Photos are an essential ingredient to your Shops final recipe.

(All photos that are not mine are linked to the owners)

Okay, so I was in an Etsy chat room today when someone started talking about why she wasn't selling anything in her shop. We talked about Advertising and other things, but what seemed to be her problem were her Photos.

Now, mind you, I am no Pro, in fact I have never had a Photography class in my life, but with a decent digital camera, a lot of experimentation and a few informational websites, I am able to take photos like this first set, and not like the second...

Before I toss my tiny bit of wisdom your way, let's get something clear about your photos & selling things online.

Photos are an absolutely essential ingredient to your Shops final recipe!

Your customers can't pick up, try on, smell, or examine your products, so your photos need to provide enough information to fulfill those needs for them.

If you are not into Photography, you don't have to worry about getting a big fancy schmancy camera.

My camera is a point and shoot, but it's not like a crappy disposable camera. To be specific I have a Canon Powershot A640. It has 10 mega pixels (which is more than enough for product shots, you really only need 5 or 6 in my opinion), and it also has a 4x zooming option. The best thing about digital cameras is the

MACRO option!

It's what makes your really close-up shoots come out clear and detailed.

It is usually displayed as a little flower icon on your camera.

LIGHTING

Unless you are a wiz when it comes to your camera, or just really lucky, Flash is a NO NO!

I suggest taking your photos in a well light room, or near a source of natural light, like a window. Your pictures won't have a big ugly bright spot on them that way.

ANGLES

Experiment with different angles of your products. If you are taking more than one photo, you don't need the entire product to be in every shot. Make your potential customers WANT to see the rest of it!

BACKGROUNDS & MODELS

Some people like the more professional look of just a white or black background, while others like things to look more... hip with bright in-your-face colors, or little patterns and such. One thing to remember when using backgrounds, though, is to avoid confusion. With a more complicated item, it isn't in your best interest to have a heavily patterned background that would take away from what you are selling. But if you have a more simple item, a colored or patterned background is good to avoid blandness...


Another thing you could try is models. When I say models I don't necessarily mean people. Use pets, or dolls, or glass objects or even fruit! This is just one way to be creative, so why not just try it?
All of my product shots are taken near a window, usually on a white piece of printer paper, but sometimes on other things like carpet, tables.... anything that compliments my pieces really =]



So this is pretty much what I know about photographing my products. If you are confused with anything I said, just leave a comment with your questions and concerns, or just leave me a comment telling me how awesome I am, cuz you know I love it!

Best of luck to everyone! I'd love to see what photos you come up with and I also recommend leaving any Tips & Tricks you enjoy using.

Peace, Love, and SALES!


♥M