Business Set Up Tips Part 15 - Photography

I will say from the outset - I am in no way an expert on photography! In fact, I really struggle to take good photos and when I first set up Butterfly-Crafts, my photos were shocking! I thought it would be good to photo my cards on a black so that they were the main feature, that was until someone kindly pointed out to me that the black was washing out my cards.

So, after a long hard think I decided to use a silver background, I just bought some wrapping paper, and use two props in all of my photos: purple butterflies and a purple pen, that way my store front has a uniformity to it and I am so pleased!

I have gathered a few tips on photography and would like to share:
  • Do not use a flash as this can distort the product colour

  • Use indirect light as direct light can create harsh shadows

  • Buy daylight, tungsten or halogen lightbulbs as incandescent ones can create a yellow effect

  • Use soft, diffuse lighting such as a photographer's umbrella or a light box.

  • Use a tripod as your hands will shake no matter how steady you think you are.

  • Get to know your camera as some digital cameras have manual settings allowing you to programme the shutter speeds and apertures.

  • Think about using the macro setting (I do!) as this will help focus when taking up-close pictures

  • Be creative with your backgrounds/settings or just use something plain. Something too busy will distract from the product

  • Take multiple shots of the same item (I take about 10) and think how the buyer would want to see the item. I photo my cards from all angles I can think of and then close up on specific parts. Make jewelry? Then make sure you photograph the reverse of the item if appropriate.

  • Learn how to use a photo editing software as you will need it!

Some links you may find helpful:

Coming the next time for Business Tips (Friday) - Having an online presence

Monday 7 September 2009 | 1 Comment

1 comment:

Blueberry Junkie said...

Great photography tips. I am always struggling to take good photos, so it is always nice to find good advice on product photography.

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