Photography Tips for Stone Slabs That Actually Sell Online

Why Stone Photography Is Uniquely Difficult

Stone is hard to photograph well for two reasons: colour temperature and texture. Indoor warehouse lighting skews stone yellow-green; flash creates flat images that hide veining depth.

The Golden Rule: Outdoor, Overcast Light

Take slab photos outside, under an overcast sky. Overcast light is diffused — it reveals texture and veining without harsh reflections, and renders colour accurately. Avoid direct harsh sunlight, warehouse fluorescent, and flash.

The Three Essential Shots

1. The full-slab shot — Stand the slab upright on edge and photograph the entire face from directly in front. Include scale reference.
2. The close-up texture shot — Move to within 50cm of the surface and shoot at a slight angle to reveal surface finish and fine veining detail.
3. The edge/thickness shot — Photograph the edge profile clearly, showing the thickness and cut quality.

Consistency Across Your Catalogue

Shoot all your inventory on the same background, at the same time of day, with consistent framing. Buyers need to compare stones fairly.

Video Is Increasingly Expected

A 30-second walkdown video — slowly panning across a standing slab in good light — communicates the depth and luminosity of polished stone better than any photograph.