Photographing Pottery for a Strong Online Portfolio

A portfolio photograph has to do more than flatter a pot. It should reveal its silhouette, surface, scale and the care behind its making, giving a buyer confidence before they touch the clay or commit to a purchase.

Learning how to photograph your pottery for an online portfolio becomes simpler when every image has a purpose. A coherent set can show available work, sold pieces, studio practice and the character of a glaze more clearly than a folder of isolated snapshots.

Treat the shoot as a repeatable process rather than a single session. Choose the works, prepare the space, control the light, record several standard views and edit with one visual standard in mind.

Define the story behind the collection

Begin by grouping pieces by visual idea, such as Pacific Northwest or Mediterranean coastline studies, abstract sculptures and decorated plates. Amelia Johannsen’s ceramic portfolio offers a useful model, balancing individual objects, available and sold work, and information about workshops and events.

Within each group, lead with the image that best explains the idea. Follow it with views that establish form and construction, then close with a detail. Keep the sequence predictable so returning visitors can browse without relearning the site each time.

Build a simple, repeatable setup

A phone on a small tripod can produce excellent results. Use a plain matte board in cream, grey or pale timber, a turntable if practical, and a clean cloth for handling pieces. Avoid reflective foil and very glossy surfaces, which create distracting streaks around curved rims.

Keep the camera at a consistent height and use the same background for the main collection. Leave breathing room around the object, tap the screen to lock focus on the nearest edge and take a test frame before arranging the full group. Clean the foot of each pot so every photograph starts from the same tidy baseline.

Work with Australian daylight

Light changes dramatically across Australia. Perth can deliver hard, bright sun, Brisbane can feel fierce at midday, while Melbourne often gives soft, changeable light and Sydney’s coastal glare needs careful control. Photograph near a large window, turn off room lights and wait for a cloud or shaded patch to soften the beam.

Diffuse harsh light with a sheer curtain or white sheet, then bounce it back with white foam board. A black card on the opposite side can restore definition to a pale pot. Compare that consistency with the visual language of a broader creative brand such as Oh That Emily, where the look should carry smoothly from one image to the next.

Correct the white balance to the object, not to the wall. Photographing a white or neutral reference beside the pot helps you spot unwanted blue, green or yellow casts, especially with mixed daylight and tungsten lamps. Keep the settings fixed while shooting a series.

Show form, surface and true scale

One front view cannot reveal everything. A slight three-quarter angle describes volume, an overhead view clarifies the rim and decoration, and a low angle shows the foot. For sculptural work, photograph from the height at which it will usually be seen rather than always from above.

Give scale a visual anchor. Include a hand, ruler, familiar ceramic mug or a measured tile, but keep the comparison object secondary. Raking side light can reveal throwing lines, carved marks and matte textures that disappear under flat light; use diffused light when the glaze colour is the main feature.

Captions can use plain Australian English, with colour, favourite and organise spelled the local way. For handmade pieces, a friendly line noting that slight variations are part of the character sounds natural and reassures buyers that differences are intentional.

Create a disciplined shot list

For every individual pot, capture:

• A full front view with even space around the silhouette
• A three-quarter view and an overhead view
• Close details of the rim, foot, texture and maker’s mark
• A scale image using a hand, ruler or familiar object

For each collection or update, capture:

• A wide view of the complete grouping in a deliberate order
• A process image at the wheel, bench or glazing area
• An installation view on a shelf, table or styled interior
• A packaging view that documents protection, dimensions and condition

Check the frames before packing the camera away. Some images may work well on Instagram but crop poorly on a product page, so keep the original uncropped file. A simple record prevents an important detail from disappearing between shoots.

Prepare files for the modern web

Export in sRGB, sharpen for screen viewing and avoid heavy presets that turn pale glazes chalky or saturate blue tones unnaturally. Use a JPEG for most photographs and a PNG only when transparency is essential. Keep the master file, then create a web-sized copy so the gallery remains quick on mobile data.

Name files clearly and write useful alt text, such as “speckled cream bowl on a warm grey background.” Artists who prepare essays or proposals can take the same clear approach shown in this publication submission guide: organise supporting material, label it carefully and respect the reader’s path through the work.

For Australian buyers, pair each image with clear dimensions, clay and glaze details, the available quantity and an Australian-dollar price. State whether GST is included, explain postage to cities and regional areas, and offer a secure payment option. Many customers also expect buy-now-pay-later choices when buying from established retailers.

Turn the portfolio into a buying journey

Curate the home page around strong groups rather than posting every experiment. An available work can link to its detail page, while the sold archive preserves the depth of your practice without suggesting that the piece is still for sale. Workshops and related events, including hands-on clay evenings with wine and tapas, give visitors another way to connect with the studio.

Make the route from admiration to action obvious. Let visitors follow your Instagram for process updates, join the mailing list for new work and enquire about a particular pot. Australian ceramic artists often sell at weekend maker markets, so update availability quickly after an event and keep contact details consistent across the site, social channels and market listings.

Choose one finished piece today, clear a metre of table space beside a window, and shoot the four core views. Edit one image with restraint, add its dimensions and price, and place it in a named collection. That repeatable first step can become the foundation of a polished Australian pottery portfolio.