Photographing Guitars to Sell: Tutorial

In this installment from The Guitar Shop Off Elm Street, I’d like to provide a few tips that

I’ve picked up over the years on how to properly photograph a guitar.

Photographing a musical instrument like a guitar is more than just a visual capture; it's an art that tells a story and enhances the aesthetic appeal of the instrument. Whether you're a professional musician showcasing your prized possession, a seller wanting to highlight unique features, or simply an enthusiast capturing its beauty, understanding how to properly photograph a guitar is crucial. Good photography emphasizes the guitar's craftsmanship, intricate details, and rich textures, making it inviting and more appealing to your audience. Moreover, well-composed images can set the right mood and convey the emotions that the guitar evokes. By mastering the art of instrument photography, you not only preserve the visual identity of the instrument but also engage viewers on a deeper, more emotional level.

Full photo, solid background, mostly

First thing first, provide a solid or patterned background for the photo. This will reduce

clutter and confusion when providing the photograph. Also, make sure that you provide at least one full picture of the instrument from the front.

Next make sure to get a full picture of the headstock and fretboard. It’s important to get both the headstock and fretboard in the shot so that others can identify the model and ascertain condition as well as wear and tear on the instrument.

Frets and headstock

Body shot, with full reflection in effect

Next, get a good picture of the body of the guitar ensuring that you get the entire thing in frame while attempting to minimize glare. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but the better picture that you take with lesson the need for answering questions or having to send additional photos.

Neck

As with photographing the front of the headstock, the same should be done with the back of both the headstock and neck. The serial number and other pertinent

information should be displayed and as clear as possible minimizing blur. This way

potential customers can ascertain other information about the backstory on the

instrument as well as evaluate the condition of the neck.

Final body shot, some reflection

Finally you need to get a photo of the back of the body of the instrument. Once again try and minimize glare and get the entire body in the shot. Remember that the glare will never be perfect, just do the best that you can. Make sure to get the heel and neck

plate in the shot too.

Remember the better the photograph, the more information you can convey to the customer, the less questions you have to answer, and the more you increase your chances of selling the instrument.

In the next installment, I’ll provide tips on how to properly black light a vintage guitar to see if it’s been refinished.