# 40 cm photo light box > A lit, white box for listing photos that match. - Photo backdrop, Starter pick - Typical UK price: £25 to £40 (a typical band, not a live price) - Platforms: Whatnot, eBay, Vinted, TikTok Shop, Depop, Etsy - Orders a week: 0–2000 - Not yet checked by a person Consistent white-background photos make your listings look like a shop. The box folds flat when you need the desk back. ## Setups - [Coin and jewellery selling desk](https://sellersetups.com/setups/coins-jewellery-desk): A precision scale, capsules, a light box for close-ups and a careful posting routine, for selling coins and small jewellery from one desk. - [eBay electronics reselling setup](https://sellersetups.com/setups/ebay-electronics-reseller): A testing bench, bagged cables, double-wall boxes and clear battery rules for reselling 10 to 50 phones, consoles and gadgets a week on eBay. - [Handmade dog bandanas and collars on Etsy](https://sellersetups.com/setups/etsy-handmade-pet-accessories): A sewing corner that makes and posts bandanas, collars and lead sets on Etsy, with off-cuts and seconds cleared on Vinted. - [Etsy handmade studio setup](https://sellersetups.com/setups/etsy-handmade-studio): A light box for clean product photos, plastic-free packaging that feels like a gift, and a spare room laid out to make, wrap and post 10 to 40 Etsy orders. - [Handmade silver jewellery studio for Etsy and Depop](https://sellersetups.com/setups/etsy-silver-jewellery-maker): A gram scale, a light box, gift boxes and Large Letter postage for makers selling their own rings, studs and pendants from a bench in the corner. - [Preloved designer handbag room for Vinted and eBay](https://sellersetups.com/setups/preloved-designer-handbags): Softbox light, dust bags, stuffing tissue and double-wall boxes for selling secondhand designer bags that arrive holding their shape. - [TikTok Shop live setup for beauty sellers](https://sellersetups.com/setups/tiktok-shop-beauty-starter): A ring light, a mic, a plain backdrop and protective packing for filming TikTok videos from one corner of your room. - [Trainer reselling setup for a small room](https://sellersetups.com/setups/trainer-reseller-small-room): Shelving for 60 boxed pairs, authentication-ready photos and double-wall packing for a trainer reseller on eBay and Vinted. - [Preloved toy bundle setup for Vinted and eBay](https://sellersetups.com/setups/vinted-preloved-toy-bundles): Bag the small parts, photograph the whole bundle in a light tent and post sorted LEGO, Playmobil and family toys from a spare room. ## Small items: jewellery, cards, coins and beauty A 40 cm light box suits you if you list small items: jewellery, crystals, trading cards, beauty products, figures, coins or small electronics on eBay, Etsy, Vinted or Depop. Every photo has the same white background. It is too small for clothing, trainers in pairs or handbags much bigger than a clutch. For those, a backdrop on a wall with two lights works better. ## LED strip, backdrops and openings A good one measures around 40 cm on each side, and has a built-in LED strip along the top, a USB power lead and a dimmer. Backdrops usually come in white and black, so you can pick one to suit silver or gold items. A top opening lets you shoot straight down at flat items such as cards and coins. Close the front flap or zip round the phone to keep out room light. Choose a daylight-balanced strip of around 5,500 K for true whites. Some boxes add a colour temperature control. ## Shooting a batch of listings Set the box on a clear table near a USB socket, away from windows so daylight can't shift the colour. Lay the backdrop with a gentle curve from the back wall to the floor so no crease shows. Place the phone on a stand or overhead arm at the same spot for each item and lock the exposure in the camera app. Shoot a whole batch in one go, then edit them all with the same settings. For shiny jewellery, use the black backdrop or angle the item so the LED strip's reflection misses the lens. ## Ring light, LED panels or softboxes 18 in ring light with stand gives even front light for faces and small items on a live stream. Pick it if you sell mainly on Whatnot or TikTok Shop and need light for you as well as the stock. Two LED video panels with stands light larger items and clothing on a wall backdrop, where the box is too small. If you photograph whole outfits, use two softbox lights with stands to light a bigger area. ## Getting clean whites without editing If the white backdrop looks grey, raise the exposure slider in the camera app a little, or turn the dimmer up. Shoot one test photo of a white sheet of paper inside the box and use it to set the white balance. Wipe the backdrop with a dry cloth after each session, because you can see dust at close range. Fold the box flat when you finish, so the panels stay square and the desk is free for packing. ## Common mistakes - Window daylight can tint your photos blue. Place the box away from windows and use the built-in light. - Curve the backdrop smoothly from the back wall; any crease shows as a line behind the item. - Fix the phone on a stand at one spot. Moving it between items gives uneven photos. - Silver and glass are hard to see against white, so switch to the black backdrop for them. - Fold it flat as designed; stored half folded, the panels bend. ## Guides - [AI for online sellers: listings, photos and pricing](https://sellersetups.com/guides/ai-for-online-sellers): Prompts that write a decent Vinted or eBay listing, where AI photos break platform rules, and the automation that can get an account restricted. - [How to promote your Whatnot show](https://sellersetups.com/guides/promote-your-whatnot-show): Get people into your next Whatnot show: short videos, posts between shows, product photos and turning buyers into regulars. - [How to take photos for Vinted](https://sellersetups.com/guides/take-photos-for-vinted): Shoot Vinted clothing with your phone on a tripod, soft light from the side and a plain wall, so buyers see the true colour, the fit and every flaw. - [TikTok Shop live setup for beginners](https://sellersetups.com/guides/tiktok-shop-live-setup): Your first TikTok Shop live from a bedroom corner: phone position, light on your face, clear sound and a running order that keeps viewers watching. - [Trend reselling and spotting fakes](https://sellersetups.com/guides/trend-reselling-fakes): Labubu, Sonny Angels, Pokémon cards and trainers: read demand from live viewer counts, check stock before you buy, and stay on the right side of UK law. ## Questions ### Will a 40 cm light box fit a pair of trainers? One trainer fits, but a pair side by side is tight. Shoot trainers on a larger backdrop with two lights. ### Does a light box need mains power? Most run their LED strip from USB, so a phone charger plug or a power bank works. ### Can I shoot from the top? If the box has a top opening, yes. It suits flat items such as cards, coins and jewellery laid out on the backdrop. ### Are white backgrounds required on marketplaces? Some marketplaces have rules for the main photo. Each platform's current listing photo guidance covers the categories you sell in.