Taking great photos of your 3D prints is like putting the finishing touches on your masterpiece. A high-quality image can be the difference between making a sale or not because they’re the first thing potential buyers will see.
Whether selling on Etsy, eBay, or your online store, showcasing your prints in the best light is essential. In this article, I have provided a guide on how to make your 3D prints pop in photos, so please continue reading to find out more.
How to Take the Best Photos for 3D Print Listings
Nail the print quality first
Set up your photo area like a pro
Grab the best camera you have
Prepare your lighting setup
Take as many photos as possible from different angles
Edit your photos to make them more appealing
1. Nail the Print Quality First
The first thing you want to focus on is having good 3D print quality. You don’t want to take photos of 3D prints that have many imperfections or quality issues.
What I’d recommend is to dial in your 3D printer settings using a series of optimizations such as:
Printing temperature
Bed temperature
Layer height
Filament color
Cooling
Your 3D printer should be dialed in nicely before you take pictures of 3D prints so you can show off the best quality. If you have some quality issues, make sure to troubleshoot them.
Calibrating your 3D printer will help out with the quality. Things like calibrating the extruder steps, fixing hardware issues like tightening up screws, putting the 3D printer on a more stable surface, and slowing down print speed can improve 3D print quality.
Check out the video below by Frankly Built to learn how to get smooth 3D prints.
NeedItMakeIt from YouTube also made a great video on dialing in that smooth 3D print quality.
A smaller layer height, such as 0.16mm or 0.12mm, will produce better quality than 0.28mm or 0.2mm. Use smaller layer heights for your “show models” that you’ll take pictures of.
Another factor that can improve your 3D print photos is getting the suitable color filaments.
Use vibrant colors like blue, red, purple, and green when printing dragons because they make all those tiny details pop—for example, this 3D Printed Articulated Crystal Dragon on Etsy.
You can also choose to sand & polish the 3D prints. This will make your 3D print pictures stand out and entice people to click and buy.
Here’s a great video by DaveRig Design on YouTube that shows how to remove layer lines on your 3D prints to make them look very smooth.
2. Set Up Your Photo Area Like a Pro
After your print is ready to go, create a perfect photo setup by following these steps:
Find a spot with great lighting
Declutter your working space
Choose a solid backdrop
Find a Spot With Great Lighting
Position your photo setup near a window to get as much natural light as possible. Draw your curtains but leave your mesh blinds to soften the light and give your print an even glow. You can do that like Clockspring 3D has in this video.
Declutter Your Working Space
Clear everything out of your workspace and background to keep all the focus on your print. If you’re shooting on a desk, move everything off except for the print and maybe one or two neutral props.
Choose a Solid Backdrop
Get a white backdrop because it will make your prints stand out. However, other neutral-colored backdrops like plain black or grey may also work. You can use this Vanhench White Wrapping Paper from Amazon.
One reviewer mentioned that they use it as backdrop paper for product photos in their vintage shop. Another reviewer said it’s great for backdrop paper for their kids’ Instagram photos.
You can use other colors for product photography as well.
Alexiares from Reddit said that a cheap trick was to put your table against a wall and tuck a poster-sized sheet of white or neutral-colored paper so that the bottom half rests flat on the tabletop.
Shooting your items against this backdrop will diffuse your background and remove distracting edges or corners.
Next, you need to grab the best camera you have. This could be your phone or a more expensive professional camera.
Hairy Tornado on YouTube says that having a phone that can take at least a 10 or 12MP picture is fine for selling online. To put that into context, earlier versions, like the iPhone 7 and Samsung Galaxy S10, have 12MP cameras.
Some other great tips from this video are:
Aspect Ratio: Use the correct aspect ratio for your platform (e.g., square 1:1 for eBay and Facebook Marketplace)
Background: Use a distraction-free background. While white is usually recommended, Hairy Tornado found success with a wooden background.
Quantity: Include as many photos as possible (up to the platform’s limit) to showcase the item from multiple angles and highlight any defects.
Camera Quality: While important, it’s not necessary to have an expensive camera. Factors like lighting and background are more crucial than camera specs.
Lighting: Use multiple light sources with daylight-colored bulbs to minimize shadows. He recommends using at least two light sources.
More recent iPhone and Samsung Galaxy phone versions, like the iPhone 15 and Samsung Galaxy S24, take remarkable photos due to their powerful cameras. However, most other smartphones today can take good pictures, so don’t stress about it.
It is even better to get a DSLR camera, for example, this Canon EOS 77D DSLR Camera that you can find on Amazon. However, they aren’t cheap, so you can try to borrow one from a friend or relative.
Use a Tripod for the Best Results
If you have a tripod, use it to secure your phone or camera and make it more stable when taking photos. A tripod reduces the chances of your shots ending up blurry.
Here is an excellent video by Kristina Nicole on YouTube explaining the three things you should consider before buying a tripod for product photography.
Steelhips from the Reddit channel EtsySellers says the best advice he ever got on photography is to use a cheap desktop tripod and a 2-second shutter delay so you’re not holding it when the photo is taken.
Mount it on the side of your desk or photo area so it sits directly over your prints.
Fold the flaps in and out while experimenting with different angles until you get a more balanced lighting without unwanted shadows or glare.
Brandon Santana from YouTube uses the Artichect Desk Lamp shown above to light up his workspace before taking photos of his 3D prints.
Alternatively, Hairy Tornado from YouTube recommends getting some LED Panel Lights from Amazon.
Check out his video “Top 5 Ways To Improve Your Product Photos When Selling Online” which I linked earlier to see how he sets them up so they can light his prints from different angles without casting harsh shadows.
Always avoid harsh overhead lights as much as possible because they can create unwanted shadows and glare. A perfect way to do this is to use a softbox to diffuse the light and make it softer.
Set up the softbox as Devin from Make Anything on YouTube does in this video to help him create soft lighting that prevents harsh shadows.
Brandon Santana demonstrates how he uses his functional lightbox in the video I linked to earlier. He says it does a great job lighting all different angles of the products within the box.
If you’re more hands-on, Tim Townley from YouTube explains how to make your own lightbox for product photography.
5. Take as Many Photos as Possible from Every Angle
After setting up everything else, you need to take more photos than you think you need. Here’s how to cover all the bases:
Take photos from different angles
Show the size of your item
Show the item in use
Turn your phone camera upside down
Take Photos from Different Angles
You can start with some clear and informative direct shots before switching to more creative angles that show the side profiles of your print. Make sure you capture all the tiny details.
RabbitFAQ from the e-commerce Subreddit recommends photographing your product from different angles to give customers a better idea of what they are buying. This could include front, back, and side views.
If possible, take a picture where you can show the functional use of your 3D print. For instance, if you’re selling a phone stand, take a picture with a phone on it.
To show the function of an SD Card toolbox he designed, Brandon Santana takes a closeup photo of him placing an SD Card inside. Same video from earlier in the article.
Turn Your Phone Camera Upside Down
ThisIsAntwon from Reddit says that if you’re using a phone, hold it upside-down (so you can get the lens lower to the floor, looking up at the gunpla). Makegooduseof commented that this was a great tip because it made the object look larger.
Editing your photos is the final touch to make your 3D prints look their best. Some of the main things that you can edit in your 3D print photos include:
Brightness and Contrast: Adjust the brightness to help highlight textures and adjust the contrast to ensure your print doesn’t look flat.
Sharpness: Enhance the sharpness to bring out fine details in your print. Be careful not to overdo it; your photo might look too harsh.
Color Balancing: Fine-tune the colors to ensure they look exactly as they do on your print. This will prevent you from misleading your potential buyers.
Cropping: Trim the edges to remove anything distracting in the background to keep the focus on your print.
Many photo editing apps exist, but most 3D printing enthusiasts use Photoshop, Lightroom, and Canva.
Devin, from the Make Anything YouTube channel, shows how he edits his 3D print photos in a Photoshop plugin called Camera Raw. Same video from earlier titled “Photographing 3D Prints (& Other Products Too!)“
You can also check out this video by Kristina Nicole, which explains the five edits you should make to increase the quality of your product photos.
This article should help you to take the best pictures of your 3D prints to start bringing in a good amount of sales online and even offline.
Showcasing your best quality models with great pictures and videos will be important for getting ideal results.
Michael Dwamena is the founder of 3D Printerly, a platform dedicated to simplifying 3D printing for hobbyists and professionals alike. Owns over 20 3D printers (filament and resin) and has plenty experience 3D printing. Michael has authored over 900 articles, helping millions navigate the exciting world of 3D printing.
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