Remove the background from a handmade candle photo for an Etsy listing

Steps

1. Load the candle photo from your phone gallery into the background remover. Keep the whole scene in frame at this stage: amber jar, wooden lid leaning against it and the wick trimmer beside it, because cropping decisions come after the cut-out, not before.
2. Run the cut-out once, then zoom to 200 percent around the glass rim and the flame area. Automatic masks tend to nibble into translucent amber glass, so paint any missing edge back with the restore brush before you export anything.
3. Export a transparent PNG and place it on a warm off-white square in your listing editor. Add a soft shadow directly under the jar so the candle sits on the surface instead of floating above it.

Worked example

Input file

IMG_4217.HEIC — a 240 g cedar candle in an amber glass jar on a grey kitchen counter, kettle and tea towel behind it, 3024 by 4032 pixels, daylight from a north-facing window.

Settings

Transparent PNG export, restore brush 12 px around the glass rim, square board 2000 by 2000 px in warm off-white, shadow softness 35 percent, no colour filter.

Expected result

A square listing photo where the amber jar stands centred with its lid beside it, kettle and counter gone, and the printed label still readable at thumbnail size, including the words Cedar and Amber and the 45-hour burn time.

Illustrative example: the file name, settings and result on this page describe a sample workflow for learning, not a real customer's photo or outcome.

Common mistakes

• Photographing the candle while the flame is lit. The mask usually swallows the flame and its glow, leaving a strange bright smudge, so shoot the candle unlit and describe the scent in the listing text instead.
• Exporting as JPG to keep the file small. JPG fills transparency with a solid block, so on any page that is not pure white the candle appears inside a visible rectangle with hard corners.

Frequently asked question

Can I reuse the same cut-out for a social post later?

Yes. The transparent PNG belongs to your listing work, so you can place it on a square board for a feed post or a tall 1080 by 1920 board for a story. Re-exporting or re-placing the same cut-out does not generate a new AI image.