Taking Great Pictures

As you may know, taking great pictures is not my strong suit but I’m going to be trying again to get better shots of my handmade and vintage items as soon as the dark skies clear and the rain stops falling.

Whilst I am not pinning all hopes of more sales from my Etsy store on simply having better pictures I am keen to ensure that I have the best photographs possible.

So this has been my research subject for the week – to buy a light tent or not?  What can I use as a fabulous but not too distracting back-drop or background?  Do I need a better camera?

I think the camera I have is pretty good, and I’m getting better at using the settings and functions on it and to be fair to myself I cannot afford a new one.  Having a tripod has helped enormously.  All I have to do now is make British summer conditions work for me, and find the best spots in the house to get the best light (something this is always going to be changeable and that I’ll have to be flexible about).

I’ve found some great articles online about photography and here are some of the better ones:

Table Top Studio

Handmade Marketing

Everything Etsy

I’ll keep you posted with progress….

 

 

 

Sneak Peek…..

So the photos are rubbish and were taken earlier without proper staging – I just wanted to get a few pics of this one up as I am soooo pleased with it.  It does need a little adjusting, unless you have a smallish head (not freakishly small, just not massive) but the adjustments are going to be easily done.

After various members of Covert Bling tried it on for me tonight I can assure you that if you have long hair this looks sumptuous and I shall make sure to do something that is equally as sumptuous for those with shorter hair.

And, I think I may have found a model for my head-wear instead of Dolly Head….  Sam?  You know who you are!

My Mucha-esque inspired Pearl and Chain Headdress:

 

 

 

 

 

I love this and want to make more more more, and have textile versions planned too…..

The work of Alphonse Mucha inspires me always and although to some it may be hokey and quite possibly pop because of his popularity (no pun intended), I don’t care.  The beautiful, sumptuous, flowing and sensual nature of his work is just irresistible.  Who doesn’t want to look like a goddess?  Really?

In my bedroom I have a signed Bob Masse print of one of Mucha’s Autumn pictures and each time I look at it I wonder why I don’t have more Mucha prints framed in my home.  I’m just an Art Nouveau freak at heart.  When I look at the peas growing in my garden I love the way the pea shoot tendrils snake and curve around one another….I love the way that Mucha romanticises women and their forms and so it cannot help but escape into my work.

I’m happy because this piece has been made with a mixture of contemporary and vintage pieces, and this exact item cannot be reproduced.  So there will be only one…..  I’m happy because it has been weighted to it perfectly on your head without the need for clips and grips (unless you’re going to do some radical moves) and I think that as a Bridal Wear piece, this is just awesome….

Once I get good photos it’ll go up on Etsy.  I’ll keep you posted. xx

Using my camera like a pro….

Ah. I’m almost embarrassed to tell you how long it has taken me to work out how to get a great picture with my camera, but do you know, I think I’ve cracked it.

Having a tripod helps, good lighting is a must but is tricky in a terraced Victorian house and no extra lamps for illumination.

Today I managed to snatch half an hour when the sun was out and the children were occupied to get some new pics done.  And then I snatched a bit more time cropping and tweaking with the camera itself before putting it all up in some software and doing final image sizing.  What a difference!

I may even get good at this!

I already knew how to add a few effects (not I’m trying to trick your eye, it just adds a vintage look to the photo with that darker edge) but hadn’t worked out how to zoom into a shot.  I love it!

I would have played around some more but the kids came upstairs and both started crying and arguing about who loved The Very Hungry Caterpillar the most (the stuffed toy that accompanies the book, not the book.)  TVHC War was diffused and my time was up…..