In the past I would take photos with a digital SLR and flash for whatever I was selling. It would require some post processing to get them right. Now I use my iPhone which takes very detailed photos and no flash needed. It really makes it easy to upload as they go to my laptop automatically.
Buying Pet Peeve - Pictures
I must admit one of my favorite activities is scouring the Internet looking at ads of used audio gear. For years, I have been keeping tabs on the used audio market. Prior to the internet there was Audiomart, the Audio Trading Times and the back of Audio magazines and now the internet has made it all very easy.
It seems that USAudiomart, EBay, Craigslist, FB Marketplace, and Audiogon (not in that order) are the best places for used gear and I’m constantly checking into these sites, even when I’m not looking to purchase gear. You never know when that rare gem will come up for sale, and you better snap it up before someone else does.
What I have found over the last 6 months or longer is that either sellers have become lazy, or perhaps just stupid? The internet has been around long enough for people to know that good pictures are the key to selling gear, and the key to getting top dollar, yet I continually see really poor pictures of gear.
It irks me daily when I see it, and I end up yelling at my computer just like I will yell at my tv while watching a sporting event.
My 2 biggest picture pet peeves are:
1. someone selling expensive speakers who can’t be bothered to take the grills off or won’t take pictures of the binding posts or speaker rears
2. A seller consumed with the mod that he did on an amp or preamp and takes multiple pictures of the inside of the unit but forgets to take pictures of what the actual unit looks like.
There are other poor photo practices like taking pictures in a dark room, using that old flip phone to take pictures, or just being lazy and not unplugging your gear and taking some stand alone pictures.
*** Sorry if this offends anyone, that is not my intent. I’m just finally venting after seeing this occur so often.
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In a day and age where a stereo transaction can be a very impersonal thing done via emails and pictures only, pictures really matter and greatly help to give the buyer a sense comfort. I’ve been in this hobby 40 years and have no problem buying something unheard and sight unseen as long as there is a comfort level which can be achieved through detailed emails, accurate photography, and a positive track record from the seller. |
Your not buying a just browsing - so why are you upset, just move on. You can probably go to the manufacturer website and get better pictures anyway. If you are interested ask the seller to send you pictures, a phone number, and have a conversation. You are not buying from the pictures alone are you? |
This is completely unrelated to audio but shows how poorly some people take photos. Ever been house hunting and when they show the bedrooms they take photos of the bed? I don’t care about the bed, I want to see the room. Some people just don’t get it. I recently checked out an amp that had two photos. Both were from the front at different angles. |
When a deal is pending on a major $ item, a phone conversation can make or break it. That 'personal touch', being able to get some answers to pertinent questions becomes important. If they won't take the time, then my gut starts to say nay.... As for pics, some can't seem to frame a 'selfie' well, much less anything else. It almost cries for a 'picture protocall page' appended to a post agreement at sales sites.... @falconquest , not totally unrelated at all, imh, but yeah. Some can't concieve of shinning a light on an object either. Some items look as if they were photo'd in a closet as if to add the air of mystery which is the last thing one would want to do. 'Buyer Beware of shots in the dark', or something like that.... *L* |
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