Holiday Boot Camp - Week 3!

[#1]

Hey Campers!

How are you liking boot camp so far? I'd love to hear if you're keeping up. Are there any tasks that have stumped you?

This week I challenge you to rework your photos. We have an exercise for newbies and a new article for more advanced photographers: http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/mastering-depth-of-field-techniques-for-dynamic-photos/

Having difficulties? I will be checking in on this thread (along with the rest of the Seller Education Team) to help you! So keep us updated on your progress.

Have fun with it!

Danielle

[Former_Member]

This is great! I'm in the process of re-shooting my photos and this will help tremendously!

[Former_Member]

I feel like my photos are the one thing holding back my sales right now. I've tweaked and rewritten my titles and tags. I've fallen in love with Picnik for photo editing, but really need a dress form. With no sales to speak of, I decided to make one using poultry wire and papier mache. It's drying as we speak (and looks professional). Horray! So, photos are my main obstacle. Thank you for doing this week's boot camp on cameras and photography!

[Former_Member]

So I redid all of my bib photos to brighten up the background a bit, but now I'm feeling like the product looks overexposed. Would anyone care to check some of them out & convo me your opinion? I'd sooo appreciate it!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/babyswank?section_id=7384706

Meagan

[Former_Member]

This has been a GREAT week for me, on the admin. side anyway, and this photo info. is right on time as is one of my big goals! THANKS for all of the tips and links, it's been very helpful : D

[Former_Member]

can't wait to redo all (or maybe just most of) my pictures!

[Former_Member]

Good luck with those photos everyone! If you are lost - these 2 videos are a great place to start: http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/make-it-work-an-etsy-success-photography-workshop/

[ArtistiKat]

thanks for the videos.

Been working on some of my photos... some turn out better than others though.
;)

[Untwistedsister]

The timing of this is perfect. I'm really struggling with which direction to take with my photography. Do I try for more artistic backrounds? Or go for the plain vanilla white backround?

I just listed a sterling horseshoe pendant. I'm still not sure which photo should be the 'lead' photo. I asked my Holiday Buddy for her opinion but she's out of town. If anyone has time to check it out - and give their opinon, I'd be ever so grateful. I am convo friendly.

[Former_Member]

I'm having fun with photo's of my craft... I like them and get compliments all the time on my work. I still don't get the traffic I think I should be generating, maybe I need some help with tags, descriptions. Any thoughts??

[LizzysStudio]

Brill all that time with a camera and now I know what all those simbles and signs mean on my menu. I wish you had written the manual! It would have been so easy :-) thanks just need to put it into practice. Xxx

[KthysKreations]

Just recently retook all my pics in natural light. Someone suggested it to me and I didn't think it would make that big a difference, but it really did. Just hope I'll be able to continue taking them outside during the winter :)

[Former_Member]

I have 2 big problems with photos, number one is lighting. I really need to make a light box and I have now added that to my to do list. I just wish I was going to be able to get to it this week!

2nd big problem is that when I try to take pictures my daughter wants to be in every photo! It wouldn't be so bad if she would maybe hold an item and sit still, but she won't.

[Former_Member]

Also some of the best advice I ever got was to turn off the flash! And I love using Picnik.com to edit my photos. The exposure and cropping tools are free and work great!

[Former_Member]

Perfect timing because I have a lot of items up for renewal and I'm taking new photos to jazz them up, some. Woo!

[Former_Member]

Nic, I took a quick look at your site. One thing I noticed right off is I can't tell how big the ornaments are. You may want to consider incorporating something that helps to provide a sense of scale. There's also no sense of lifestyle coming into play. Some ideas might include: Photographing the ornament in someone's hand. Having a small child hold the ornament up to her eye and and photograph either half of, or her whole face. Hope this helps and I wish great success for Holiday sales.

[Former_Member]

Danielle,
you mentioned on your feedback to LaniqueHOME that the graphic on her photo might prevent her from being shown on the home page. Is that a rule? I have included graphics in several of my photos and I don't want to get in trouble or put a damper on my changes of being on the home page.

[RainbowMittens]

hey, I just start to built a photo box too! :)

Hava lot of work to do!!!

[Former_Member]

Oh so this came at the perfect time because I have been trying to improve my shop drastically, so that I can get views and hopefully sales!!

I just finished a totaly revamping most all of my pictures, trying to lighten them up and just create different views!

I also just got done rearranging and organizing my shop!!
Ithink it is starting to help but am not sure. I think I am starting to out think myself and am on the verge of just making a mess!!

Break time!!
Sharmon

[Former_Member]

EdwardsTreasures - It's definitely not against Etsy's terms of use, so no worries on that front! But we usually don't feature items with graphics (like borders or watermarks) on the front page of Etsy. These elements can be distracting.

Hope that helps!

[Former_Member]

This is my first Christmas selling on Etsy. I have a great buddy and I think I've been keeping up with boot camp fairly well. I sell cards, and I thought I would sell a set of four cards with a Xmas themed ribbon with a bow tied around the set, with a handmade gift tag attached to the ribbon. My question is, is that enough? Or should I maybe wrap the cards in Xmas paper or gift bag with a bow and tag? What are customers looking for? I'd love some help from those who have sold Xmas crafts before and knows what the customer is looking for.

[Former_Member]

After looking at my photos, I'm now worried that they need improvement. Only I'm not sure how to improve on them. Should I have more white background? Do I need more closeup photos? I know that my pictures need to look perfect because the photo is really what I'm selling. Worried and confused!

[Former_Member]

Keeping up for a change and doing good so far! Thanks for all the good info! Looking forward to the weeks ahead.

[Former_Member]

Here's a great article on the blog that shows before and afters including crochet and jewelry. I think it's a great example of how to get from point A to B.
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2010/before-and-after-with-etsys-old-timers-full-timers/

[Former_Member]

I would greatly appreciate any critique you may have of my shop photos and listings in general.

[Former_Member]

Okay, I played around with various options for displaying jewelry and I want to post a picture and poll others on which approach they consider to be the best. Not sure how to do that though. Any suggestions?