Photography Tips for Crafters

I'm not a professional  photographer, nor do I play one on TV. But I do have some tips to share about taking excellent photos of your crafts.  Your photos can speak for you and communicate to the world who you are and what you're all about creatively. 

Whether you're taking pictures of crafts for your website or blog, or taking pictures to share your creativity with the world through online communities like Ravelry and Flickr, you should make an effort to take really good photos. People love really good photos.

Tip1 - Always, always, always use natural light. Unless you've got a tungsten balanced professional light kit or box, shoot you photos in natural light. It will keep your colors true, and add a certain warmth that you just can't get from an artificial light source. It is best if the light isn't too direct, as that can cause harsh funky shadows, and/or a washed out look. An overcast day is great, or late afternoon or early morning when the sun isn't directly over head. If you can't go outside, shoot your photos in a light filled room near a sunny window.

Tip2 - Never, never, never use your flash. It just looks bad. It changes the colors and causes weird glares, reflections, and hot spots. Do yourself a favor and turn the flash off.

Tip 3 - Stage your photos. Create a context. It adds visual interest plain and simple. Find yourself some props, pick a place to shoot, and spend some time styling your photos. In addition to adding visual interest it can be useful in communicating to your audience; for example, if you're shooting a product show your customers how to use it, or make allusions to how it was made. Any additional information you can communicate will further the connection your photos make with your intended audience. And use your imagination, having more creative photos let's the world know that you're a creative person.

Tip 4 - If your shooting clothing put it on a model. It doesn't have to be a live model, although sometimes that is better, it can also be a mannequin or a dress form. Bottom line is clothes don't look how they're suppose to look spread out on a table. They just look weird.

Tip 5 - Use an interesting background. Again, unless you've got a professionally set-up back drop don't use sheets, or bedspreads to try to imitate one. It will look like hell and it's boring. Be creative with your back drop. Try different textures and colors. Light colored items benefit from the contrast of a darker background and vice-versa. Try a wooden tray, or a wicker baskets, or decorative papers, or pages from a book. Be creative, create a visual metaphor, use your background as another opportunity to add interest and express your cleverness or sense of humor.

Tip 6 - Take lots and lots of photos. Once you have something set up take several shots. Move in a little closer and shoot some more. Move out a little further and shoot some more. Shoot from a higher angle, shoot from a lower angle, shoot it in reverse. Now re-arrange your props, change out your background, and shoot it all again. Now, move to a different part of the yard or the other side of the room where the light will be slightly different and do it all again. Taking tons of photos will give you choices, and a least a few really excellent photographs.

Tip 7 - Let your style develop. If you're taking lots of photos, and your being creative with the styling and use of props, and your being patient and thinking about what your doing your own style will start to shine through. Just like with writing practice you start to develop a voice, your photo taking will start to develop an eye. And it will be your eye, unique to you, and will give your photos a signature look that helps to communicate who you are and what you're all about creatively.

The old adage "a pictures says a thousand words" isn't just an old adage. It's true. Your photos are an opportunity to communicate in ways language can't. I hope these tips are useful in making your photos speak for you in new ways. Get out the camera and have some fun.

Comments

[Wendi]

Thank you for the info!! I am struggling right now on how to take good photo's (can we say, over 250 taken and only 10 were decent, not good...decent?). I will give these tips a try!

[Elizabeth]

Wendi, I hope the tips do help. Although I must say 250 to 10 is not a bad ratio. I shot over 700 photos at a Marathon this fall and ended up deleting all but 20. You have to take a lot of photos. Good luck to.

[Anna]

Great tips! Thank you.

[Women Jewelry Boxes]

thank you for the info. I'm taking a lot of pictures myself too for the products.

[Linda]

Good ideas - have to try a few of these for my next photoshoot for the etsy products (especially the background idea - always struggling to communicate the actual size of my jewelry to the customers anyway). Thanks a lot for sharing!

[Nancy]

Excellent tips! I will quote you in the future. I'm following you, too, as you have lots to offer.

[Elizabeth]

Linda - I hope my tips help, jewelry is tough to photograph.

[Elizabeth]

Thanks Nancy! And welcome!

[Andrea Rice]

Nice tips. Thanks.

[Shelley]

Excellent tips, thank you for sharing them! Natural light is definitely the best.

[Elizabeth]

You're welcome!

[Robin from Israel]

Your photos look great, very appealing. Thanks for sharing a great article.

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My photography is available for purchase - visit Around the Island Photography and bring home something beautiful today!

[Taobao in English]

Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.

[Cassandra]

Great advise. I had already figured I had to stop taking pictures of my crafts in my bedroom/loft with no windows. I love taking pictures, but they have been coming out so bad since the lighting is bad. Thanks for the confirmation and the tips!

[Laurie]

Great post! Thanks for the tips! Bookmarking this one. I'd love for you and your readers to come on over and enter to win some super fab TapeSwell decorative tape:
http://sceneofthegrime.blogspot.com/2011/01/decorative-tape-giveaway.html

[Elizabeth]

Thank you Cassandra! Natural light really does make all the difference. Good luck with the photos.

[Susan Reaney]

Thank you so much! I am lousy at this...but willing to learn!

Suz

[Elizabeth]

Suz - You're welcome! Just keep shooting and you'll improve.

[Jenn]

Thank you so much!!! I am always open to tips on making my products look their best thru photographing them well!!

[Amy@ girls jewelry boxes]

Great tips, you won't go wrong following this. Nice pictures by the way :)

[Collage Frame]

Really fantastic tips specially for a beginner like me, I just bought an SLR camera last month and this tips are useful, specially the lights, when and where to use the flash. Thanks a lot.

[Lisa Fulmer]

This is a great post, found you through CraftGossip.com - I would like to link to it in my next newsletter to our sewing pattern designers, where we share photo tips! Many thanks!