There is a persistent assumption in the trade that professional catalogue photography requires a DSLR camera, a dedicated photography station, and a member of staff with some photographic training. Industry experience increasingly suggests otherwise. Flagship smartphones now feature multi-lens systems, large sensors approaching one inch in size, and computational AI photography that handles exposure, focus, and colour balance automatically. For catalogue work, convenience and speed often outweigh marginal quality differences.
Why Smartphones Now Dominate
A growing number of houses have moved entirely to smartphone photography for their catalogue images, and the results are, by most accounts, as good as or better than what they were producing with dedicated cameras. The latest generation of flagship phones produce images that are more than adequate for online catalogue display, and the workflow advantages are substantial.
Staff already know how to use their phones. The images can be uploaded directly to cataloguing software without the intermediate step of transferring files from a memory card. Multiple staff members can photograph lots simultaneously across the saleroom floor. The 2025 verdict from photography specialists is clear: smartphones dominate for convenience and AI-enhanced workflows, and for catalogue purposes, the gap with dedicated cameras has effectively closed.
The Background Matters More
If there is one piece of equipment that genuinely improves catalogue photography, it is not a camera but a background. White polycarbonate sheets, available for around fifteen pounds, provide a clean, consistent surface that makes items look professional and allows for easy background removal in post-processing.
Lighting on a Budget
Natural light remains the best option for most catalogue photography, provided it is diffused rather than direct. A table positioned near a north-facing window will produce consistently good results throughout the day. For houses that need to photograph in the evening or in windowless spaces, a pair of inexpensive LED panel lights provides adequate illumination without the colour cast issues that plagued older fluorescent setups.
One useful technique that has gained currency among auctioneers involves using a tablet as a supplementary light source. By displaying a white screen on a tablet and positioning it near the item being photographed, staff can improve lighting on reflective or dark objects without any additional equipment.
AI Background Removal
Applications for removing backgrounds from catalogue images have become widely adopted in the trade. The technology has reached a point where it handles most items accurately, producing clean white-background images suitable for online listing in a matter of seconds. Several houses now process all their catalogue images through background removal software as a matter of course, regardless of how carefully the original photograph was composed.
What Actually Matters
Industry feedback consistently emphasises that training staff to photograph items well matters far more than the equipment they use. The essentials are straightforward:
- Capture the item from multiple angles, including the base and any marks
- Photograph damage, repairs, and wear honestly
- Include a sense of scale where the item's size is not obvious
- Ensure maker's marks, signatures, and hallmarks are legible
A brief training session covering these basics, combined with clear examples of good and poor images, produces a more significant improvement than any equipment upgrade. The camera in everyone's pocket is now good enough. The skill of the person holding it is what separates a catalogue that sells from one that does not.