How to Photograph Shoes for Selling Online: 8 Shots

To photograph shoes for selling online, clean the pair, stuff the uppers so they hold their shape and place them on a plain surface beside a window. Then take eight shots at shoe height: outer side, front, back, top, sole, the pair together, a heel or material close-up and, if it helps, one on-foot photo.

Prepare the pair

• Clean: wipe dust off the upper with a dry cloth or soft brush, and clean the edge of the sole. Dust and fluff show clearly in close-ups.
• Stuff: fill each shoe with tissue or plain paper so the toe and sides do not sag. Keep the stuffing inside the shoe where the camera cannot see it.
• Laces: lace both shoes the same way, pull them even and tie them neatly or tuck the ends inside.
• Tags: remove price stickers and loose tags unless the buyer needs to see them.

Keep both shoes from the same size and colour together; similar pairs are easy to mix up during a batch shoot. For used shoes, photograph wear, marks and the soles as they are. Do not retouch them into a new-looking condition.

Set up simple light at home

1. Put a table beside a window with daylight that is not falling directly on the table. Direct sun makes hard shadows.
2. Lay a white or light-grey sheet on the table and up the wall behind it, so there is no line behind the shoe.
3. Stand a white card or sheet of foam board on the side away from the window to brighten the dark side of the shoe.
4. Switch off room lights, so the daylight is the only colour of light, and turn off the phone flash.
5. Rest the phone on books or a small tripod at the height of the shoe.

Mark the table position with tape outside the frame so every pair sits at a similar distance. Leave room around the toe and heel before cropping. A steep downward angle can make the toe look short and the opening look oversized.

The 8 shoe photos to take

1. Outer side profile: the full shoe from the side, at shoe height. Pick one direction for the toe and use it for every product.
2. Front: the toe facing the camera, showing its width and shape.
3. Back: the heel counter, pull tab and heel height.
4. Top: from above, showing the opening, laces or strap and insole.
5. Sole: the tread pattern, flat on to the camera. Show real wear on used shoes.
6. The pair: both shoes together, one slightly turned, so buyers see it is a matching pair.
7. Detail close-up: the heel, stitching, logo, buckle or upper material such as suede, leather or mesh.
8. On-foot (optional): one photo of the actual pair being worn, to show how it looks with the feet in. Use the real shoes, not a different pair.

If the inner side looks different from the outer side, add it as a ninth photo.

Check the photos before uploading

Zoom in on each photo to check it is sharp, especially the stitching and tread. Compare the colour on screen with the real shoe in daylight. Reflective trim can disappear or become too bright; change the angle of the light and take a second shot if it hides the material. Keep colours consistent across the set.

Check an AI version against the real pair

Pay special attention to sole tread, logos, lace holes and stitching. A generated angle can invent a hidden side. Use your real sole and detail photos in the listing, even if you create a styled image with Catalog Pro.

For footwear photos by marketplace, see footwear photography for Myntra, Flipkart and Meesho.

Follow the Myntra preparation guide or Amazon checklist for the next step. Marketplace category rules determine the required export and photo order.

Questions sellers ask

What background is best for shoe photos?

A white or light-grey sheet laid on the table and up the wall behind it, so there is no line behind the shoe. Set it beside a window, out of direct sun, with a white card on the side away from the window.

At what angle should I photograph shoes?

At shoe height, with the phone resting on books or a small tripod. A steep downward angle can make the toe look short and the opening look oversized. Point the toe in the same direction for every product.

How do I keep shoes in shape for photos?

Fill each shoe with tissue or plain paper so the toe and sides do not sag, keeping the stuffing out of sight. Lace both shoes the same way, and remove price stickers and loose tags unless the buyer needs to see them.

Should I edit wear out of used shoe photos?

No. Photograph the wear, marks and soles of used shoes as they are, and do not retouch them into a new-looking condition. Keep the real sole photo in the listing even if you also make a styled AI image.