In order for us to judge the condition of your collection you need to know how to photograph your cards properly. Any digital camera will do the job; even those built-in to your phone. Below are some tips to get the best shots possible.

• Choose the right cards to photograph.
• Select a background surface to take your photos.
• Use natural lighting to reduce glare.
• Email them photos to us.

Which cards to photograph

Photograph the cards most representative of the collection’s condition. We will want to see the condition of key cards featuring all-star players, hall of famers or rookies in the collection. If you’re unsure, we can talk through your collection and make suggestions of which ones to shoot.

Select a Background Surface

Place the cards on a surface that will not distract from your card. Flat black surfaces help provide high contrast for typical white or light border cards. Several household items provide a subdued, one color surface to highlight your card. These include tabletops, the top surface of a washer or a smooth, nicely folded and flattened throw blanket. The card, not the surrounding background is what we want to see. Get as close as you can to the card without cropping any of it out of the picture.

Natural lighting and glare reduction

You don’t need to have a studio or dark room to make an excellent photo presentation of the items you wish to sell. However, typical plastic card holders and plastic collector sheets all produce a glare on your card. Overhead lamps and house lights also may bring unwanted “sunspots” which block the view of the card you want to sell. Glare on cards can be reduced by simply turning off the camera flash and any overhead lighting. Instead leverage natural sunlight from a location next to a window on a bright sunny day.

Low lighting, on the contrary, can make the picture look too dark and hard to evaluate. Setting the card near a window with light coming in from the side is your best option.

Just remember, our evaluation of condition starts with this photo so we’ll want the best representation possible.

Email the photos

After you have your photos you should email them to info@justcollect.com. We will forward them to our in-house specialist for follow-up.