Photography Thread

[Former_Member]

So a very savvy fellow Etsian a.k.a Alex from http://www.etsy.com/shop/woodenaht suggested that I start this thread. He likes my photography I suppose.

I will try my best to help everyone out, so shoot away!

Rich

[Former_Member]

Hi Rich! Your photos are beautiful! Are offering critiques or would you like specific questions?

I'd love to know how you get your background so crisp. Are you using fotofuze? I think my pics are too dark, but they're taken in natural lighting. Any tips to brighten them up?

[Former_Member]

Hi Rich,

Alex is right your photos are great!

I have tried using a photo box but really can't get the hang of it.

How do you get your pictures to look so close. After I take a close up and try to zoom it in I loose some of the necklace.

So whats your secret!

By the way your bags are beautiful.

Margie

[Former_Member]

Hi Mollie from http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheBottleGarden

I am taking thispicture for example a all your pictures are similar.
: http://www.etsy.com/listing/106264486/bud-vase-cream-and-green-glass-botanical

1. Please don't tell me that you are using a phone type of device to take pics..that would not be cool. At least 6 or more megapixels camera is needed to take a good photo.

2. I see that you are using natural light and it appears to be coming from the right hand side hence the left side is left in the dark. Use a white board to reflect the natural light off of on the opposite side of light entering so all sides look bright. White board? yes, a white foam board. Not a silver reflector? No, not a reflector as this will ounce the light back and cause a white patches in the picture.

3.Frame the shot so that you have the complete product and then take some closeups of parts of the product that you want to emphasize on
So now that you have taken the photo, this is your untouched photo.

4. I use a photo editor. Touch up 101 - contrast, brightness and saturation. This is the foundation.

5. Crop the pic to emphasize some aspects...don't depend on the frame of the shot from your camera.

Hope this helps:) And show me your new pics!

[Former_Member]

Oh, love your tips!! I'm from Portland Oregon and have been spoiled by our good weather this summer... now that the clouds and rain are here I am struggling with getting enough natural light indoors.

[Former_Member]

Hi Margie from http://www.etsy.com/shop/Jewelrybyssd

1. Jewelry picture taking 101 - place jewelry on a glass or acrylic sheet and put the light source underneath it - and watch the jewelry light up from within.

2. I don't use light box - I believe they are a selling gimmick

3. Closeup pics of jewelry - why do you need the necklace so close up that the ends cut off? If the ends are about to be chopped off then you already are close! right? Is this what you are asking?

Show me you new Pic!

[Former_Member]

Rich, I love the idea of being a light source underneath. Since I also sell jewelry, should I use a special type of bulb? Soft white? Daylight?

[Former_Member]

Jo from http://www.etsy.com/shop/wasataylor

White daylight bulb from Home Depot works just fine.

Jo, maybe you should talk to Margie and she can lend you the lightbox. No pun intended

For those rainy days, to replicate the daylight, use white daylight bulb. Set you item on white board and use another white board as background. A third white board may be necessary to reflect/ bounce off light ( on the darker side of the product)

Cool?
Show me your pic Jo!

[BooandBooFactory]

Hi Rich,
I'm from Chicago too! Planning to move back soon. Could you take a look at my pictures and give any advice? I have a lot of neon pieces that can be a bit tricky to photograph. I also added new model pictures too. One critique I received was a lack of pictures showing how the jewelry looks on a person.

Thank you!

[Former_Member]

Christina from http://www.etsy.com/shop/BooandBooFactory

Gorgeous pics!

I LOVE this shot below!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/103798160/neon-geometric-necklace-urban-space-city

You are on the right track. Great job on emphasizing on a part of artwork rather than the whole thing..it gives character and depth.

Not much to say except maybe want to increasing brightness, contrast and saturation of pics...but it is not an absolute. Your pictures are great!

Continue the great work!

[BooandBooFactory]

Thanks Rich! I was actually worried that the pictures may have been too saturated! So that's great news!

[BeadworkAndCoe]

Would love to know what I can do to keep the colours the same. I have a normal camera, nothing fancy and use picmonkey.
When I do photos on my model bust the skin tone looks a bit different in every pic :(

[LeLaStudio]

Hi Rich,

I agree with Alex that I "smell" leather by looking at your pictures. :) Beautifully done! Did you use any program to help you get that saturation? Or simply just the lighting? Color balance looks perfect in your pictures. Any tips on that? Could you spare some time and take a look at my photos? Please let me know what I should improve. Thanks a lot!

Lisu

[Former_Member]

Rich,

THANK YOU !

Will try that now and yes that is exactly what I was asking.

Have to drop my computer at the apple store to get the sd reader fixed so I can download pics and then I would love to show you one of my new pictures.

Thanks again
Margie

[Former_Member]

so...
rich is saying my 5 mp 8 year old canon should be put down

i loved that camera
but,it is time

I will go up to $200 for a new one , any recommendations?

i have to read up on saturation. I have seen it in photoscape, but havent used it.

[Former_Member]

Hey ya Alex!

I personally use DSLR manual camera. But for the budget you may want to look at the point and shoots or if you would like to experiment with DSLR, check out Craig's list.

Please frame your pics in a perfect rectangle. And yes, adjusting your contrast, saturation and brightness will go a long way :)

On too reading some great critique @ http://www.etsy.com/teams/5002/etsy-success/discuss/11068507/page/28/

[Former_Member]

Great!! I think I already have some daylight bulbs. I'm excited to see how it will help because I can't seem to get consistency throughout my photos because the lighting never seems to be the same. Hopefully this will help. Course that means I have to go through my whole shop again taking photos...

Because I like to model the jewelry to give perspective to the size, can you recommend a light angle that flatters? For instance, in the following shot, where should I put the light and the reflector?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/111347570/funky-blue-earrings-wooden-handpainted

[Former_Member]

Diane from http://www.etsy.com/shop/DianaCoe

To control the skin tone on your manies you would really need to control the top 3's (brightness, contrast and saturation ) using software ( photo editor - picmonkey that is) . Eyeball to see that they look close and similar! repetition makes it perfect.

So? Show me that pic now!

[Former_Member]

Lisu from http://www.etsy.com/shop/LeLaStudio?ref=seller_info_count

There is too much color going on down here! Look, can you see your bag?
http://www.etsy.com/listing/109293743/insulated-fabric-lunch-bag-whimsical

Using a monotone ( not necessarily white )will keep the focus on your product...I was too distracted looking at the colors of your backdrops.

The colors on your backdrop are also washing away the colors from your bag and your bags are looking too bland, although the colors may be bright. You have to use saturation to its max.

Are you using a flash? Please use one and photo edit the 3's (contrast, brightness and saturation ). Remember, customers are buying the photos first.

Do one and show it off to me! Can't wait!

[Former_Member]

HI Rich! So i am completely horrible with photography haha. what are just some basic suggestions? I have some pictures up but I am redoing all of them!! I am just not sure where to start :/

Thanks!!

[Former_Member]

Rich,
When I first took all my photos I loved the natural backgrounds I was using, but after a while I found that white is, as we all know, the etsy standard almost. I want to retake some of my photos with white backgrounds, but how do I keep the models from looking washed out? Should I disregard models all together?

[WillowbrookArtistry]

Oh, Id love some advice on my photos! :) I'm not sure which ones work best as I have a bit of variety at the moment...

[Former_Member]

Hi Rich!
Alex was right suggesting that you do a photography thread. It's nice having someone who knows what they're doing help us out instead of just reading a photo guide that doesn't make any sense to us ;)
In my photos I use natural light, and set my camera on a portrait setting using the macro lens for intimate detail. I also clean them up with fotofuze.
Would you mind taking a gander and giving me any suggestions you might have?

Thank you!
Katherine xxx

[Former_Member]

Jo, the light source ( natural light right? ) is coming from the right side. You should shoot from ALMOST opposite side just little shallow. Right now your camera is looking at right angle to the light. Try that and see what happens...of course play with the big 3's . Nice shoulder by the way :)

[Former_Member]

Hello Rich! Any thoughts on our cufflinks and tie clips? Q. how would I place a light source underneath? hmmm.. Im gonna have to do some thinking on that one...

Thank you in advance!

-Adam