Shoot Guide Photos

While shooting guide photos, there are some important things to keep in mind:

  • Shoot in first-person perspective. By shooting images from your point of view, they will match what readers will see while keeping the orientation consistent throughout your guides.

  • Use your hands and tools in each shot to demonstrate action. Action shots should visually communicate what is being accomplished in each step. You can include up to three photos per step to create a "stop-motion" or "flip-book" effect.

    • While it may be tempting to include a photo showing all the tools and materials needed for the project, it’s actually not necessary. Instead, you’ll add a list of tools and materials under the "Details" tab of your guide (we’ll go over this in Checkpoint 2). By only including action-oriented steps in your guide, you will help keep the instructions as concise as possible.

  • Pay attention to continuity. Always consider how your photos will flow from one photo to the next. As you shoot, be sure to ask yourself, “Will this photo transition well from the previous one?”

  • Adjust your camera settings to meet the following requirements:
    Formats: JPEG, JPG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TIF
    Minimum file size: 800px by 600px
    Maximum file size: 40MB

  • Keep your pictures as large as possible in terms of resolution. If a picture is 4000 x 3000 pixels in size, so be it!

  • Position your camera in landscape orientation, and be sure to photograph the device against a solid white background that is well-lit.

People tend to learn and absorb new information more quickly when it is presented in a visually appealing way. Start creating a great Fast Fix by photographing the process from beginning to end. We highly suggest you take more photos than you think you’ll need.

Taking instructional photos is a bit different from the kind of everyday photos you’re used to, so follow the How to Take Awesome Photos guide below to complete this checkpoint.

A word to the wise: reading through the guide below will save you hours of time fighting with lighting, fiddling with camera settings, and making other rookie mistakes—so don't skip it!

CHECK OUT SOME SAMPLE FIXES

Before you start, check out the photos in these Fast Fix guides from other iFixit contributors, so you know what to shoot for: