo”.

You can upload up to 10 photos of your item. Simply navigate through the files on your computer to find the pictures of your item and upload them to Etsy.

Upload Photos to Etsy from a Phone

Open your “Sell on Etsy” app.
Click the 3 lines in the lower right and then click on “Listings”.
Click the plus (+) sign in the upper right to add a new item.
Fill out the information on the first few screens until you get the page that says “Add Photos” at the top.
Click on “Add Photos” and you’ll be given the option to take the photos right then and there or grab them from your phone’s files or camera roll.

If you prefer to take all of your photos before hand, Etsy gives you that option!