When you send a timber offer to an overseas buyer, your photos are often the first real evidence of what you have. A buyer cannot visit your yard before the first message, so clear, honest photos of the actual stock help the conversation move forward. You do not need a professional camera: a phone is enough if you follow a simple shot list.

The golden rule: photograph the lot you are offering

Send photos of the stock you are actually selling, taken recently. Pictures borrowed from another lot or another species slow everything down, because the buyer will ask for new ones. If the lot changes, take new photos.

Shot list for logs

  1. Wide view of the log stack or yard, so the buyer sees the quantity and how it is stored.
  2. Log ends close up, one photo per several logs, with the log number or marking visible.
  3. Side view of a few typical logs showing length and surface condition.
  4. One measuring shot: a tape or rule beside a log end or section.

Shot list for squared timber

  1. Stack overview with the whole pile in frame.
  2. Ends of squares close up, showing section, sapwood, wane and any sealing.
  3. Faces and corners of a few typical pieces.
  4. Measuring shot with a tape against the section.

Shot list for sawn timber

  1. Packs or stacks from a distance, showing how the timber is stacked and stickered.
  2. Face and edge of typical boards in good light.
  3. Ends, to show thickness and any end sealing.
  4. Typical defects you allow in your grade, so the buyer sees what "normal" looks like.

Loading photos

If a container is being or has been loaded, a few photos help: the empty container, the loading in progress and the full container before closing, with the container number visible if you can. They show how the lot is really handled.

Practical tips

  • Shoot in daylight, avoid strong shadows and wet surfaces that hide the grain.
  • Keep the camera level and fill the frame with the timber.
  • Add one reference object (tape, rule) for scale.
  • Do not edit colours or hide defects. Honest photos build trust for long-term business.
  • Name files clearly, for example species-form-origin-01.jpg, and send them with the species, form and origin written in the message.

Send your offer with photos

Put the photos together with the specification, volume, port and Incoterm. Our checklist is in how to submit a timber offer to a Vietnam buyer, and the guide on logs, squares or sawn timber helps you describe the form. For a species example, see the Tali supplier guide. Then use the offer form on this page, or check the current buying requests first.

Frequently asked questions

How many photos should I send?

A handful that cover the shot list for your form is enough. Quality and honesty matter more than quantity.

Can I send old photos of the same stock?

Only if the stock is unchanged. State the date, and send new photos if the lot has changed.

Do I need to include a person or vehicle in the photo?

Not required, but a reference object such as a tape or a rule shows scale.

Should I send video?

Short videos of the stack can help, but photos with markings and measurements are the minimum.