How to photograph furniture for Facebook Marketplace

Furniture is the highest-value flip on Marketplace and Gumtree — and the one buyers are most nervous about. A bright, clean, honest photo does the selling for you. Here's the fast way with just a phone.

1. Pull it away from the wall

Give the piece some space. Move it 30–50 cm off the wall and clear the area around it — no washing baskets, cables, or pets in frame. Space reads as "cared for"; clutter reads as "junk from a hoarder."

2. Shoot at the item's height, from a front corner

Crouch to the middle height of the piece and shoot from a 3/4 front angle so buyers see the front and one side. This shows depth and real proportions. Avoid the top-down phone-in-hand angle — it makes a sofa look like a footstool.

3. Daylight, no flash

Open the curtains, turn off the yellow ceiling lights, and shoot during the day with window light coming from the side. Flash flattens the piece and hides the grain and colour buyers want to judge.

4. One hero, then the honest details

Lead with the clean 3/4 hero shot. Then show: any marks or scratches, the legs/joints, and a close-up of the fabric or timber. Buyers trust listings that show wear — you'll get fewer "is it actually good condition?" time-wasters.

5. Clean up the background in one tap

Even a tidy room is busier than a plain backdrop. Run your hero shot through Listshot for a clean studio-white version and a square 1080 crop that fills the Marketplace thumbnail. One photo in, three listing-ready images out — free to preview.

Clean up a furniture photo →

6. Reuse the same look every time

Sellers who move lots of furniture win by looking like a store: same white background, same square format, every listing. It signals reliability and keeps the buyer's eye on the piece.