DEAR BEADS-OF-CLAY and FOLLOWERS,
They say that a picture says 1000 words...... I'm thinking that might be true. I have been taking pictures that seem to look great as a computer image, but once they are online, it just isn't attracting the sales. I would love to get tips on how to take a picture so that it looks like the actual image with a little added appeal. Please help!Sign me,
My Photo Dismay Seems to be Keeping the Buyers Away
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| These beads are too centered, the picture too dark and too much busy action happening in the background. |
Dear Dismay,
Please don't dispair, help is on the way. I can tell you that for me personally, this was a gigantic challenge. I tried to take pics with props, take pics with white backgrounds and finally settled on what came naturally for me. My beads definitely have a rustic appeal, so I try to take them with backgrounds that have a little natural scenery. My favorite place to take pictures is on my deck on an overcast day, so that the sun doesn't distort the colors of my beads. Also, I've made me beads the main focus of the picture since that's what I'm selling not the trees behind it. I bought an average digital camera and I use the setting for up close shots.
I also try to use a little of what I learned in a brief class that I attended about picture taking (very brief- it was a Staff Development Day at school) and I walked away with the rule of thirds known as "The Golden Means." This simply means that pictures look better when the main subject is a third of the way over, up or down instead of being dead center. Basically, that means that the intersection of a horizontal third and a vertical third meet.
That's my little bit of advice, I hope that our readers can help you some more!
Dear Readers,
Could you please leave a post to help Photo Dismay with a little of your expert picture taking advice?
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| This picture was taken using the "Golden Means" rule. The beads are the focus with enough of a rustic touch to bring out their beauty. |
* Each Monday we will be featuring problems that people have regarding issues from creating to selling to customers, etc.. Please send us a suggestion if there is an issue you see some discussion about.
When I first started taking pictures to post online I remember some advice from another BoC member. She said never use a flash. And never zoom in. Zoom out and actually get up close. It works for me. My advice...practice, practice, practice with your photo editing software.
ReplyDeletePhotos for the internet can be tricky. I always use macro, no flash, and a gray background. The gray doesn't take up pixle space and most things pop on a gray background. Learn to use the macro you will love it.
ReplyDeleteI do like you blog.
Nicole/Beadwright
I agree with both Cindy and Nicole. Zooming in took away from the look of my beads. Also...I keep mine on macro all the time and I also keep my camera on the setting that takes the highest quality. It takes up more space on the card, but if I want to save pics, I transfer them to a CD. Any ideas on taking pics of jewelry. I pretty inexperienced with that!
ReplyDeleteOne seller once told me a tip that I always remember.
ReplyDeleteWhen buying something online, there should be no questions, no surprises. A customer can't touch it so they need to feel like they have seen everything.
To me that means front, back, side, and sizing
I use the micro setting & the text setting I have on my little point & shoot digital~so far it has worked for me. I like to use wallpaper samples as my background, nice texture & several choices of colours to compliment the pice I am photographing. I also like unbleached muslin or a nuetral floor tile(12X12). I'm lucky in the fact I have a covered patio, or dining room table w/ great difused light.
ReplyDeletePhotographing my jewelry is the most frustrating part of the business for me. With each piece, some minute change must be made--too dark of a piece, too shiny....
ReplyDeleteEven worse, I don't fully understand the functions of my camera no matter how hard I try (OK, maybe I'm not trying hard enough).
Thanks for the great tips!