Be An Expert - Back To Basics - Focus On Photos

This week for 'Back To Basics' were looking at photography. Do your photos show your products in the best possible way?

READ THIS: A great book to read if you feel like you need an in-depth refresh of your photos is this 'The Crafter's Guide To Taking Great Photos' book by Heidi Adnum: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crafters-Guide-Taking-Great-Photos/dp/1844487512 with A LOT of tips on background, props, lighting, and more. 

LIGHTING ISSUES: If your main issue is light, you could try making a DIY lightbox: http://www.wikihow.com/Create-an-Inexpensive-Photography-Lightbox If your products are too big to fit in a lightbox then consider asking a friend with big windows whether you can take some photos there (you might need to tape white tissue paper to the windows to diffuse the light). 

FIX THE SHARPNESS: If your photos need to be sharper, try these tips from the Etsy Seller Handbook: https://www.etsy.com/uk/seller-handbook/article/6-steps-to-creating-sharper-product/23125317730

LIFESTYLE SHOTS: Do you take 'lifestyle' photos as well as plain ones? Lifestyle photos means you show how the item might be used, or place some props around it to give it a sense of scale or to invoke an emotion. For example if you make jewellery you don't HAVE to show it on a model (though this could be good) but you could show it draped across a jewellery dish - a modern neon stripe dish with bright white lighting if your jewellery is for the young fashionista, or a vintage saucer dish with warm lighting if your jewellery is for the more mature or softer-styled lady.

Here's 2 good posts with tips on lifestyle photography: https://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-create-compelling-lifestyle-product-photographs--cms-23076 and http://www.hollybooth.com/blog/how-to-style-your-product-photos

5 LISTING PHOTOS: Finally - do you use all 5 photo spaces whenever you can? Here's some Etsy ideas on 4 different photos to use: https://www.etsy.com/uk/seller-handbook/article/4-essential-product-shots-for-your-etsy/22504064051 and the 5th photo could be a photo of your product packaging if that's something special!

Free product photography webinar by Lyndsey James for Dorset Team Members

Some exciting news for Dorset Team members... photographer Lyndsey James will be hosting an exclusive FREE photography webinar for Dorset Team members on Wednesday 8th June.

Lyndsey has 14 years experience as a pro photographer and has also worked closely with Etsy assisting them on their Etsy School photography module as well as writing several photography articles for the Etsy seller handbook (some of which we shared with you all on both our team blog and social media). She also regularly speaks at events on the subject of commercial photography including at Kirstie Allsop's Handmade Fair.

Durring the webinar, Lyndsey will be sharing her "combined knowledge of Etsy and Photography with YOU in what will be a great 45 minute webinar full of easy to apply photography & styling tips that will help you on your way to taking amazing product photos for your Etsy store."

The webinar will be showing between 9am - 9pm so you can tune in at a time which suits you best.

Lyndsey will be online between 9-5 and then again from 8-9pm to answer any photography questions you have in real time chat (which will be on the same page as a photography webinar).

Signing up is super easy to do and there is no complicated software required to join, just click the button and enter your details. To join in, you will need to sign up in advance. The webinar is FREE and you will receive viewing details sent to your inbox on the day.



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Hope to see lots of you there! We will also be continuing the discussion on product photography over in our team forum HERE