|
Each year, Tom Shaughnessy brings back a report from the eBay Live conference on everything relating to photography. Tom reviews classes and labs and visits exhibitors to find out what's new in the world of photography for eBay sellers. This is Tom's report and analysis from the 2007 Boston show!
The entire subject of eBay auction images expanded from that of still photography with the announcement before and during the keynote address that eBay would now accept embedded videos in auctions. eBay auctions are already populated with photos, many of which are excellent and serve buyer and seller well. However, there are also stock photos that disclose little about the item in the auction, and worse, photos that are out-of-focus, incorrectly exposed and poorly composed.
eBay has over the years provided seminars on photographic techniques and imaging software in a effort to guide the eBay community toward the use of better images. eBay knows and eBayers have learned that better photos lead to auctions that sell at better prices.
eBay anticipates that adding videos will provide similar auction price improvements and bring more excitement to auctions. However, with the addition of video, the potentials for mayhem increase. So, turn on the camera and start looking for the video mode and remember that video is really just a continuous series of individual images. What works for still photography works for videos!
Training Seminars and Computer Labs
This year in the ongoing efforts to educate the eBay community, seminars were again offered that focused on image capture and manipulation. To this end, a general education seminar on photographic techniques was presented by Jim Miotke of Better Photos (http://www.BetterPhoto.com) and a computer lab, also presented by Jim Miotke, explored the use of Photoshop CS. The general education seminar, a modification of the material from last year, was presented twice - once on the first day and once on the last day, while the PhotoShop CS computer lab, new this year, was presented once each day. The titles for the seminars were "Basic Digital Photography to Make You an eBay PowerSeller!" and "Hands-On Demo: How to Do Photoshop Magic for eBay."
The room for the Basic Digital Photography seminar held 250+ and the room was full. This is far less than last year in Las Vegas where the room held 1700 and it was packed! This is probably not too surprising given the attendance differences between Las Vegas and Boston.
eBayers expressed three general areas of concern:
- How to take better pictures
- How to sell more
- How to buy a camera
Topics and illustrations, among many, in the Basic Digital Photography seminar included:
- Backdrops to highlight an object and improve contrast
- Filling the frame to make the object POP
- Showing detail from many angles to highlight pros and cons
- Lighting - softboxes, sheets, reflectors, post-it notes
The computer lab had 75 workstations with two to three eBayers at each station. Any software computer lab filled with eBayers that possess a wide range of computer familiarity and exposure to even PhotoShop Elements (a less costly and slightly simpler version of PhotoShop CS) is bound to be an ambitious undertaking. There were several assistants that ran around the room to help eBay users whenever they got stuck. Some of the topics covered during the seminar included:
- Opening, copying and pasting images and files
- Cropping images, unsharp mask to actually sharpen images
- Healing brush to take out blemish, dust spots
- Layers and merging images
PhotoShop is not a software program that someone learns in one sitting. In fact, one can argue that proficiency takes months or even years. Along this vein, BetterPhoto provides online training seminars focused at digital photography and imaging software.
Figure 1: Jim Miotke talking about digital cameras
Figure 2: Photoshop computer lab
Photographic/Imaging Products in the Solutions Center
Cloud Dome (http://www.clouddome.com): Cloud Dome produces a wide range of portable domes, tents/cubes, backdrops. They also offer a set of translucent stands that allow items to be easily elevated inside tents/cubes.
Litestage (http://www.litestage.com): Litestage supplies a stand-mounted rigid form light box. Light can be directed from many different angles as well as from the base. Very large objects can be photographed easily.
Ortery Light Box (http://www.ortery.com): Ortery supplies along with their existing lines of light boxes and a complete computer-controlled camera acquisition system to control the camera and acquire images. Ortery introduced to the show last year a portable, collapsible light box, and this year they introduced a new rotary table for use inside their light boxes.
Photo Studio (http://www.americanrecorder.com): Photo Studio displayed a series of tents and lights. They featured one show special - a smaller tent/cube with lights that they sold to eBayers attending the conference for $39 (shipping included).
SharPics (http://www.sharpics.com): SharPics makes a series of briefcase style backdrops, both rigid and pliable-folding-folio with a wide range of lighting and backdrop colors. They also supply several models of table-top, edge-clamping monopods.
When selecting a lighting system, there are items that one must consider. If this is intended for portable use, how quick and easy is it to setup? Is it easy to store? Do the lights have wide-angle diffusers or reflectors to enhance the functionality of the tent/box? What is the temperature color of the lights? Are lights available in a range of color temperatures? Does your camera have a similar temperature setting? Is there a white balance setting that can be changed or a custom white balance setting in the camera that will work?
Temperature color is expressed in degrees Kelvin - the lower the number the redder the light and the higher the number the bluer. For instance, 3200 degrees is reddish and typical of regular household lights. 5500 degrees is blue and more likely a fluorescent light source. The higher the number the more accurate the color of the photographed object in a picture.
Look at the fishing lure snapshot picture that I took at one of the exhibitor's lighting systems. Good detail, nice color, no ugly reflections. A few minutes in photoshop and it could really zing. If I set my camera for the correct color temperature the snapshot would be even better.
Figure 3: Fishing lure - does your product photo stand out?
Digital Cameras
Auction Camera (http://www.auctioncamera.com) introduced their system last year at eBay. This year they brought to conference their new and ready-for-primetime system. Their new camera system is based upon a Ricoh camera with a twist. The camera has built in wireless and Bluetooth. It is rugged and can withstand rigorous use. When a picture is taken it is automatically transferred to a networked router. The image then automatically uploads to the Auction Camera hosting service where it is stored and assigned a barcode. The service transfers information back to a label printer attached to the customer's router where a barcode label is printed. The inventory label can be attached to the product directly or to a bag or tag for easy tracking both off and online. The Auction Camera system is really a complete imaging and inventory management system.
Casio (http://www.casio.com) again was the primary show sponsor of photographic products. Their booth displaying the line of Exilim cameras was well positioned near the main entrance to the solutions center. Their slim-line cameras offer many desirable features:
- excellent pixel resolution - wide range of optical zooms
- large and bright LCD displays
- automatic white balance
- 30 frames-per-second video - remember that eBay now allows video in auctions?
- anti-shake & MPEG-4 (up to four hours)
- eBay mode to automatically size pictures optimally for eBay use.
Even more important, Casio offers a trade-up (trade-in) program. Check out this weblink for information http://exilim.casio.com/tradeup/index.html.
Figure 4: Casio booth with eBayers "patiently" waiting to win a camera
Software
Onstream Auction Video (http://www.auctionvideo.com) was the sole eBay approved video-hosting source at the conference - talk about market timing. Their service provides high bandwidth video hosting without the usual horrible compression problems that can occur. If video links are going to work they have to be faaassssttt!!! No bandwidth - slow download speeds - and that auction is history. Their service fees are based upon the download rate for a video. They offer a free 1-month trial.
Vertus (http://www.vertustech.com) is a software rendering engine that rapidly cleans up images and photographs. They offer a free trial demo. The product simply takes an image, finds edges and then rapidly cleans and cut the object out so it can be placed onto different backgrounds to increase the POP of a photo. The present product works as a plug-in module with Photoshop, but the new soon-to-be-released product will be standalone. In the works are products that work on pictures taken without any type of special backdrops. Also in the works will be products focused at videos.
Wrap-up Thoughts and Comments
The conference this year was smaller than in the past few years. San Jose was the 10th year anniversary extravaganza, and Las Vegas - well it was Vegas, what can one say? But, size does not always equate to quality, and this conference had quality. Questions and audience participation were good. eBayers were generally patient (did I say patient?) - it must have been a Northeast thing.
Next year, no doubt with the inclusion of video, there will be video oriented training seminars along with the normal still-photographic offerings. I hope that the video seminars are supplemental and do not reduce the material focused at normal photography. It is obvious from eBay auctions that too many sellers have no clue what the macro mode is used for (hint - it allows close-ups without fuzzy images and distortion). The eBay community is growing rapidly, and for every eBayer that has learned the ropes there is an ever-increasing quantity that need help desperately.
It would be nice to have more live demonstrations of photographic techniques. I still remember fondly the session in Orlando where the presenters (I believe that year Nikon was the session sponsor) used a few lights and backdrops to highlight items. The output from the camera was video streamed to projectors so everyone in the audience could see the effects in real time. I still remember the oohs and aahs from the audience. To this end, it would be great if eBay could have one or two sessions - call them Take Your Best Shot - and invite the exhibitors from the solutions centers to host live video streamed presentations not just streamed inside one room - but with projectors and monitors everywhere throughout the conference - inside the solutions center - inside the powerseller lounge.
Here's what I have purchased over the years as a result of my participation in all six eBay live conferences. For starters, I have purchased cameras. I try to buy new cameras on a two-year cycle. Some may scoff, but newer cameras offer a lot more than just more pixels. The speed is better. The optical zoom is better. The macro is better. The low light performance is better. The auto-everything mode is better. Also, by trading cameras frequently, the old camera will still have good resale value and will move quickly on eBay (save the boxes, software etc.)
While I have used Canon and Nikon for years and those remain my mainstay camera gear, last year I purchased an eBay-compatible camera for my wife. I saw the Exilim cameras in Vegas and bought her a camera at Costco. She loves the small size, excellent zoom and eBay modes. Now that video will be part of the eBay auction process, she is busy looking into the video functions of the camera.
In past years I also bought light tents, and this year I purchased a small light tent, translucent stands and the Vertus software mentioned earlier. I am also looking carefully at the Exilim cameras and waterproof housings displayed this year.
All in all, eBay Live 2007 was both enjoyable and worthwhile. Hope to see you at eBay Live 2008.
NOTE: Tom suggests that readers who are interested in products discussed in the article contact the vendors and ask if there is a show special that they qualify for - some vendors are extending discounts for AuctionBytes readers.
|
