Handmadeology shares 7 important tips for taking great product shots for your Etsy store.

• Use the best quality camera you can afford - Honestly, you don't have to have a super-expensive camera to get some really great photos for your blog or Etsy shop. The key is learning how to use the settings.
• Use your camera's 'macro' setting for close-up shots - Lots of items sold on Etsy are small enough that using the 'macro' setting on your camera is the best option. On many cameras, that's the setting depicted by the flower/tulip icon. Do yourself a favor and experiment with the various settings until you find the combination that works best for you. Do yourself another favor and turn OFF the flash. The flash creates a strong light that bounces off your subject and (usually) makes it look bad. Find a spot with bright, but diffused light. Outdoors is ideal.
• Natural light is your best bet -

  If possible, grab your items, background material(s), props and handmade items and head outside on a nice day. Direct sunlight is not the best; indirect light will give you great results.

• Use props to accompany your items - Check out various Etsy shops and you're sure to find that many times, sellers use props in their photos. It's a professional touch and as long as they don't overwhelm your item (or the photo in the general) they are a good thing.
• Use a background that makes your item stand out - A great photo has a great background. A white tri-fold science fair board made from heavy poster board is quite practical. They are cheap, folds flat for storage and (since it folds) and you can have the short flap propped up to create a nice backdrop.
• Take several shots from various angles - Taking photos from different angles will give your customers a better idea of what your item looks like. Since Etsy allows you five photos per listing, you will want to take advantage of all your available spots. Some of your photos should be full-size images of your item; but you might also want to include a close up shot or two. Showing the details of your item is important to prospective buyers. Mix things up a bit by having a straight-on shot as well as photos taken from the side or at a forty-five degree angle.
• Use a photo editor to improve your images - After you've taken several shots of your items, run them through a photo editor to make them as professional-looking as possible. You'll want to crop out unwanted background 'noise' and perhaps adjust the contrast. Be careful not to change the image so much that it no longer looks like the actual item. You might also want to add a copyright watermark to your image. I've used GIMP and Pixlr.