Background for nautical items

[handmadebyhannah00]

Hi all!

So I've been using the basic white background that etsy recommends to use. I've decided that is makes a lot of my items look bad. I've decided to completely redo my shop over the upcoming weeks, and I'm starting with my photos! What kind of background would you guys recommend I use? I was thinking about photographing my items on a wood background, with some netting or sand, and perhaps some other small nautical items.

Thank you!

Hannah

[Former_Member]

What about a large piece of weathered wood? Or whitewashed woods?

I think it would make your items look more personable.

[WilliamsGiftshop]

I'd go for the weathered wood too.

[WaterStreetDesign]

I agree! Weathered wood would look perfect.

[HareAndFern]

Weathered wood, definitely! I use that kind of background for my new items and I really love it.

[InsideSandysShop]

We are all in agreement :-) Definitely weathered wood.

[handmadebyhannah00]

I went to Michaels yesterday and picked up some different scrapbook papers to use as backdrops. Do you guys like these or you think I should go with the wood?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/115790870/adjustable-nautical-rope-knot-bracelet?ref=shop_home_feat

https://www.etsy.com/listing/121021653/adjustable-nautical-rope-knot-bracelet?ref=shop_home_active

Thanks everyone!

[handmadebyhannah00]

Oh...and where would I get weathered wood? Just my local home improvement store?

[InsideSandysShop]

Hannah - Of the 2 pic's above I think the bottom one looks more like weathered wood and would be the best of the two - just my opinion.
You will just have to scout around for weathered wood and my preference would be a gray driftwood type. You could try your local home improvement because really all you need is a 12" X 12" square for your items. Sorry I can't be of much more help than that.
Doing your pic's over with the same background is going to make your shop look really cool and cohesive. It's exciting!
Blessings,
Sandy

[flauntdesignsjewelry]

I think simple is best, and not too fancy that your items get lost, so perhaps just on weathered wood, plain sand or something? I am looking for the perfect piece of weathered grayish wood to retake a lot of mine too....

Edit to say - Looks like I'm a day late and a dollar short - arghh!

[handmadebyhannah00]

So rather than buying a piece of wood, do you think I should just stick to the background I used for the bottom picture for all of my bracelets?

[WilliamsGiftshop]

Or find an old table or other piece of wood at for instance a yard sale.
We have a little table that is perfect for it (although the picture in this example is a bit too dark):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/made_by_beag/4509683691/in/set-72157610248614512
Our (not very old) garden table would work well too:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/made_by_beag/4634517821/in/set-72157610248614512
I think it looks like a quay or the deck of a ship, so something like that would be great for your theme.

[InsideSandysShop]

I like BeaG's examples. I think if I were going to go to all the trouble of taking all new pic's I would want to do it very right. So instead of settling for the paper background that you have go ahead and look around for that perfect weathered wood background so the work you put into it will really pay off.

[Former_Member]

I like the second one better... but yes, wood would look much better... or how about some sand? Or make a simple boat, put it in there, go to the beach and set the boat in the water... maybe a wooden toy boat so it looks like you're sailing the ocean... or even a piece of wood floating on the water and you can add a simple sail on it. Ok my mind is going crazy lol! I would love to photograph my pictures at the beach, but wow, that would be a headache for me and not worth it because my items are not nautical themed.

[handmadebyhannah00]

I would love to take my photos on a beach. Too bad I live in Michigan and there's no beach in sight (and there's a blizzard going on right now) lol! I'm going to go search for a piece of white washed wood today at Home Depot and Lowes.. I'll go pick up a bag of sand as well.

[Former_Member]

oh, oh, oh! dont forget some sea shells to go with the sand... that would be gorgeous.

[handmadebyhannah00]

So I bought some sand. I'm not liking the way it looks. I think I'll just stick with the bright white for now. This is what the sand looks like with my bracelets;

https://www.etsy.com/listing/114032663/adjustable-nautical-rope-knot-bracelet?ref=shop_home_active

[Former_Member]

is that the right pic? i dont see any sand...

[handmadebyhannah00]

Oops! I went back to the white. I'll change it back for you!

[Former_Member]

I don't like the sand for a picture that close up.

There are a ton of how to make wood looked weathered tutorials on Pinterest. Just get some cheap wood from Home Depot and do something like this. http://www.friendly-home.net/2012/07/how-to-oxidize-wood.html

[handmadebyhannah00]

I'm not a fan of the sand either. Thanks Julie, I'll have to try that one of these days lol. I figured I'll do the bright white for now. I'm not the best photographer and would rather focus on expanding my product line, rather than spending hours taking pictures.

[PaperScissorsPop]

Hi Hannah
I have created a simple beach backdrop for mine. I have not used it yet in my nautical themed listings but you can see it here in a youtube tutorial I made for one of my items. (can only see it at the beginning and the end) but you get the idea.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZdTOCmwfRU
I like it because it does not over power the actual items that you are selling.