Photo Guide
This page helps you prepare a small but useful photo sample before contacting a dealer, auction house, or philatelic society. The goal is not to photograph everything. The goal is to show the right things clearly.
Photograph entire album pages first, then take closer images of stamps, covers, postmarks, and written annotations.
The 10-Photo Rule
Do not send 100 random photos. Send 10 well-chosen images that clearly and efficiently show the most important parts of the collection. For larger collections, you may also include one short overview video. A video should complement the photos, not replace them.
Why these photos matter
Good photos help show scale, organization, condition, gum, covers, postmarks, certificates, and exhibit pages. A useful photo sample can help the recipient determine whether the collection resembles albums, stockbooks, glassines, covers, exhibit pages, or a mixed accumulation.
The 10 photos to send
- The big picture — one wide shot of the whole box, shelf, or stack of albums. A short 30–60-second overview video can also help.
- A typical album page (front) — one average-looking page to set baseline expectations.
- A typical album page (back) — the same page reversed to show hinges, gum issues, or tape.
- The best-looking section (front) — the page that appears most specialized, best organized, or most promising.
- The best-looking section (back) — the same page reversed to show the real condition of the top material.
- One cover or postcard (front) — a mailed cover with stamps and postmarks.
- One cover (back) — to show transit marks, arrival stamps, and seals.
- One mint stamp (front) — a close-up of a clean, unused stamp.
- One mint stamp (back) — a close-up of the gum.
- Certificates, medals, or exhibit pages — any awards, expert certificates, or exhibition sheets.
Examples of useful photos
Below are simple examples of the types of images most useful when contacting a collector, dealer, auction house, or philatelic society. The goal is not artistic photography. The goal is clarity.
Technical tips
- Use daylight near a window and avoid flash.
- Keep the phone parallel to the page. Avoid shadows and reflections.
- Crop tightly, but do not over-edit.
- Name files clearly, for example: Album1_Page3_Front.jpg.
Next Step
Once you have prepared a small photo sample, use the Contact Scripts page to write a clear and professional inquiry to a philatelic society, dealer, or auction house.