Keep the focus on the book by placing it on a solid-color background. You can lay it on a solid-color counter, table, or piece of cloth. Consider choosing a background color that contrasts with the color of the book. For example, put a white book on a solid black cloth backdrop to make it really stand out. Don't place any other items in the shot or the buyer may be confused about what you're selling. Make the book the singular focus of the photograph. While you can hold a film or digital camera and photograph a book, you'll get steadier results if you mount the camera on a sturdy tripod. A tripod is also useful for when you need to hold the book open to photograph. You can use a film or digital camera to photograph books. Use whichever you're most comfortable with. Since many books have glossy covers, a camera flash can create glare. Turn off the camera's flash to avoid using artificial lighting. Instead, use the indirect natural light that's available to you. Try to photograph in a well-lit area so the colors of the book are visible. You'll need to plan on photographing during the day in a room that has good lighting. If you're selling the book on a website, check the site's photo size requirements. Adjust your camera or phone settings to select the pixel and image size for the photo. Try to shoot in the highest quality without making an image file that's too large. For example, if you're selling on eBay, the book photo needs to be at least 500 pixels on the longest side. If you're using a tripod, you won't have to worry about adjusting the shutter speed too much. But if you're holding the camera, the shutter speed needs to be higher than 1/50 of a second. If the shutter speed is lower than this, your photo may come out blurry. You'll need to play around and take lots of photos to find the best aperture for each book you photograph. Start around f/16 to get medium depth-of-field and detail. If you find that the title on the book isn't detailed enough, move to higher f-stop. Take a picture of the cover of the book so the entire book is in the shot. Avoid zooming in to just capture the title. Flip the book over and photograph the back. Then, turn the book on its side so the spine is facing up. Take a picture of the spine. If the book has a dust jacket, you should also take it off and photograph the book without it. Open the book to one of the earliest pages that has the copyright information. Hold this open and take a picture of the whole page. Flip the title page and photograph this as well. Try to keep your fingers out of the shot. If you're worried you may damage the spine if you press it open, have someone hold the book open a little while you photograph the copyright or title page. Don't add distracting images or text to the photo since these will remove the focus from the book. Many online booksellers won't allow seller logos or borders on the photos. You may be asked to include the title and description of the book in a separate form.
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One-sentence summary -- Set the book against a solid-color background. Avoid putting props in the photo. Set up your camera on a tripod, if possible. Use natural lighting when you photograph. Set up the photograph size, if you're using a digital camera or cell phone. Adjust the shutter speed. Set the camera's aperture. Photograph the exterior of the book. Take pictures of the copyright and title pages. Avoid adding borders, text, artwork, and logos.


Fill a rocks glass with ice cubes. Fill the glass halfway with Kahlua. Using a stir stick or spoon, gently stir the ice to cool the Kahlua. Add a sliver of orange zest to the glass to jazz up this standby drink. To make this classic cocktail, fill a tumbler glass with ice cubes. Pour 2 oz. (4 tbsp.) of vodka and 1 oz. (2 tbsp.) of Kahlua over the ice. Stir the drink gently to mix it, and enjoy! To prepare this delicious drink, fill a tumbler glass with ice cubes. Pour 1 oz. (2 tbsp.) of Kahlua, 1 oz. (2 tbsp.) of vodka, and 1 oz. (2 tbsp.) of table cream over the ice. Stir the drink lightly to mix it. For a lighter version of this drink, use an equal amount of milk instead of cream. To mix a cocktail that tastes like dessert, use a shaker filled with ice. Pour in 1.5 oz. (3 tbsp.) of Kahlua, 1.5 oz. (3 tbsp.) of vodka, and 1.5 oz. (3 tbsp.) of Irish cream liqueur. Shake the ingredients together, then pour the drink into a tumbler glass filled with ice. To make something both strong and refreshing, fill a tumbler glass with ice. Pour in 1 oz. (2 tbsp.) of Kahlua, followed by 2 oz. (4 tbsp.) of vodka and 2 oz. (4 tbsp.) of club soda. For a cool look, avoid mixing the drink and let three layers sit on top of each other. To make a drink with a bit of a buzz to it, fill a shaker with ice. Pour in 2 oz. (4 tbsp.) of vodka, 1 oz. (2 tbsp.) of Kahlua, and 1 oz. of chocolate liqueur. Shake them together vigorously and pour the drink into a martini glass. If you wish, top the martini with espresso beans or chocolate flakes.
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One-sentence summary --
Serve Kahlua on the rocks. Mix together a Black Russian. Make a White Russian. Indulge with a Mudslide. Make a Mind Eraser. Shake up a coffee martini.