Product photography
How to photograph ceramics and pottery for ecommerce without the glare
· 4 min read
Glazed ceramics throw hard, bright hotspots under direct light, so diffuse your light source with a softbox or a sheet of tracing paper, and shoot near a window on an overcast day if you are working with natural light. Set white balance against a grey card once, keep that light consistent, and photograph each piece from the front, a three quarter angle, and a close-up of the glaze and any maker's mark.
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Ceramics give you the opposite problem of most products: too much reflection rather than too little. A direct light source bounces straight off a glossy glaze and leaves a small, blown out hotspot right where a buyer's eye lands first. The fix is to diffuse the light rather than dim it, using a softbox, a shower curtain, or a sheet of tracing paper taped over a lamp, and to set white balance once against a grey card so the glaze color stays consistent across a whole batch of listings.
Why a shiny glaze is harder to light than it looks
A glazed surface acts almost like a mirror at the point where the light hits it directly, so the camera does not see the glaze color there at all, it sees a reflection of the light itself. Moving the light higher or further to the side shifts that hotspot off the curve of the piece instead of removing it, which is why a single light moved slowly through a few positions usually solves a problem that looks like it needs more equipment.
A one light setup that holds up across a full glaze line
- 1Diffuse before you aimPut a softbox, or a sheet of tracing paper over a bare lamp, between the light and the piece. This single change does more for glare than repositioning a bare bulb ever will.
- 2Set the angle, not just the brightnessMove the diffused light up and to the side until the hotspot slides onto the curve of the piece rather than sitting flat in the middle of it. A slight change in height often matters more than a change in distance.
- 3White balance once, against a grey cardShoot a grey card under your exact lighting before the first piece, and use that frame to correct every photo in the batch. Glaze colors are the detail a buyer compares most closely against what arrives, so this is the step that prevents the most returns.
- 4Shoot three views as a minimumA front view, a three quarter angle that shows the actual form, and a close-up of the glaze and any maker's mark or signature. A flat front-on shot alone hides the shape, which is often the reason someone buys handmade pottery in the first place.
Matte, glossy or raw clay: what actually changes
The glaze finish decides how much of this you need:
- Glossy glaze needs the most diffusion and benefits most from a polarizing filter
- Matte or satin glaze scatters light more forgivingly and tolerates a slightly closer, less diffused source
- Unglazed or raw clay has almost no glare problem, but shows dust and fingerprints more clearly, so wipe the piece down right before the shot
- Crackle and reactive glazes vary piece to piece, so the close-up shot matters more than the front view, since that is the detail a buyer is actually choosing on
What to photograph for every listing
| Shot | What it has to show |
|---|---|
| Front view | Overall color, shape and proportions against a neutral background |
| Three-quarter angle | The actual form and depth, which a flat front view hides |
| Glaze close-up | Texture, crackle, speckling or any reactive glaze effect, often the reason someone buys handmade |
| Base and maker's mark | Signature, stamp or studio mark, which buyers of handmade pottery specifically look for |
| Scale reference | A hand, a coin or a ruler in at least one frame, since dimensions alone undersell how big or small a piece reads in person |
Where a consistent setup still cannot help
No lighting setup makes two handmade pieces look identical, and it should not try to. Kiln variation means the exact glaze color on the piece you photograph may run slightly warmer or cooler than the one that ships, especially with reactive or crystalline glazes where that variation is the point. Say so in the listing rather than editing a photo until it matches a sample piece exactly. A buyer who understands that handmade pottery varies piece to piece is a buyer who does not return it over a shade of blue.
Common questions
- Why does my pottery photo have a bright white spot on it?
- That is a direct reflection of your light source off the glaze, not a flaw in the piece. Diffuse the light with a softbox or tracing paper, and move it higher or further to the side until the hotspot shifts onto the curve of the piece instead of sitting in the middle.
- Do I need a polarizing filter to photograph ceramics?
- No, but it helps on glossy glazes a diffuser alone cannot fully tame. A circular polarizer on the lens combined with polarizing material over the light lets you rotate out most of the remaining glare.
- How many photos does a handmade ceramic listing need?
- Three as a minimum: a front view, a three quarter angle showing the actual form, and a close-up of the glaze and maker's mark. Add a scale reference in at least one frame.
- Should I edit my photos so every piece in a glaze line matches exactly?
- No. Kiln variation is real and buyers of handmade pottery expect it. White balance your photos for accuracy, not to force one piece to match another that will never be identical.