<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>DIY Craft Photography</title> <atom:link href="/category/photo-inspiration/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link></link> <description>Product photography for handmade goods</description> <lastBuildDate>Sat, 27 Apr 2019 20:33:34 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5</generator> <image> <url>/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/cropped-DIYC-site-icon-32x32.png</url> <title>DIY Craft Photography</title> <link></link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>13 Product Photography Lessons from My Fake Etsy Photo Shoot</title> <link>/product-photography-lessons-etsy-photoshoot/</link> <comments>/product-photography-lessons-etsy-photoshoot/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[M. Johnson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 05 May 2014 08:00:35 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Photo Inspiration]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Photo Styling]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=1567</guid> <description><![CDATA[They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but people totally judge crafts by their photos all the time! Sure, tagging, titles, SEO, and relentless shop promotion have their own roles to play in bringing traffic to your shop, but all that hard work can be undone in an instant if your photos...</p><p><a class="more-link" href="/product-photography-lessons-etsy-photoshoot/">Read More</a></p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/13_etsy_product_photography_tips_header.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-1588 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/13_etsy_product_photography_tips_header.jpg" alt="13 product photography lessons from my fake Etsy photo shoot. Includes tips on composition, lighting, and more!" width="735" height="364" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/13_etsy_product_photography_tips_header.jpg 735w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/13_etsy_product_photography_tips_header-300x148.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 735px) 100vw, 735px" /></a></p> <p>They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but people <em>totally</em> judge crafts by their photos all the time!</p> <p>Sure, tagging, titles, SEO, and relentless shop promotion have their own roles to play in bringing traffic to your shop, but all that hard work can be undone in an instant if your photos suck.</p> <p><strong>Photos sell your crafts.</strong></p> <p>A couple weekends ago I put together a “pretend” Etsy photo shoot with the goal of demonstrating the best, most practical product photography lessons I’ve learned over the years. These photos were shot with a mix of my iPhone 4S and my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004J41T7Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004J41T7Q&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Canon PowerShot Digital ELPH 300 HS</a> (Amazon Affiliate link). The metal airplane is a yard ornament from my own garden (originally from McClendon’s hardware store).</p> <p>Enjoy this <strong>meaty </strong>product photography tutorial!</p> <h1>1. Shoot in daylight (or really good indoor lighting)</h1> <p>Good lighting is 90% of the battle. Even an old or crappy camera can do some pretty amazing things given the right lighting.</p> <p>My favorite natural lighting setup is bright but cloudy day, but it can be hard to wait around for the right kind of day to land on a weekend so I have a bunch of tricks for working with the lighting I’ve got. If you’re reading this from the North Pole in the dead of winter, <a href="/best-indoor-lighting-equipment-for-craft-photographers/">check out these great lighting setups that you can use indoors</a>.</p> <p>If a cloudy day is a rarity where you live, read on for tips on diffusing that bright lighting.</p> <h1>2. Diffused lighting looks better than direct lighting</h1> <p>I think soft “diffuse” shadows look better than hard shadows, which sort of duplicate your object onto the surface its sitting on and become a distraction. (Hard shadows <em>do</em> add nice sense of depth which gets lost when you diffuse the light, but you’re better off without them if they’re becoming distracting.)</p> <p>Here’s a visual guide to the difference between direct sunlight and diffuse sunlight:</p> <div id="attachment_1570" style="width: 740px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tutorial_hard_lighting_vs_diffuse_lighting.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1570" class="wp-image-1570" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tutorial_hard_lighting_vs_diffuse_lighting.jpg" alt="Etsy product photography tutorial and tips: direct sunlight vs. diffuse sunlight." width="730" height="511" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tutorial_hard_lighting_vs_diffuse_lighting.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tutorial_hard_lighting_vs_diffuse_lighting-300x210.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 730px) 100vw, 730px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1570" class="wp-caption-text">Direct sunlight creates hard, dark shadows, as seen on left. Sunlight that is filtered through a curtain or sheet of paper becomes much softer, as seen on right.</p></div> <h2>How to get diffused lighting:</h2> <ul> <li><strong>Hang a white curtain</strong> across the window you’re shooting next to (this is the technique I use most frequently, see below for a photo of my setup)</li> <li><strong>Wait for a cloudy day</strong></li> <li><strong>Cover a window with tissue paper</strong></li> <li><strong>Stretch a white sheet</strong> over your shooting area</li> <li><strong>Use a light tent</strong> – <a href="/table-top-photo-studio-kit-reviews/">click here to see our reviews of many popular light tents</a></li> </ul> <div id="attachment_1571" style="width: 726px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tutorial_how_to_diffuse_lighting.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1571" class="wp-image-1571 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tutorial_how_to_diffuse_lighting.jpg" alt="etsy_product_photography_tutorial_how_to_diffuse_lighting" width="716" height="550" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tutorial_how_to_diffuse_lighting.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tutorial_how_to_diffuse_lighting-300x230.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1571" class="wp-caption-text">Blocking some of the light with a curtain might seem counter-intuitive, but it softens the shadows and prevents harsh blow-outs. If you need to punch up the overall brightness/contrast a bit, you can do so in Photoshop or any image editing tool later on. Shown above is <a href="/simple-white-background-product-photography-setup/">my el cheapo $5 DIY white background product photography setup</a>.</p></div> <h1> 3. Shoot a TON of photos</h1> <p>I used to be a once-and-done photographer… back when I wasn’t a very good photographer. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f609.png" alt="đ" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p> <p>Always shoot 4-5 times the amount of photos you<em> think</em> you’ll need. Some will turn out blurry or bad for reasons you didn’t anticipate. Having a ton to pick from helps ensure you have <em>something</em> useful. Pick the best and delete the rest later (or keep them forever and ever and keep buying larger hard drives, like I do :D).</p> <div id="attachment_1572" style="width: 725px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tutorial_take_a_bazillion_photos.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1572" class="wp-image-1572 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tutorial_take_a_bazillion_photos.jpg" alt="etsy_product_photography_tutorial_take_a_bazillion_photos" width="715" height="448" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tutorial_take_a_bazillion_photos.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tutorial_take_a_bazillion_photos-300x188.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 715px) 100vw, 715px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1572" class="wp-caption-text">It is virtually impossible to take too many photos for your Etsy listings.</p></div> <h1>4. Keep it simple with a white background</h1> <p>Products with a light grey background basically scream “feature me!” on Etsy, and while the look is overdone it doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.</p> <p>If it suits your product and you don’t mind a bit of conformity, shooting your product on a white background is easy. A simple sheet of poster board makes for a seamless, smooth white background. Prop it up against something, or have a helper hold it up for you.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_shoot_on_white.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-1573" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_shoot_on_white.jpg" alt="etsy_product_photography_shoot_on_white" width="728" height="559" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_shoot_on_white.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_shoot_on_white-300x230.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px" /></a></p> <h1>5. Make your OWN background(s)</h1> <p>I had this stained cabinet door laying around so I tried it out as a background – success!</p> <p>Lots of top selling Etsy shops are rejecting the <em>oh-so-common</em> pale grey background, so don’t feel bad if it’s not right for you. Experiment and find something that <em>is</em> right for you and your product, or use a white background shot as your main shot and add more interesting backgrounds as your supplementary photos.</p> <p>I’ve seen other crafters make great use of table tops, weathered door frames, painted walls, bricks, books, you name it. (<a href="/6-alternatives-to-white-backgrounds/">Read about 6 alternatives to white backgrounds here</a>.)</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_shoot_on_wood.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-1574" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_shoot_on_wood.jpg" alt="etsy_product_photography_shoot_on_wood" width="701" height="538" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_shoot_on_wood.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_shoot_on_wood-300x230.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 701px) 100vw, 701px" /></a></p> <h1>6. Shoot close up or crop it</h1> <p>Show off those tiny details, and don’t be afraid to leave some parts of your product out of the shot. You already know what my airplane looks like, so it’s okay to focus in its details for the remaining shots.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_shoot_close_up.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-1575" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_shoot_close_up.jpg" alt="etsy_product_photography_shoot_close_up" width="697" height="535" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_shoot_close_up.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_shoot_close_up-300x230.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 697px) 100vw, 697px" /></a></p> <p>Here’s another shot to show you the power of cropping. The wings and tail are cut off, but I bet you hardly noticed until I said something:</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tips_up_close.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-1584" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tips_up_close.jpg" alt="etsy_product_photography_tips_up_close" width="698" height="536" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tips_up_close.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tips_up_close-300x230.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 698px) 100vw, 698px" /></a></p> <h1>7. Don’t be afraid to experiment</h1> <p>Try some weird and unusual shots. This goes back to the advice from earlier about shooting way more photos than you think you’ll need. As it turns out, I only ended up with ONE shot of the bottom of the plane, but if I were actually selling this product I’m sure a customer would want to see the bottom.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_bottom_angle.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-1580" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_bottom_angle.jpg" alt="etsy_product_photography_bottom_angle" width="701" height="539" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_bottom_angle.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_bottom_angle-300x230.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 701px) 100vw, 701px" /></a></p> <h1>8. It’s okay to “fix it in post”</h1> <p>Your job as a photographer is to minimize the amount of work you have to do in post (ie: don’t count on editing out complicated shadows), but you don’t have to avoid it entirely. Adjusting brightness/contrast is easy in Photoshop or any free in-browser editing tool. The punched-up result is usually worth the 5 seconds of effort:</p> <div id="attachment_1579" style="width: 697px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/fake_etsy_photoshoot_brightness_contrast.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1579" class="wp-image-1579" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/fake_etsy_photoshoot_brightness_contrast.jpg" alt="fake_etsy_photoshoot_brightness_contrast" width="687" height="481" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/fake_etsy_photoshoot_brightness_contrast.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/fake_etsy_photoshoot_brightness_contrast-300x210.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 687px) 100vw, 687px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1579" class="wp-caption-text">Some photos benefit from brightness/contrast adjustments more than others.</p></div> <h1>9. Include a human (or at least part of one)</h1> <p>Boom! Now you know <em>exactly</em> how big this plane is.</p> <p>I’ve seen quite a few Etsy shops featuring pretty items without ANY sense scale. Most people don’t like to read measurements and guess at the item’s size in real life- a picture can answer these questions in a single glance. This goes triple for jewelry!</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tips_include_a_human.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-1576" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tips_include_a_human.jpg" alt="etsy_product_photography_tips_include_a_human" width="698" height="536" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tips_include_a_human.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_tips_include_a_human-300x230.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 698px) 100vw, 698px" /></a></p> <h1>10. Closer is almost always better</h1> <p>It’s tempting to shoot the product from the angle you normally see it from, but that will probably bore your viewers (see the first shot, below).</p> <p>As I reviewed my Etsy photo shoot shots, I realized the far away ones I took were almost completely useless. Move in close and fill the frame with your product!</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/product_photography_tips_get_close.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-1581" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/product_photography_tips_get_close.jpg" alt="product_photography_tips_get_close" width="723" height="448" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/product_photography_tips_get_close.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/product_photography_tips_get_close-300x186.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px" /></a></p> <h1>11. Showing it in use is a good idea</h1> <p>This little metal plane is intended for use as a yard ornament, so after all those shots of it inside perhaps I ought to show it actually, y’know, <em>in my yard</em>:</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_action_shot.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-1583" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_action_shot.jpg" alt="etsy_product_photography_action_shot" width="422" height="562" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_action_shot.jpg 613w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/etsy_product_photography_action_shot-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 422px) 100vw, 422px" /></a></p> <h1>12. Choose a contrasting background / setting</h1> <p>If you aren’t shooting against white posterboard or some similarly simple background, be careful to choose backgrounds that complement your product. You don’t want it getting lost or competing for the viewer’s attention. I shot a number of photos with the plane against my yard, mulch, and front shrubbery, and they all turned out useless – the plane just blends in. I’m glad I shot a variety, because the tree trunk shots (which I didn’t think would be anything special) totally stole the show.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/fake_etsy_photoshoot_harmonious_background.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-1582" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/fake_etsy_photoshoot_harmonious_background.jpg" alt="fake_etsy_photoshoot_harmonious_background" width="690" height="483" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/fake_etsy_photoshoot_harmonious_background.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/fake_etsy_photoshoot_harmonious_background-300x210.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px" /></a></p> <h1>13. Pursue on-the-spot ideas</h1> <p>Don’t worry too much about planning your shots. Just start shooting and roll with what works. If you get a great idea for a shot mid-way, go ahead and pursue it.</p> <p>I didn’t go into this photo shoot intending to put the plane into my husband’s hands, but when I saw him holding the plane for me between shots I was inspired! I loved the shot so much, I made it the header image for this post. If I were listing this item on Etsy, I’d definitely use it as one of the five photos.</p> <h1>Bonus Tip: Have FUN with it!</h1> <p>Just like how I draw better when I’m in a good mood, I shoot better photos when I’m in a good mood! It’s like magic.</p> <p>It’s okay to make fun of your project a bit – shoot a few goofy shots and make yourself laugh, it’ll show through in everything else you shoot.</p> <div id="attachment_1585" style="width: 302px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/product_photography_tips_have_fun.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1585" class="wp-image-1585" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/product_photography_tips_have_fun.jpg" alt="product_photography_tips_have_fun" width="292" height="224" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/product_photography_tips_have_fun.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/05/product_photography_tips_have_fun-300x230.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 292px) 100vw, 292px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1585" class="wp-caption-text">Pro tip for having fun on a photo shoot: bring along a husband, lol.</p></div> <h1>Related Reads</h1> <ul> <li><a href="/maximize-your-5-etsy-listing-photos/">Maximize Your 5 Etsy Listing Photos</a></li> <li><a href="/product-photography-lighting-tips/">Product Photography Lighting Tips for Absolute Beginners</a></li> <li><a href="/best-cameras-for-craft-and-food-photography/">Best Cameras for Craft & Food Photographers (and every budget)</a></li> </ul> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/product-photography-lessons-etsy-photoshoot/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>5</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Free Inspiration: Etsy Shops with Great Photos #1</title> <link>/etsy-shops-with-great-photos-1/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[M. Johnson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 01 Sep 2013 07:00:55 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Photo Inspiration]]></category> <category><![CDATA[etsy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[great photos]]></category> <category><![CDATA[shop]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=342</guid> <description><![CDATA[Ready to get inspired? Check out these three Etsy shops with great photos! Looking at the photos of successful Etsy shops is a great way to grow as a photographer and crafter. Far from “copying” or “stealing”, it’s more like studying and absorbing the best of the best. Just be careful not to get lost...</p><p><a class="more-link" href="/etsy-shops-with-great-photos-1/">Read More</a></p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p dir="ltr">Ready to get inspired? Check out these three Etsy shops with great photos!</p> <p dir="ltr">Looking at the photos of successful Etsy shops is a great way to grow as a photographer and crafter. Far from “copying” or “stealing”, it’s more like studying and absorbing the best of the best. Just be careful not to get lost admiring other shops – no one became a great dancer by just watching others dance!</p> <p dir="ltr">Here are three crafters doing things right with their shop photos.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">IvieRidge’s Vintage Typewriter Jewelry</h1> <p><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/IvieRidge"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-377" alt="IvieRidge Etsy Shops with Great Photos" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/etsy_shop_feature_ivie_ridge-257x300.jpg" width="257" height="300" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/etsy_shop_feature_ivie_ridge-257x300.jpg 257w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/etsy_shop_feature_ivie_ridge.jpg 770w" sizes="(max-width: 257px) 100vw, 257px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="http://etsy.com/IvieRidge">IvieRidge</a>âs Etsy shop is packed full of gorgeous craft photo eye-candy – clear, cohesive, and just absolutely stunning.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="http://etsy.com/IvieRidge">Visit IvieRidge’s Etsy Shop</a></p> <h2 dir="ltr">Cohesive color palette</h2> <p dir="ltr">Unfocus your eyes and stare at the thumbnails: most of this shopâs photos use the same <strong>pewter grey, blue, silver, and beige color palette</strong>.</p> <p dir="ltr">This consistent color palette unifies all the shopâs photo backgrounds, even though they’re all arranged differently. Your eye drifts from one to the next, exploring each photoâs unique styling.Some of IvieRidgeâs pieces are brightly colored punches of orange, rose, or green. Since most of the shots are grey/white/beige, these colors really stand out!</p> <h2 dir="ltr">Depth</h2> <p dir="ltr">Notice how every item in this shop is standing up or hanging from something? This helps separate the item from the background, and creates visual depth and interest.</p> <h2 dir="ltr">Unique Background Styling</h2> <p dir="ltr">Sheet music, grey rocks, and what <em>is</em> that white beaded thing? <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f600.png" alt="đ" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p> <div id="attachment_563" style="width: 260px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ivieridge_jewelry.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-563" class="size-full wp-image-563" alt="Great Etsy shop photos IvieRidge" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ivieridge_jewelry.jpg" width="250" height="202" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-563" class="wp-caption-text"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/IvieRidge">Ivie Ridge’s vintage typewriter jewelry</a></p></div> <p dir="ltr">Also, major props for mixing it up – when every photo is taken with an identical background, the result is mechanical and flat. The sheet of music changes and varies between shots. Some items dangle from white vases, others sit on what appears to be denim, and some are draped over a grey rock or sit on a burgundy book, but the unified color palette brings it all together and makes for a pleasing shop presentation.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>One final note on background props:</strong> even though the backgrounds show a great use of props, the viewer doesnât have to âreadâ each photo to find the product. The jewelry products stand out because they are the most detailed, eye-catching thing in the picture. The background props don’t distract from the jewelry.</p> <p dir="ltr">Awesome work, IvieRidge – your shop photos are lovely! And with nearly 4,000 sales on Etsy, we suspect others agree. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f642.png" alt="đ" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p> <h1 dir="ltr">SweetEmmaJean’s Felt Patterns and Supplies</h1> <h2 dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetemmajean"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-378 alignleft" alt="Etsy Shops with Great Photos SweetEmmaJean" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/etsy_sweet_emma_jean-237x300.jpg" width="237" height="300" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/etsy_sweet_emma_jean-237x300.jpg 237w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/etsy_sweet_emma_jean.jpg 770w" sizes="(max-width: 237px) 100vw, 237px" /></a></h2> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetemmajean">SweetEmmaJean</a>‘s shop sells<em> adorable</em> felt food patterns and gorgeous rainbows of felt packs. The photos are inviting and so the felt so real-looking you’ll want to reach out and touch to see if it’s actually fuzzy!</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="http://etsy.com/sweetemmajean/">Visit SweetEmmaJean’s Etsy shop</a></p> <h2 dir="ltr">Soft Daylight Lighting</h2> <p dir="ltr">SweetEmmaJean’s shop definitely gets the lighting right. The shadows are diffused (not sharp), and the highlights are soft (not overly bright and blown out).</p> <h2 dir="ltr">Details</h2> <p dir="ltr">Details are super important in SweetEmmaJean’s products. Small hand-made stitches and the texture of the felt are clear and beautiful.</p> <h2 dir="ltr">Posing</h2> <p dir="ltr">Each of SweetEmmaJean’s food pattern sets is photographed twice: once as a “put together” cute little scene where the food looks ready to eat, and in the second “in pieces” where each individual component is separated out for visibility.</p> <div id="attachment_560" style="width: 260px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/sweetemmajean_product1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-560" class="size-full wp-image-560 " alt="sweetemmajean_product" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/sweetemmajean_product1.jpg" width="250" height="202" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-560" class="wp-caption-text"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/70191463/felt-food-summer-cookout-set-sewing?ref=related-3">SweetEmmaJean’s Felt Food Summer Cookout Set pattern</a></p></div> <p dir="ltr">The first photo is attention-getting: the viewer is attracted by the cute scene and clicks to learn more. The second photo is informative: the viewer sees the pieces that make up the set and gets a better understanding of all of the pattern’s components. Additional photos show close-up details and the pattern pieces themselves.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Skullery’s Tiny Skull Treasures</h1> <p dir="ltr"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/etsy_feature_shop_skullery.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-564 alignleft" alt="Etsy Shops with Great Photos Skullery" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/etsy_feature_shop_skullery-257x300.jpg" width="257" height="300" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/etsy_feature_shop_skullery-257x300.jpg 257w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/etsy_feature_shop_skullery.jpg 770w" sizes="(max-width: 257px) 100vw, 257px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/skullery">Skullery</a> sells handmade skull replicas, teeny tiny skull-themed jewelry, and lip balms. The photos are simple, the styling understated, but the effect is eye-grabbing and powerful.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/skullery">Visit Skullery’s Etsy Shop.</a></p> <h2 dir="ltr">Scale</h2> <p dir="ltr">Skullery’s “on model” photos make it easy to determine the approximate size of the shop’s jewelry items. Products that aren’t shown on a model are shown with a coin or with a hand.</p> <p dir="ltr">Portraying an object’s scale is very important in product photography. Buyers will be displeased if an object is significantly smaller or larger than expected, especially if the buyer is unfamiliar with the product’s size. For example, I never really thought of how tiny a domestic cat skull is until I found <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/79343276/handmade-replica-domestic-cat-skull?ref=shop_home_active">Skullery’s replica</a>!</p> <h2 dir="ltr">Backgrounds</h2> <p dir="ltr">Skullery’s backgrounds are often a neutral, weathered plane of wood or a bright wash of blue. The wood is a great contrast with the bone-white skull replicas, and the skulls pop against the blue. I like that the backgrounds are varied – photographing all of the shop’s products against the bright blue might look overly monochrome.</p> <h2 dir="ltr">Details</h2> <p dir="ltr">Since so many of Skullery’s products are tiny, capturing the details clearly is critical. Most point and shoot cameras feature a “Macro” mode that take wonderfully detailed photos. Using a tripod is also a good technique for capturing details. The tiny dents and fissures in the skull replicas are clearly visible – big applause to Skullery for getting this right.</p> <h2 dir="ltr">Props</h2> <div id="attachment_566" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/102913496/honey-and-clove-lip-balm?ref=shop_home_active"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-566" class="size-medium wp-image-566" alt="skullery_lip_balm" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/skullery_lip_balm-300x300.jpg" width="300" height="300" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/skullery_lip_balm-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/skullery_lip_balm-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/skullery_lip_balm.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-566" class="wp-caption-text"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/102913496/honey-and-clove-lip-balm?ref=shop_home_active">Skullery’s Honey and Clove lip balm</a></p></div> <p dir="ltr">Skullery makes good use of props in the lip balm photos. My favorite is the cup of honey and a pile of cloves with the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/102913496/honey-and-clove-lip-balm?ref=shop_home_active">Clove & Honey lip balm</a>. Don’t be afraid to include some of the “ingredients” in your shots, such as buttons or chocolate chips. Including “ingredients” helps the viewer understand the finished product and distinguishes similar items from one another.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">In Conclusion</h1> <p dir="ltr">All of these Etsy shops get a few of the same things right when it comes to photos:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Great (natural!) lighting </strong></li> <li><strong>Crisp, clear, detail-rich shots</strong></li> <li><strong>Varied backgrounds</strong> with consistency across multiple shots</li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">One last thing – I don’t know any of these shop owners. I just found them on Etsy and want to applaud their awesome photos. If your shop is here and you’d prefer it to not be here, just let me know via the <a href="/contact/">Contact</a> page and I’ll remove it right away!</p> <p dir="ltr"> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss> <!-- Performance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: https://www.boldgrid.com/w3-total-cache/ Served from: diycraftphotography.local @ 2024-06-28 17:49:06 by W3 Total Cache -->