How to Photograph Auction Lots on Your Phone and Finish Cataloging on Desktop

Use your phone to photograph each lot, keep the pictures with the right lot number, and then finish the catalog on a larger screen. A little care in the field saves a great deal of sorting later.

Open the correct sale folder before taking photos.

1. Set up the sale before photographing

Open the folder for the sale and create or choose the import for that session. If several people are photographing, give each person a different range of lot numbers. One person might use 101–150 and another 151–200.

Photograph one or two test lots first. Confirm that they appear in the correct folder before working through the room.

2. Use Capture or Gallery

Choose Capture to take photos. Choose Gallery to open the photo gallery. The camera screen may also show the lot number, thumbnails, Notes, Voice, zoom choices, and Next.

Photographing the sample lamp as lot 101.

Use the controls shown on your phone, since app versions can differ. Look at each photo after taking it. A sharp overall view is more valuable than several rushed pictures.

3. Photograph one complete lot at a time

Start with a view that shows the full selling unit. Then photograph labels, maker’s marks, included parts, and damage.

If two chairs are sold as a pair, show both chairs together and then take useful detail views. If a drill includes a battery and charger, place all three in the main photo. This keeps the desktop cataloger from guessing what the bidder receives.

Add a note when a fact is not clear from the photo, such as “charger included” or “powered on; no other functions tested.”

4. Check each lot before moving on

Enter the lot number when your workflow uses one. Take the needed photos and use Next to continue through the session.

Then open the grouped-lot view and check the result. Confirm the lot number, photo count, and the items shown in each group.

Check each lot’s number and photos before desktop review.

If a lamp photo appears with the drill, fix the group before creating listings. After each capture session, make sure the final lot has the correct number and all expected photos.

5. Confirm the photos have arrived

Check for any upload or failed-photo message shown by your app. Open the import or gallery and make sure the expected photos are there.

Keep the originals on the phone until someone has opened the same batch on desktop. This is especially helpful at estates with weak service or crowded wireless networks.

Tell the desktop cataloger the folder name, import, number range, and any questions that still need an inspection.

6. Finish on desktop

Open the same folder and import on desktop. Check the photo order and lot groups. When they are correct, use Separate Lots, review the summary, and choose Split to Drafts.

Review the finished listing on desktop.

Open the new listings and compare each description with its photos. Check identity, condition, included items, and testing notes. Choose the best lead photo and make any corrections before export.

Uploading photos does not publish the auction. Your team still reviews the catalog and imports it into the chosen auction platform.

Common questions

Do I need to email the photos to myself?

No. Once the photos are in the correct aListEngine import, open that same import on desktop. Keep the phone originals until you confirm the handoff.

Can two people photograph the same sale?

Yes. Agree on folders and number ranges first, then check for repeated numbers on desktop.

Use the same routine for every room

See aListEngine’s auctioneer workflow and try a few lots from phone capture through desktop review before handling a full sale.