Search results (title) for: "photography how-to"

Seller Tip: Present Yourself to the Press

2009-10-19T14:20:00-05:00

Attention, sellers! I have been your faithful blogger for the past two years and I have an important tip for you:

You need to be prepared with photos that represent you and your business.

I cannot tell you how many times I've been working on a blog post spotlighting an excellent person — seller, blogger, figure in the arts and crafts world — but they either don't have a headshot or they send me the most low-quality, blurry photo. It's driving me crazy!

And here's the thing — it's not just the Storque editors who may come to call. We're gearing up for a busy holiday shopping season, and bloggers and members of the press will be looking for unique gifts with interesting angles. The stories of crafters, artists, and small business owners should get out there, but in order to take part and get the most out of any exposure, you need to have a mini media kit at hand.

I know, I know, you are creators and you're busy making things! Yes, I hear you. You are makers of objects and art, not self-portraits! But I'm begging you, take a day to invite a photographer friend to come over and style some photos for you.

Here are the basic shots I look for and what many bloggers and journalists are seeking:

Nick and Kimber of littlesaplingtoys | Karin of ValhallaBrooklyn

A nice headshot — This is a portrait that is NOT a fuzzy, grainy photo that you obviously took of yourself with your cell phone. It's NOT a snapshot cropped to include your ex-boyfriend's hairy limb draped around your shoulders. This is a high quality, professional portrait of you looking your best. Like any good portrait, it gets across your vibe and makes you look good. You are the center of the photo, not the Statue of Liberty you're posed in front of with your group of friends. Want to get artsy? Do it! As long as it intentionally reflects your personality and your brand.
A photo of your studio or workspace — Use natural light, not flash. If the room is too dark even in the day time, set up some lights. Tidy up your work area, or if a workspace crammed with stuff is your vibe, make sure it's artfully portrayed.

Kara Ginther, a.k.a. KGLeather, via ToBeInspired on Flickr

A photo of you in the creative process — Have a photographer friend take some action shots of you in the midst of making. Don't be afraid to strike some natural poses and style these shots as you would a magazine shoot. Arrange your supplies, tools and background just so, make sure your outfit, hair and makeup are done the way you like it. Capture some of the action. Experiment with different angles.
Your items in context — If you make paintings, show some of your pieces arranged beautifully on a wall. If you're a potter, show some of your excellent tableware displayed on a kitchen shelf or in a dining room setting. Take some close-up detail shots and some shots that show the whole room. These photos are great for your listings as well as for press outreach.
Your items against a plain background — Shoot some well-lit shots of your items against a plain white background. Some bloggers and magazines prefer simple photos with solid backgrounds. These make it easier for them to incorporate your items into their posts or spreads. (An item on a white background won't compete with the design of their website or blog.) Learn how to remove your colored background in this how-to by Etsy 101.
Keep a high resolution version — Have on hand a version that is at least 300 dpi and 2500 pixels across. You can always size it down and send that copy. Learn more about photo resolution here.

atelierpompadour's studio, featured in the Etsy Open Studio Flickr pool

Now you'll be prepared when you get that call from a blogger or journalist, and with these new photos you can get out there and do some outreach of your own. They may not even use these photos, but the images may speak to them and get across the essence of what you're all about. Here are some of the other uses for these photos:

About Me or Contact Me page of your business website
Your blog
Facebook Fan page
Your Flickr stream
One of the images in your Etsy listings
A blog, magazine, or newspaper interview
Applications for a grant, artist in residency, gallery show or craft show
If you're picked for Featured Seller on Etsy
Etsy Open Studios Tour series on The Storque and its Flickr group
For another example, check out ShareSomeCandy's Workspaces series
Other Storque posts

Take a look at the Etsy Open Studios Flickr group. Which of these photos can you imagine being featured on a blog? Why? Post in the comments below.

More PR Tips | Seller Handbook

Etsy Success for Beginner Sellers

2009-10-01T13:15:00-05:00

Welcome to selling on Etsy! When you're getting started, it feels like there are so many things to do for your new shop. You'll also want to check out the Seller Handbook — it contains links to lots of great articles to help you sell. Other posts to get you started include Welcome to Your Online Presence and A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Shop on Etsy. Consider this article the quick-start guide, with the most important things to consider for getting your shop in top shape!

Your Name

Having a great, memorable name is one of the more important things you can do to brand your shop and encourage sales. Having a shop name that people remember will encourage them to find you again! You want it to be easy to pronounce, easy to spell, interesting, and it should speak to your style or what your shop is about. Shorter tends to be better than longer. Avoid common words like "designs" or "creations," as well as number strings and consonant strings that don't sound like a word in your name — these make your exact shop name hard to remember. Avoid generic-sounding names; something unique, different, or unusual will be more memorable. As Danielle says in this post, "Make sure it's 'Google-able!' Sure the name 'FriedChicken' might be memorable, but if you go to Google and search 'Fried Chicken,' your shop will be a needle in a greasy (yet delicious) haystack!" Do some research on the Internet to make sure that another company doesn't already have the same name.

What shop names have drawn you in? What about these names interested you? Think about this in your brainstorming for the perfect name.

Your shop name and your Etsy username are one and the same. While you can't change your shop name on Etsy, if you don't like the name you have, you can start a new shop. Simply register for the new shop, and then put a link to your new shop in the Shop Announcement, item listings, banner and Profile of your old shop, and then list your items in your new shop. Here are some more tips on shop names.

Shop Setup

The Shop Setup Help Guide will give you step-by-step instructions for getting started.

Banner: If your shop was in the physical world, your banner would be the sign above the front door. Choose something that looks professional and that will give shoppers a sense of the mood or feel of your shop and makes them interested to scroll down to see more! Here are instructions for creating your own banner. If you have nice product photos, you can use these in your banner if you like. If you're not a great graphic designer, you can save time and frustration by buying a ready-made or custom banner from an Etsy seller.

Photo by rikrak

Avatar: If you plan to use the community spaces such as the Forums, Chat, Virtual Labs, or The Storque, a well-lit, well-cropped 75 by 75 pixel photo of your most interesting item can make a great avatar. It's the equivalent of wearing your pieces when you go out, and it advertises your shop while you are interacting with others. The other sellers and Admin (Etsy staff) in these spaces have the power to feature your items in Treasuries, on their own blogs, and around other spaces on Etsy, so show 'em what you've got!

Avatars by: spiderbite, beadsinthebelfry, greeniemarie, shrimpsaladcircus, studioelan, tissage, magicjelly, ThePaperAddict

Shipping: Set up Shipping Profiles in Your Etsy > Shipping Options to save time while listing. Ship internationally — international orders comprise a big chunk of the market on Etsy! Here is a good Forum thread for U.S. sellers on how to set up international shipping. More shipping and packaging how-to's can be found here.

Shop Policies and Profile: Fill them out! Policies define the rules for your shop and can answer buyer questions. The Profile page personalizes you; Etsy shoppers love that they buy directly from the artist, so tell them about yourself and your craft to get them interested in your work. Having these sections filled out will help build trust for your buyer, especially if you are a new seller and don't have feedback yet. Here are some tips for your Shop Policies and Profile Page.

Item Photography

Item photography is perhaps the most important aspect of your shop. On Etsy, you have one main photo and you may upload four additional photos. Use them all! Here are some tips below and explore these posts for further, in-depth suggestions.

Lighting: Use natural lighting. Either morning or early evening light works best. Avoid direct sunlight and harsh mid-day lighting. Inside, near a window, or outside (but not in direct sunlight) both work well. If the lighting is still a bit dark, increase the EV balance on your camera menu. This increases the "whiteness" in the photo. Avoid using the flash. If the photos look washed out, turn away from the sunlight.

Photos by ecosilver, moop, locallibrary

Backgrounds: Shoot against a background that will complement your item. Think about color: What color background will create the mood that you are going for? If you're going for a sophisticated look, perhaps your dark brown item will look great against a pale brown background — think tone-on-tone, but make sure that your item stands out and is not swallowed by the background. Funky? Maybe try a color that is opposite on the color wheel, so a pale orange for your blue item. Modern items might look great with neutral colors, while natural and bohemian looks might look great next to natural materials such as plants, stones, etc. Maybe you'll have a collection of backgrounds with your color palette, and you can choose the best one for each item. Simple white backgrounds can be great for just about any type of item as well, and this will put the focus on your item.

For smaller items like jewelry, try placing these on props such as papers, old books, and tabletops. You may have a variety of materials in your home that will work well.

Photos by msbelle, SeaUnicorn, stamp

For larger items, look around the inside and outside of your home for good locations. Think interesting architecture, beautiful natural settings, walls with interesting textures, or even plain white walls. Is there a location nearby that would look great — perhaps a church, library, or abandoned building that would capture the mood of your items?

Photos by NHWoodCreations, sarahseven, arlenewatson

Consider including a photo that shows the item being used. This will give the potential customer important information, such as what the item is and how big it is. It will also allow them to envision the item on themselves or in their home.

Photos by CombustionGlassworks, MiaBeads, woodtec

Close-ups: Use the macro mode (flower icon) on your camera when shooting close-ups of jewelry and other small objects. This creates a sharp outline of your item. If the photo is blurry, try adjusting the zoom, or getting closer to or farther from your subject.

Angles: Most people start out taking product photos in the same way: They take the photo directly above, say, a piece of jewelry, and surround it with white space. You can make your photos more dynamic by taking the shot from a variety of angles and distances, and then choosing the one that best complements your item. Take a look in the Gift Guides to see how sellers have created interesting shots by using angles.

Photos by ZerbenaBoutique, firewoodfurniture, kjoo

Cropping: Photos that crop in interesting places create movement in the photo. It may allow you to get closer to the item for a detail shot. If your item is symmetrical, do we need to see the entire thing to understand it? Or would cropping off 1/3 of the item let us see more detail and look more interesting?

Avoid crops that are too "tight." This is where just a bit of the top and bottom of the item are cut off — it looks squashed! Take the photo from a bit farther away if this is the case. Even better, turn 3D objects like handbags a bit to the side for a more forgiving crop. Try taking 2D objects like notecards diagonally — this makes the photo more interesting, and will almost always make for a nice crop.

Etsy will automatically crop your photos for the thumbnails when you upload them. Consider while you are taking your pictures that vertical shots will crop mostly from the top, and a bit from the sides, and vice versa for horizontal shots.

Photos by shoofly, makalewakan, atelierBB

Grouping: Try arranging small items such as pouches, soaps, notecards, and cookies into a group shot. This can make the photo look rich and beautiful. Be sure to specify in the listing how many the customer will receive with their order.

Photos by SucculentsGalore, palomasnest, SunshineandRavioli

What is it?: If at all possible, show what the item is in the gallery (first) photo. If it's not possible, put what it is in the first few words of the title so that it is not cropped out when the customer is browsing in "gallery" (large photo) mode.

Additional photos: Your potential customer can't touch your item or try it on. Show them everything they want to know in the photos!

Show size by showing the item next to an object that everyone knows the size of. Human hands, flowers and objects that it would "belong" next to (such as a decor object on a bookshelf next to vintage books or some foreign money spilling out of a pouch) are great. Avoid unattractive items like paperclips and pennies unless they make sense. What does it feel like? Show the texture of your yarn or baked goods with a macro shot. What flavor or scent is it? Some blueberries and vanilla beans next to your blueberry-vanilla soap will look gorgeous and convey to your customer what it smells like.

Your descriptions may have some great ideas about what you might show in your additional photos. If you say in your listing that your scarf also makes a great belt, then show a picture of that to drive the point home!

Photos by karenssoaps, dolittledesign, OnTheRound

Upselling: Would the item be perfect with another item in your shop? Show two necklaces worn together to encourage your buyer to get them both! Would your art prints look great in a grouping of three? Show the customer a photo of that to get her excited! Even better if you offer a small incentive such as free shipping for additional items. Just make sure to be clear about what exactly is for sale with this listing.

Editing: Use a photo editing program to touch up your photos if necessary. Gimp is a free download that you'll love if you know how to use Photoshop, Picasa is a great all-around free program for mid-level skills, and an online photo editor like Piknic is perfect if you're not particularly computer savvy. If the photo is too dark, increase the brightness *and* the contrast. You can do this using "curves" in Gimp.

Getting Exposure

Categories: One of the best hidden gems for getting more exposure for your items is placing them in the correct Category. If your items will fit into more than one Category (for example, Knitting and Accessories), try putting some in one and some in another for maximum exposure. Once you have chosen your Category, choose from the related tags and/or look in the Category Browser to see what subcategories are available. Add any that accurately describe your item exactly as written into your tags, and your item will appear in all of them. Do the same with any sub-subcategories beneath the subcategories that you've chosen.

Tags: Tags, along with titles, are your search terms. Using keywords that buyers will search for will help put your item in front of them! Here is an article with a list of types of tags to help you brainstorm.

List Regularly: Right now, the default for Search and Categories on Etsy is reverse chronological order — newest on the top. If you have several items to list, try to space the listings out a bit. Here's a super-secret hack that a seller figured out if you want to make your listings go live later: create your listings, and go to page 5 of the listing process. Copy the URL from the address bar, and email it to yourself. You can then return to this later and click "FINISH." Test it first to be sure you are doing it right before prepping a bunch of listings!

Renewing: Renewing normally refers to reactivating a listing that has expired. Some sellers figured out that they got more hearts, views, and sales on days when they listed an item. When they did not have an item to list that day, they renewed an item. Renewing will move your item higher in the Category Browser and search results, and it costs the same amount as creating a new listing. We recommend that you only use this method if it is effective for you. (Learn more about how renewing works technically on Etsy.) Before using renewing as a technique for gaining exposure, first get your shop into tip-top shape and have "enough" items in your shop to promote!

Showcases: The Showcase is Etsy's advertising program. The Main Showcase is linked from the homepage of Etsy, and there are Showcases for each Category, the Gift Guides, and The Storque. Additionally, there are regularly specialized Showcases throughout the year. As with renewing, you will want to get your shop into great shape by using the tips in this article before you purchase a Showcase spot for maximum benefit. Having good item photos, descriptive listings, and enough items to make the promotion worth it are most important.

Getting Featured: Your item may be featured in several places around Etsy: in Treasuries, which are chosen by Etsy members, and on the homepage, Gift Guides, Etsy Finds emails, and The Storque (Etsy's blog). The key to getting featured in all of these locations is having great item photos, using tags well, and being an active member of the community. Additionally, you may look at the merchandising articles each month to learn about upcoming themes and holidays that will be promoted. Use this information to help you tag your listings, or as a reminder of upcoming events for which you may want to create items. If you are featured in the Gift Guides, and you are able to make more of the item, you may increase the quantity of your listing so that your item stays in the Guide when it sells!

Your Items and Product Assortment

Creating a cohesive shop: Create a great assortment of products that work together. Think about the types of items that are sold together at retail stores. Some examples are: a women's fashion shop, a baby shop, a crochet shop, a home goods shop, a bath and body shop. This is not to say that you should *never* have items that don't at first seem to go together in your shop — there are a few sellers out there who are making this work because their aesthetic binds all their items together. The point is to be intentional about what you are selling.

Think of every item listing in your shop as an ad for all of your other items. Every time a customer finds one of your items, now they have access to the rest of your shop. Will that customer who is looking for a baby shower gift who you've brought in with your knitted baby hat want to stay to browse in your shop? If your other items are more baby clothes, accessories, toys or children's art, she most likely will. If she has to sift though your dish towels and nature photographs, she may lose interest, no matter how lovely they may be! Consider focusing on what you find most interesting or what's most popular in your shop. You may set up another shop for your other interests, but be aware that it is a lot of time and effort to try to market two shops. You may be better off focusing on one shop.

Having a cohesive shop will make it memorable! If I see a fabulous, feminine vintage-style necklace in a shop full of jewelry of a wide variety of different styles — everything from fun 'n' funky to sophisticated — I will probably not remember the particular shop. Conversely, if that same necklace is surrounded by jewelry in a similar style with an appealing color palette (and photographed in a similar way), it is much more likely to stick in my mind.

You may be worried that this will limit your creativity. Au contraire! you might find that this frees your creativity. It is very enjoyable to create a look and style that is uniquely "you" and to share your vision with the customer. Your style can (and probably will) change over time...but at a given moment, try to have a style that can be summed up in a few words. As you bring your unique style to your product photos and descriptions, your shop itself will become a work of art. Try it!

Photos by theblackapple, paradisehilldesigns, ruffeoheartslilsnoty

What to sell, and how to stand out from the crowd: There are so many wonderful shops on Etsy, that many newbies wonder how they can make an impact. Here are some tips for making your shop shine:

What to do in crowded markets: If you notice that there are lots of others sellers with items similar to yours, say, children's hair bows, you may try creating the items in a different and surprising material, or creating a new style of hair bow to stand out. You may stand out with fabulous photos, a great shop assortment, and lots of items for your buyers to choose from.
Find a niche: Better yet, find an undeserved niche to establish yourself in. Look around in the Categories and subcategories for inspiration...are there any where you might make a mark? For example, if you can make great gifts for men, you will find a market that is hungry for new sellers!
Create a new product, or find a new way of making something that's been around for a while. Some great examples are neawear, who became Etsy-famous with her "Wall Wear," a modern art incarnation of cross-stitch samplers, and girlsavage, who reinvented taxidermy as "Feltidermy" — stuffed animal creatures on trophy boards.

Relisting: Successful sellers use the "relisting" technique to create a profitable business. If you sell an item and can make the same item again, you can "relist" it by using the link at the top of the sold item page. This copies your listing and costs the same as a new listing. You will save time since you do not have to make, photograph, and create a description for your item before selling it again. Try to make items that you will be able to make again. If you prefer to only make one-of-a-kind items, be sure to price them accordingly (read: more expensively).

Pricing: Check out this series of articles for help with pricing. Most Etsy sellers who are new to retailing set their prices too low. Many find that they sell more when they raise their prices! Your price gives your customer a hint of the quality of your item, so make sure you are selling at a fair price! Ask for the price that your time and skills are worth. You will want to consider your material costs, fees and other costs associated with selling, and time spent making items, creating listings, and communicating with customers. You may consider using a combination of pricing equations and then comparing these prices with what the items would sell for in a boutique, or how successful sellers are pricing similar items.

Other Tips

Set up your shop stats: go to Web Analytics in Your Etsy. You will also want to set up Site Search to see what search terms shoppers are using to find your items on Etsy. See #2 on this article for instructions.
Enter your items into Google Base so they appear in the Google Shopping results. It only takes about 20 minutes!
Optimize your Etsy shop for Google.

Helpful Links

Etsy Hacks: This site provides time-saving tools that give you special functions for your Etsy shop, such as the ability to copy one of your current listings, or the ability to upload up to five photos at once while you are listing.

Craftcult: View your hearts in an easy-to-see list format. Also, see when you have been featured in the Gift Guides, The Storque, and on the homepage.

What are your top tips? We'd love to hear them in the comments of this article! ...But there are so many comments now, it's slowing down the page load. So please join the discussion in this Forum thread.

Etsy Success Tips: Make Your Shop Work for You

2009-09-10T10:15:00-05:00

Caroline, who runs the successful Etsy Shop Paloma’s Nest, has some expert advice for sellers. Read on to find out some of her tips!

Etsy sellers are known for the time, love, and energy they dedicate to their craft — using quality materials, originality, and great attention to detail. Buyers come to Etsy for a special shopping experience, and your shop is your window to the world. Make sure you are putting your best foot forward so buyers like what they see and come in for more. This post is to encourage you to use the tools Etsy provides to make your shop a success!

Photo by TammysTreasureChest

So, Who Are You, Anyways?

Your Etsy shop is loaded with great products...but is it loaded with great information about you and your business? Your Shop Policies, Profile and Location sections are the perfect places to share this information — they tell your buyer about who you are and what type of shop you have. Part of the process of buying handmade is knowing from where and whom your purchase is coming. Buyers LOVE to know the story behind a product, so share a little in your Profile section!

Basic Shop Policies help to legitimize your online shop, and they can reassure customers that they are making a secure transaction with a reliable seller. After all, this is a business you are running, so be sure you are coming across as a professional. Try your best to not leave these sections blank. For more help with Shop Policies, check out this post: Service Tips for Sellers: Creating Policies That Work. These posts delve into crafting a Profile page and other text bits of your Etsy shop.

Photo by kittybblove

More Than One

Are you ever disappointed when an item you’ve been admiring is sold, or the link you are using is no longer active? Don’t let your lack of inventory be the reason your customers can’t find you! If your designs can be remade (and you are willing and able to create like-designs or multiples), or you are selling supplies, be sure to take advantage of the “Quantity” feature when listing your items.

Many sellers like to list each and every item, one at a time, and then simply relist it when it sells; while this method does give you a fresh listing each time, there are many sometimes overlooked benefits to listing larger quantities of your item at one time.

Some of these benefits include:

Your links stay active — both in your buyers’ Favorites lists, and in blogs and other sites all over the web that may be linking back to your Etsy shop listing.
You can see long term stats on your listing, such as views and hearts, which can be tracked over time and give you valuable information about your product and any marketing efforts (such as Showcase slots). This will also be relevant to your Google Analytics.
You won’t “miss” a sale because you didn’t relist another item quickly enough.
If you're featured in a high traffic area, such as the homepage of Etsy, your item will remain featured until you're sold out. Higher quantity means more sales and more happy shoppers.

Photo by KeysAndMemories

The “Top Three”

The top three spots in your shop carry a lot of weight here in the interconnected world of Etsy. Many Etsians love to shop by searching through other members' lists of Favorite Sellers. Ever notice the three photos that show up next to the avatar on these Favorites lists? They are the first three items (the last three you listed) in your shop — NOT necessarily your "Featured Listings."

Make sure these three most recently listed items are representative of the variety of items available in your shop, or you may be missing out on catching your target audience...if you sell mittens, hats, and scarves, don’t let three hats sit in the “top three.” Mix it up, so it is clear you offer more than one style of items. Take care to notice this each and every time you renew or add a new item listing. It serves as a mini snapshot of your shop.

Photo by Canemah

Photos Photos Photos

Images are your most powerful tool as a seller. Luckily, Etsy offers sellers many opportunities to display multiple images of your product in your shop. Take your “good” photos a step further, and ask yourself if they are living up to their potential as important marketing tools for your shop.

Ask yourself these questions:

Are your photos consistent throughout your Etsy shop?
Do they lend a cohesive look to your brand and convey a strong sense of quality?
Pay attention to the various backgrounds or props you are using in your photos. Are they in line with your shop style and the story you are telling through your work?

Extraordinary images will build recognition for your shop. There are several great photo tutorials and tips offered right here on Etsy's blog; if you combine these tips with your own brand and vision, the photos of your work will stand out in a crowd, both on Etsy and throughout the Internet.

Best of luck with these tips and happy selling!

These tips were first published in the Etsy Success newsletter; sign up here for a plethora of more great tips and advice (and be sure to frequent the Etsy Seller Handbook Series for a collection of all our seller tips).

Handmade Weddings: Wedding Photography Unveiled with Jacqueline Tobin

2009-07-16T13:35:00-05:00

We invited Jacqueline Tobin, author of Wedding Photography Unveiled, to share her knowledge with our readers. Jacqueline is a great resource for insider info for both newly engaged brides-and grooms-to-be, as well as photographers interested in breaking into the wedding business. She'll be live in the Virtual Labs for a follow up discussion. UPDATE: We must postpone this discussion. The new time is July 16 at 4 p.m. ET.

Over the past 23 years, I have watched as wedding photography has evolved into one of the most well-respected and lucrative fields in the industry today. I’ve worked at Photo District News (PDN), a trade magazine for professional photographers, since 1986 and currently work there as deputy editor. While not a wedding photographer myself, I do assign and write many, many articles about wedding photography; I help judge PDN’s Top Knots New School of Wedding Photography Contest every year, and I recently collaborated with the top 20 photographers around the country to write my first book Wedding Photography Unveiled (Amphoto Books/March 2009). It was important for me to write this book because the industry has changed so much over the years, going from staid and stoic poses to purely candid photojournalist shots to a current, and much sought after, mix of photographic styles and approaches, including fashion-forward looks, lifestyle and editorial feels, and fine-art touches. Wedding photography has never looked better!

Portrait photo by © Daryl Lang.

We bounced some frequently asked questions off of Jacqueline. Here are some of the tips she has for couples searching for a great wedding photographer:

I'm engaged! When is a good time to start looking for a photographer?
The sooner you start, the better, since the wedding photography is such an important element of your special day; it’s something you will look back on and cherish forever. Even if you don’t book someone for another year (once a date is set), it still can be helpful to start looking as early as possible to decide the style you want, the price range you can afford, and so on.

© Jose Villa

Where does one look?
These days brides get inspiration for their wedding photography from a variety of sources:

Bridal and fashion magazines (high-fashion looks are a big trend in wedding photography right now)
Photographers’ websites (You can find national, as well as and international, listings for wedding photographers at the Wedding Photojournalist Association, the Perfect Wedding Guide and The Knot.)
Your family’s and friends’ wedding albums

How is it possible to tell the caliber of a photographer? What should I ask to see?
You definitely have to shop around, see what’s out there, check reputable sites (like those above) and just look through lots and lots of images. When you meet with a photographer, ask to see finished albums so you can see what they’ve done for previous clients. Online, you can also put his or her name into a search engine and look for comments (good or bad) from past clients.

Also, ask the photographer to show you more than one wedding album and more than one style. These days photographers are shooting a mix of traditional and candid images, and they need to excel in several different genres: still life (for important details), fashion, lifestyle, and photo journalistic looks (for candid moments).

© Elizabeth Messina

Is it my responsibility to do anything for the photographer while the wedding/reception is taking place?
You should have a conversation with your photographer well ahead of time so you don’t have to be giving directions while the wedding and reception are taking place! This is your day and you don’t want to spend it working out the kinks: that’s what wedding planners and maid of honors are for! Many brides like to supply a shot list to a photographer ahead of time that maps out exactly the photos they want the photographer to get; others hire photographers who shoot purely documentary and candid images and are very “fly on the wall” — you don’t realize they are present, but they are and they are getting every single moment that unfolds.

How long after the wedding does it typically take before I get my photos?
It depends. First you’ll see proofs, which many photographers post online days or weeks after the wedding. Next, you’ll choose the images you want (I recommend going to the photographer’s studio to discuss your choices in person), and then an album can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months to sometimes even a year. Ask up front how long it will take before you can expect your albums.

Since Etsy has a lot of great photographers, we figured some of you may be thinking about shooting weddings. We asked Jacqueline for some tips about getting started in the business:

How do I go about breaking into the business?
I recommend taking workshops from professional photographers (pros like Dennis Reggie, Joe Buissink, Bambi Cantrell, Mike Colon, Elizabeth Messina and Jose Villa are the more popular choices), going to trade shows and attending seminars, ordering DVDs on the basics and searching web sites like DigitalWeddingForum.com, WPJA.com and WPPIonline.com to get a sense of what the latest trends and technology in the industry are the moment. Also ask friends who are getting married if you can be a “second shooter” (but stay out of the way of the hired photographer!) and just take as many images as you can to see what the pace is like and what it really takes to be a great wedding photographer. You’re working 8 to 10 to 12 hour days, and after wedding day you are still working on a job for weeks and months — proofing images, doing post-production on the computer, designing the albums, etc.

© Christian Oth

How does wedding photography differ from other kinds of photography?
Today’s wedding photography is not different, just expansive — it includes many different genres (fashion, lifestyle, editorial, fine art), and these days you need to have a basic knowledge of all of them to shoot the day as it unfolds, from capturing the getting ready shots to the ceremony photos to formal and semi formal portraits after the ceremony to the wedding reception.

What are some of the tricks of the trade? Are there any special tools?

During the reception, lots of photographers like to use fast lenses, fast film and high ISOs, because most times these parties take place at night in low light conditions.
Befriending the videographer always helps because you can use their light in a shot. (Try to stay at a 45-degree angle from the videographer’s direct light or try to keep him or her directly behind the wedding couple to use as a backlight during their first dance.)
Never use direct flash. Bounce off the ceiling or tent, or slave a second strobe remotely for depth.
Instead of using a tripod, try to steady yourself by shooting a few images in a burst. With a camera like the Canon 5D, you can shoot with higher ISOs without too much noise and can steady yourself to half-second handheld for images at dusk.
When shooting formal portraits, mix it up a bit and take the couple outside and find interesting locations or settings and to make the shot more memorable.
As for special tools, you can probably start out shooting a wedding with just one camera, like a basic or mid-range SLR, but as you become more and more advanced, you’ll personalize your equipment list. (And it always helps to have a handheld light meter, lots of memory cards and extra batteries on hand.) Later on, you may want to get into post-production on your computer to further enhance your images (many photographers like to use a photo-editing program like Photoshop to adjust skin tones, brighten the sky, or just make an image more dramatic or vivid.)

How can I prepare for the unexpected?
I don’t think you can. That’s the beauty of a wedding. There will be lots of unexpected moments that arise, but fortunately for the photographer, most couples want those images too. You are there to document the day as it unfolds. You can always edit out the bad images later on!

Please mark your calendars and meet Jacqueline in the Virtual Labs for a follow up chat. UPDATE: We must postpone this discussion. The new time is July 16 4 p.m. ET... If you think of questions for her, please post them in the comments below!

Getting ready to say "I do"? Check out the items below; some of the artists featured offer wedding photography services and may be local to your area or willing to travel. You'll find more Etsy wedding photographers in this forum thread.

How-Tuesday: Embellished Frames with Kayte Terry

2009-03-03T13:53:00-05:00

YouTube | MP4 | blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

Do you know those various piles of artwork and photographs that you wish you had frames for? Or those various things you've collected that are tacked to your wall that kind of make your bedroom or living room wall look like a tattered scrapbook? Why not spice up your home decor with an embellished mat in a frame or a custom fabric frame from scratch? This week Kayte Terry of this is love forever shows us what to do!

Materials Needed for the Embellished Mat

The mat from the frame you are using, or one that will fit
1 piece of fabric 2" wider and taller than your mat
Grosgrain ribbon and rick-rack
Needle and thread (optional for making rick-rack flowers)
Fabric scissors
Spray adhesive
Glue gun and glue sticks

Steps for Making Embellished Mat

Spray the front of the mat with spray adhesive. Make sure you do this over newsprint in a well-ventilated area.
Lay your mat out face down on your fabric and center it so that you have 1” of fabric all the way around the mat. Press down on the mat to adhere it to the fabric.
First, you will cover the outside of the mat. Apply a line of hot glue down one edge of the mat 1” from the edge of the mat and from all corners.
Fold the fabric over to the wrong side of the mat and adhere to the hot glue. Repeat for the other three sides. Fold in each corner neatly, like a package, and secure with hot glue.
Make a small cut in the center of the mat with your scissors and carefully cut out the center leaving a 1” overlap of fabric around all sides.
To cover the inner edges of the mat, take your scissors and cut a diagonal slit in the fabric at each inner corner. Cut just to a couple of threads away from the corner of the mat. Fold the fabric back to the wrong side of the mat on each side and secure with a line of hot glue.
To embellish with ribbon, determine where you would like to place the ribbon and carefully hot glue ribbon in place, as desired. You can also make rick-rack flowers like these to further embellish the mats.
Put the mat back in the frame and hang on the wall as desired!

Materials Needed for the Embellished Mat

Cardboard
Batting
Cutting knife
Cutting mat
1 piece of fabric 2" wider and taller than your cardboard
Grosgrain ribbon and rick-rack
Needle and thread (optional for making rick-rack flowers)
Fabric scissors
Glue gun and glue sticks

Steps for Making Fabric Frame From Scratch

Cut a piece of cardboard to your desired size with a cutting knife. Also cut a piece of batting to the same size. Hot glue the batting to the cardboard frame.
Lay your fabric out wrong side up. Hot glue the front of the frame to the batting. Flip the frame over and center on the fabric, pressing to adhere.
Follow steps 3 to 7 above to cover the frame in fabric.
Add a rick-rack or ribbon hanger with some hot glue and hang on the wall!

How Tuesday Videos | Artistic Endeavors | Fabric Supplies on Etsy | Matboard Supplies On Etsy

Shop Makeover Series: Photogenic Collaborations

2009-01-19T11:33:00-05:00

As part of our Shop Makeover Series, rubypearl will be hosting a follow up talk in the Virtual Labs at 4pm today, Monday January 19, 2009!

“I can’t sell my dresses online.” This was the answer I would give over and over again when asked if I had a website. My dresses sold like crazy at local boutiques and craft fairs, but when I thought about selling them on the web, my mind drew a blank. How would it work if my customers couldn’t try them on or feel the fabric? No, I thought, I’d love to, but it just won’t work.

Then I found Etsy. Everything changed, but not all at once.

I began by taking dim pictures in my backyard. Now, this may work for you if you are a good photographer. Sadly, I am not. Even our family photos look like my two year old snapped them.

One of Rubypearl's original attempts, at right, was a bit blurry.

I began to make friends with photographers and stylists who helped me out. As my photographs improved, my store took off like a rocket.

Photos below by talented Austin-based photographer Holly Brunkow.

Here are some things that I've learned.

Even very well known photographers need designers who will loan clothes for their clients to model, and they are very often willing to burn a disc of pictures for you for free or trade.

Attend local photography shows at galleries and coffee shops.

Find mid-level singers and songwriters and send them photos of your work. Target musicians who are well known enough to give your clothes some cachet and whose style fits what you’re doing. Clearly, you will probably never get a call back from Beyonce no matter how much free stuff you send her, unless you know her stylist or her best friend. If so, why are you reading this? You should be emailing me; I have some dresses that would look great on her!

Carol Young, in a rubypearl dress, with Rosanne Cash.

Carol Young in rubypearl designs.

Offer musicians clothes for free or at a discount to wear on stage. Ask who their favorite photographers are; musicians often have other clients who could give your work celebrity exposure.

Post flyers at the local colleges. A beginning photographer may have a brilliant eye but also need to build their portfolio.

Connecting with your local community of photographers is great marketing. Portrait photographers make their living by networking with people. They shoot weddings, children, musicians and professional models — all of whom could be your potential customers. By enlisting their help with your Etsy photography you are exposing your work to everyone who walks into their studios.

Start small and attend every event with a positive attitude. You never know who you’ll meet or where little events will lead you. A few months after I started my company I set a booth up at an art fair hosted by a tiny coffee shop. It was raining. No more than ten people passed through that day. One of them was Patty Griffin’s photographer. She loved what I was doings and set up a meeting with me. I ended up designing a dress for her album cover. If I hadn’t been at that coffee shop, I never would have met her.

Musician Patti Griffin, at right, in a rubypearl dress. Photo by Tracy Goudie.

Musicians always need unique clothing to wear on stage, and there is no better advertisement than someone singing in front of hundreds of people in your creation. Make sure you snap some photos of them in your designs before they leave your studio. Give them special treatment and they will keep coming back to you.

When I met Erykah Badu she was sitting Indian style on the floor of my booth, digging through a box of squirrel-themed skirts to find her size. She had just finished her set at the Austin City Limits festival and wandered into my booth to do some shopping. Glowing and five months pregnant, she laughed at me when I suggested that I could find it for her.

“I can do it! I gotta find me a squirrel skirt. I love squirrels! Whenever I sing a song at home and it has the word girl I always substitute squirrel.”

She assembled a large heap of my best dresses and paid with cash. I was so dazzled I didn’t get her stylist's email or any pictures other than one with her standing next to me.

Learn from my mistakes — even if you have to give celebrities samples of your clothing for free — and make sure to snap that picture. Do whatever it takes. Then send it out with your press kit when you alert the local media about your amazing new design business. Celebrities will understand — they had to be marketing geniuses to get where they are now.

By working with photographers you can expand your client base, entice celebrities to model your creations and present beautiful photos to your Etsy customers. Since your customers are unable to try your clothing on, you must capture their imaginations through photography. If you are camera-challenged like me, find someone brilliant to help you.

Your pictures will tell a story that inspires them to envision wearing your creation. It won’t matter that they can’t feel the fabric: they will feel beautiful imagining themselves in what you’ve made.

Join rubpearl for her follow up talk in the Virtual Labs at 4pm today, Monday January 19, 2009!

Post in the comments below if you've had any luck collaborating with photographers or celebrities. Link us to your photos! We want to see! Check out the Etsy Shop Makeover Flickr pool here.

Seller Handbook | Shop Makeover Series

Shop Makeover Series: Feature Friendly Photos

2009-01-14T11:31:00-05:00

Want a few tips on getting your items featured? (...Not only by other Etsy community members curating their Treasuries, or Etsy Admin, but also all those bloggers featuring Etsy items?) Here are a few tips from the Shop Makeover Series to help make your photos and listings more appealing to curators everywhere!

1. Take Crisp, Clear Photos

Before and After by KreatedbyKelly

While this may be an obvious tip, it's still worth stating. Crisp, clean photos that show the details and texture of your work can make a world of difference. Make sure your photos are at least 430 pixels wide. (If they are smaller, Etsy will stretch them out to fit in your item listings and this will make them look blurry.) Here are a few great articles that can help you with photography. Put in the time to do some Photoshop touch up if you can't get a perfect exposure or lighting is tricky— it really counts! There are free tools now too, such as Piknik.

2. Keep it Simple

Before and After by KarensMonsters

Most featured items have very simple backgrounds that won't clash with the rest of the curated list or a curator's site. These types of backgrounds also make your work the star of the photo!

3. Angle & Crop

Before and After by lpdesigns

Before and After by idyllhands

Angles add depth and cropping adds a bit of intrigue; together these make for a detailed and eye-popping photo!

3b. Get Really Close

Before and After by InuInspirations

Look how "up close and personal" InuInspirations gets in this 'after' photo. I can immediately see how well made this item is, and in addition, it really makes me want to see more of the product! Experiment with the macro setting on your camera.

4. Steer Clear of Graphics & Text

Before and After by TatteredElegance

Aim for your photos to play well with others. Graphics will make your photos stand out in a way that may not complement the design aesthetic of neighboring items, or the design elements in the curator's own blog or site. Let your items speak for themselves in your item listing photos, especially the first thumbnail.

5. Take It to the Next Level with Background & Settings

PerlaAnne's final photo surely helped her get featured on Design*Sponge

A menagerie of your items in one photo (preferably NOT the first photo) can make it easy for a blogger to write about your work as a whole. (Make sure you note in your item description that this photo is to show a collection, and only one item is for sale.)

6. Live Models

Before and After by forthetiny

There's something about a living, breathing model (be that adult, baby or pet) that makes a product more relateable (and clickable!). Note in your description that the item is pictured in photo is just a sample (especially if you're selling something "intimate" like underwear). A great example from Hopeless says, "This item is made to order, you are not purchasing the item on the model."

On last example. This before and after incorporates a few things we love: model, natural light, cropping and simple backgrounds. Nice work rubypearl!

Thinking about making your item photos easier to feature? Send your before and after pics to our Etsy Shop Makeovers Flickr group.

Seller Handbook | Shop Makeover Series

How-To: Brighten Your Photos with Paperama

2008-11-14T14:16:00-05:00

I love to see Etsy sellers sharing their skills! I caught a great Flickr photo tutorial by Etsy seller Paperama and I thought I would share her wisdom with you! Inspired by other Flickr members commenting on her beautiful photos, Paperama, responded with a handy photo-tutorial. Paperama uses Picnik, a web-based photo editing program that is very user-friendly. If you have a Flickr account you can access all your Flickr photos via Picnik, which can be convenient! If you don't use Flickr, no worries; you can upload pics from your computer very easily. Follow this tutorial to find out how to make your photos bright and professional!

Step 1

→ Go to www.picnik.com
It's a super cool free web-based photo editing service - you don't even have to register!

→ Click on "Upload a photo" and choose the file you want to edit.

Step 2

After your upload is complete it should look like this.

→ Click on Exposure

Step 3

On the top several options appear - you can just play around a bit with exposure and contrast, to see how it works. If you don't like, it just click on Reset.

If you drag the exposure to right, you'll see that the complete image is getting brighter. Dragging contrast to the right, makes your lights and darks more intense.

→ Click on the Advanced Button to open additional options.

Step 4

If you want to brighten up the background/light colors drag the highlights bar to the right.
In the Histogram box you can see how the curves change. You can also drag the shadows bar to edit the darker parts of your image.

Step 5

Use the Zoom funtion on the right bottom corner to see how the image looks close up.

→ Click OK if you're happy with the results.

Step 6

→ Click on Save & Share in the top navigation.

Here you can choose a name for your new image file and edit dimensions, as well as the file format and compression quality.

→ Click on Save Photo to download the edited image to your computer.

Thanks for sharing Paperama! What a gem you are!

Need more help with photos? Check out the Photography section of the Seller Handbook.

Seller How-To: Packaging Ideas

2008-11-12T13:00:00-05:00

Since I started working for Etsy I turned from a full time seller to a full time buyer. (Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating. I'm not shopping all the time...Sometimes I've spent all my money and I'm just adding to my favorites.) My very favorite thing about buying on Etsy is getting packages — it's like a little mini party each time, thanks to the thoughtful packaging Etsy sellers put together! Ribbons, stickers, stamps, extra little goodies, oh my. What a delight!

So, dear sellers, why not show this off in your item listings?! Use one of your photos to let your shoppers know how beautiful your handmade items (and packaging!) are! With the holidays around the corner, it's also good to let your buyers know your items will come ready for giving. I've selected a few sellers who do this already, and do it quite well. Click the items to see the gems that are hidden inside!

Want some more tips? Come check out our Packaging Workshop live in the Virtual Labs Wednesday, November 12, 2008 at 5pm EST.

Cup of Rosee by jewelera, $18.50

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Calling Cards of Mysterious Ladies by charmfoundry, $18.00

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Cats Gift Wrap/Padded Envelopes by PickalaPoopa, $5

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Master of the Universe Slug by lullabylily, $11

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Orange Octopus Screenprint by LittlePaperDog, $13

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Natural Girl Earrings by handsinpockets, $6

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Slim Stacking Rings - Set of 3 by PaysonWinters, $27

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Single Ox Rox Ring-Sterling Silver by ruralabandon, $12

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

slightly unsightly soap bars all wrapped up in a pretty little package by sweetpetula, $6.99

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

I recently received the sweetest handmade package in the mail from kitsandcaboodles! (See the main image for this article, up there at the top.) She offered to share the template to make your own — so here it is! Just print it on a heavy duty kraft paper, cut, fold and glue!

Click to download the PDF and print your own!

Don't forget to check out the Seller Handbook - all our how-tos about running your Etsy business!

Let me know in the comments below if you've seen an item that includes a photo of the packaging!

Etsy Holiday How-To #4: Photographing Your Items

2008-10-14T14:24:00-05:00

For our fourth how-to in this series, the Etsy Labs crew escapes the glare of the paparrazi just long enough to show you how to make your item photos look sharp and professional. From backdrops to cropping, learn how to make those JPEGS sparkle and shine!

And remember to stay tuned for our how-to next week!

Here are the previous ones in this series:

Etsy Holiday How-To #1: Packaging

Etsy Holiday How-To #2: Branding your Shipping Materials

Etsy Holiday How-To #3: Creating Labels and Hang-Tags

See more in the Seller Handbook!

[This video was originally published October 12, 2007. We're bringing it back for the '08 season!]

How-to Photograph Jewelry: Get the Basics with Vadjutka

2008-06-04T14:43:00-05:00

vadjutka.etsy.com recently submitted a piece on Hungarian traditional and contemporary crafts for the Etsy World Tour series. Turns out she has worked as a professional photojournalist. She now sells her jewelry on Etsy, and so she has some crucial tips for jewelry sellers who want to take great photos of their items. Read on, sellers, for more on exposure, background, angles, and more....

I think most jewelry makers have faced this problem at least once: how to take a good photo and how to style that photo to make the most of an item. In the next few paragraphs I'll try to sum up the practices I learned as a photojournalist — which could be useful for photographing still subjects like jewelry.

1. Light: Sharp vs. Smooth Shadows
There you are, with a beautiful piece of jewelry, ready to take some photos and list it in your shop. Right before you push the button on your camera, there are a few things that might be good to consider: for example, the angle of the light coming from outside (or inside), and the shadow it casts on your item. Some may like sharp lines, others may like smooth. For those who belong to the first group, natural light it is best, and it is useful to take pictures around noon, when the sun is high. Those who prefer smooth lines should shoot in the morning or after 4 pm.

Sharp, defined shadows:
.
[Dangle earrings by fantcastle]

[Crown necklace by spicychocolate ]

Smooth, diffused shadows:

[earrings by shimmerglassjewelry]

[Mushroom ring by ctseibels]

Of course, most of us don't have time to wait for the perfect sunlight to arrive. What can we do if we only have time to shoot in the early evening, when the light is not so bright, but we don't want an underexposed grey picture as a result? We shall use the flash, but not directly — and ever so carefully! Using flash directly makes very bright white spots on the picture, because the light of the flash is not diffused to different directions. So either we can put a smaller white plastic card on the flash to diffuse light, or if it is not possible, cover the flash with a white tissue. It will result a brighter picture but without the distracting, overexposed bright spots.

2. Correcting the photometer
If your camera allows you to adjust it manually, don't be afraid to use it. At first it might seem a bit difficult, but one can learn it quite quickly. There are two main "numbers" we have to deal with: the shutter speed (the duration of time the shutter is opened) — its values are marked with 1/125, 1/60, 1/30 etc. — and the F-stop (the amount of light coming into the camera’s aperture) — its values are marked with numbers like 2,2, 2,8, 3,5, 5,6 etc.

Don't panic about having to measure these values manually, as the photometer built into the camera does it for us. Though built-in photometers react quickly — my photometer measures on nine different spots — at the end of the measuring process we get an average number. This means that if we do not correct the measurement a little bit, we might get a photo with over or underexposed spots.

If we want the darker spots to be more detailed, we have to add a bit more light: either with a lower f-stop or with a lower shutter-speed. Consequently, we do the opposite in case of overexposed spots — for example, when taking photos of a white, glittering or very bright jewelry, we add one or one-and-half to the measured values of the photometer, which means higher numbers of f-number and shutter-speed.

[measured by photometer and altered values, photo by vadjutka.etsy.com]

If we sit in a quite dark room, and all f-stops are gone (which means that the shutter is opened to its maximum size), we still have opportunities by letting in more light with an even lower shutter speed number. As far as I know, most people can make a sharp picture with the maximum value 1/30 of a second for shutter speed; below that, photos become blurred. So if the picture requires longer than that, we should use a tripod...or stabilize our hands on a sturdy object (in extreme situations it can be our knees, as well), hold back breathing, and shoot!

LINKS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-number
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutter_speed

3. Go closer! - Making a photo essay
When I was in photography school, my teacher always asked me: “What do you want to say with these distant pictures? Go closer!” Luckily enough, we can get close quite easily when shooting jewelry, thus easily fulfilling what my teacher always wanted: one close-up picture showing details of the item, and one "big picture," showing the whole item its environment, or on a model. We should also take some photos from different angles: what does the item look like from the back, or from the sides? It is like telling a story, except in pictures and not in words.

[by yasminbochi]

[by lesthings]

[by juliery]

4. Background: patterns vs. white
An important part of telling the story of your jewelry in pictures is the background of the photo. Browsing Etsy, we can find a few main types of backgrounds: plain white, solid color backgrounds, and non-white, patterned backgrounds — usually with flowers, shapes or letters. The plain white background has an advantage: it is easier to photograph, and easier to take in visually. Using white as background has one more advantage: it intensifies the light, so it can help in taking photos of a darker item. We can use a plain white sheet for photography — that is what I do, or a white box (see here for a how-to).

An example of a white box:

[photo by panyizsuzsi.etsy.com]

white backgrounds:

[fabric necklace by fabricfarrago]

[polymer pendant necklace by jkollmann]

[ring by KelbelleDesigns]

The advantage of a non-white background is that a good background adds a special meaning and an atmosphere to the jewelry, thus creating its own little world. Make sure to consider the look and feel of your shop as a whole. Ask yourself, "Does this background work with the overall branding and image I want for my work? Will my target buyers relate to it?"

non-white backgrounds:

[ring by pocketfullofpoesy]

[Cherry Drop earrings by nicoleleeartistry]

[necklace by TheHandOfFatima]

These are just some general tips. Within these constraints, the photographer can really get creative and best of all — let the jewelry shine as the center of attention.

Here's a link to other photo how-tos on the Storque. Add any of your favorite tips in the comments below!

Etsy Pets in Vogue: Getting The Right Shot

2008-04-30T13:41:00-05:00

It's pet week here at the Storque! Keep tabs on the Etsy Pets featured column for all the cute pet stuff you can handle. Sellers, here are some expert tips for pooch and other pet modeling...

With pet fashion and creature comforts more popular than ever, many of us are using our own furry friends to model and showcase our pet goods. Here on Etsy, stellar product photography and presentation are essential to creating interest and making sales, and our pet model shots should be no exception.

Here are some tips to help you get the most of your pet’s time in front of the lens.

Treats are vital! We all know the benefit of food motivation, and our pets are no exception. Good eats are a major key to getting, and holding, their attention. “Offer lots of praise and tasty snacks,” says anniessweatshop of working with their wiener dogs, Porter and Stout. “My pups get Cheerios for every ‘money shot.’ Eventually your pet will associate photo shoots with snack time and they’ll eagerly pose.”

No flash, please. Paparazzi shots sell tabloids, but not the latest in Purr Purr toys or Poochie Ponchos. RedBerryCrochet shared that when photographing her cat, B.C., “Flash photos are too harsh and I don’t like the reflections in the eyes.” Natural lighting is the best choice as it allows you to photograph the true color of your pet and product. Plus, you avoid the dreaded red eye syndrome. And as anniessweatshop says, “Evil eyes aren’t cute.”

Don’t stress, go with the flow. If you’ve got a RuPaws or Kitty Krawford to work with, you know how stressful their diva ways can be, but there’s no reason for you to have a meltdown. “You have to be really patient when you are trying to capture your pet in a photograph, especially when you are an amateur photographer. I will snap a ton of pictures in one bed or crate cover session and I’m bound to get a couple good shots from that moment,” remarks BowWowBeds on shooting her Great Dane, Darth Vader. For those who are trying to get shots of their feline models, RedBerryCrochet offers this advice: “For indoor shots, I also use a tripod and a camera timer. Using the timer gives me a few seconds to attract their attention by snapping my fingers or waving a toy above the camera.”

Don’t fear editing tools. We all know magazine models are airbrushed to perfection, and there’s no reason why your photos can’t be just as "clean." Without altering the appearance of your product, you can create a stand out image by whiting out the background or cloning out that unsightly eye booger. Dogties uses natural settings, solid color carpet or a white poster board as backgrounds when taking photos of Casey, Otis and Lilly. “They photoshop really well,” she says. If you’re not a photo-editing aficionado, don’t freak. You can find tons of info on the net and in books for beginners as well as those into more advanced techniques.

If you enjoy yourself, your pet will, too. It’s a fact that our pets pick up on our moods and can even manifest our anxieties, so if you’re pulling your hair out and grinding your teeth, don’t expect Rover to cooperate. A relaxed and calm atmosphere will go a long way in getting you the best photos and teaching Miss Meow that the camera is a good thing. designsbyone suggested that we “try to work with things that motivate our pets: a favorite toy, food, verbal praise, anything that will make it fun for them as well.” Cheese and fashion are great motivators for their supermodel, Velma Kelly, a rescued Chihuahua Dachshund mix.

Now that you’re armed with some great advice grab your camera, a product, a pet, and work it like Tyra!

Further Resources
The following links will help you to learn even more about great pet and product photography. Also, check out the Storque's photo tips!

Digital-photography-school.com
Photographing Pets for Dummies
Picnik.com
Airbrush Away Photo Mistakes with cnet
Digital Photo Basics with cnet
Lighting Tips with cnet

cbarjcrafts is a self-taught artist of sorts who enjoys playing in clay and creating animal figurines. She lives in the lovely state of North Carolina with her flock of chickens and ducks, three dogs and a ferret. When she's not creating inventory for her shop, working on her blog (christys-critters.blogspot.com), or working on all the other stuff that goes along with running a business, you’ll probably find her out hiking around with the camera or kung fu fighting with her rooster, who fancies himself the next Chuck Norris.

Handmade Wedding Series: Inside Tips from Wedding Photographer MagicIsland

2008-04-10T23:14:00-05:00

MagicIsland makes a living as a wedding photographer in North Carolina. She shares some tips with the Handmade Wedding Series on how to find the right photographer for your nuptials.

Can you introduce yourself and tell me about your experiences as a photographer?
My names Mary Haggerty, I have a photography shop on Ocracoke Island in North Carolina called Ocracoke Photo (and two shops here on Etsy: MagicIsland and Photo America). I have worked as a photojournalist for more than 14 years and have been a freelance photographer for The New York Times. I have also been a portrait, wedding and Fine Art Photographer. I have had my photographs exhibited in galleries and museums. So, I have a good deal of background as a photographer. My wedding photography reflects my background as a wedding / portrait photographer, fine artist, and photojournalist.

Many artists and crafters have friends who take cool photos. I imagine they could do a pretty good job snapping some great shots. But I wonder if they would be able to cover all the angles? Why not have a friend who likes to photograph be your photographer? Why hire a professional?
The most important thing to consider if you want to guarantee that your photos will be wonderful is to hire a professional. Hire someone with experience. I can’t stress this enough. Consider photography first. It’s what you will have to keep (besides your spouse) after the wedding is over. It’s what will be sitting on your mantle and bookshelf and in your album for the rest of your life. Photographs are the treasures you’ll share with your friends and relatives and maybe your children. It’s a record of your love.

Asking a friend to photograph your wedding can be very tricky. There's a lot of pressure involved in photographing a wedding. Your friend and designated photographer won't get to enjoy themselves as a guest. So, what you might want to do is ask a friend who knows how to take photographs to take pictures for an hour or so before the wedding or during the ceremony and a few after of the bride and groom and some family, but not all day. If it's a local wedding and off season, sometimes I'll go out for and hour or two for a bride. You might find a professional willing to do that.

What do you need to know about printing, albums, and negatives/digital files?
Have in mind what you’d like as a finished product. There are all styles of wedding albums and this truly depends on your personal style and how creative you are.

I think most photographers now use digital cameras. I wouldn't say digital is better than negatives, just easier. So if your photographer shoots film, that’s fine; labs usually transfer file onto CDs too. A lot of my weddings are destination weddings so my couples are in town for a week or so. Because I shoot digital, this way they can select their photos the next day in my shop, I print in house and they have all their photos to take home along with their album. There are also many options for having a traditional book professionally bound: this is very expensive and takes 8 weeks to get your book finished. Ask your photographer what products and services they offer. They may offer things like in house printing, canvas prints and custom framing.

I've been working with Etsy seller decklededgebindery on some handmade albums.

What are the price ranges?
This is hard to say, price ranges are so different from place to place and also determined by the experience of the photographer. I think you could get a photographer for $500... or $30,000. My wedding packages start at $1,250 and that includes an album.

What are the different styles? Seems like there's photojournalistic style and then on the other hand, traditional wedding photographer style?
Photojournalist style is very popular. A lot of my brides come to me knowing my background as a photojournalist, they almost always tell me that's what they want, until I remind them they may also want some posed family photos, and yes, they usually do want a few of these also. I would say a mix of traditional and photojournalist styles work well together.
Make sure you like the photographer's style and that it fits your personal taste. Take a good look at their photographs.

What should you look for in a black and white photo, say? vs color? Any tips?
I shoot all my weddings in digital color files. Any digital files can be made into black and white prints. I really like the look of classic Black and White. Usually my couples use a mixture of color and black and white in their albums.

In what situation would you need an assistant?
I don't use an assistant but if you're having a wedding with over 200 guest or a big affair you might want to find a photographer with an assistant.

What's the deal with getting a photographer if you're doing a destination wedding?
Most of my weddings on the Island are destination weddings. Hiring a local provider is a good choice. You could look online or call the local Chamber of Commerce or check the county website; they all have wedding provider information. If you know any locals ask them for referrals. It's best to go visit your destination spot and make appointments to meet with all the wedding providers you're interested in. I also supply couples with local information on music and food, flowers, and lodging provider suggestions if they ask! If you find a band or florist you get along with, ask them what photographer they would recommend. If you can't visit and you find a photographer online you'd like to hire, you can ask them for phone numbers of couples whose weddings they've done and that would talk with you. This is very helpful. Alternatively, you could also hire a wedding planner.

One more note about destination weddings: you'll also want to find out about wedding license requirements and also things like getting permits you might need. If your wedding is here at the beach or at our historic lighthouse you need to get a permit from the National Park Service. So, ask about these things too!

Where is a good place to start looking for photographer in one's area? Are there websites or organizations you can recommend?
If you're looking for photographers in your own area, asking friends for referrals is a good idea; ask if you can see their wedding albums.

I suggest a face to face meeting with potential photographers. Do you feel comfortable with them? Most people aren’t used to being in front of a camera for a whole day. So, it’s best to find a photographer that you feel at ease with, your photos will look more natural. I think that's very important. If you can't meet with them a phone call is good and if you need more information, ask for referrals and phone numbers from couples who have hired this photographer. They can tell you not only how good their photos are but also what it was like to work with the photographer.

Further Resources:
Ocracoke Photo: www.OcracokePhoto.com
Ocracoke Island’s website: www.Ocracokevillage.com
Pirate ship wedding cruise: www.schoonerwindfall.com
Outer Banks wedding guide: www.outerbanksweddingguide.com

Wedding Gift Guide | Wedding Category | Wedding Showcase | Handmade Wedding Series

Customer Care Tip: Privacy and Custom Orders

2008-03-12T17:05:00-05:00

Dear Sellers:

We love all of the custom items available on Etsy, and we hope that the return of Alchemy will make it easier for buyers to request custom pieces and for sellers to list them. However, there are some things to keep in mind when making and listing custom and personalized items.

With such amazing artists and designers here, there's a great opportunity for buyers to request handmade creations like custom designed invitations and promotional materials. Typically, sellers post the images of the custom item for the buyer to see before they checkout.

This is where sellers need to take an extra step to ensure the privacy of their buyers. If you (the seller) have created an item for a buyer that includes sensitive information such as an address, phone number, or personal email address, please make sure the images do not show the buyer's information!

Sold listings cannot be edited, so the best thing to do is first send the images to the buyer for approval (through convo or email) instead of using them as one of the images in the listing. Then, when you're ready to post the listing, either upload a generic image, or take a photo that doesn't show the private details (take the photo at a further distance so you can't read the text or blur out the info in Photoshop).

Here's how you attach an image to a convo:

This will protect your buyers and prevent you from having to email support to remove the image. It's the whole "ounce of prevention vs. a pound of cure" theory.

Have fun making your custom items!

Staying Sharp: Achieving Clarity and Crispness in Your Photos

2008-02-07T19:09:00-05:00

When you sell your craft online, photos are vitally important to your success. Without a physical item to touch and look at, your customers rely on your pictures as their tactile experience. Nothing will turn away a customer faster than a blurry photo with inscrutable details. Luckily, there are many solutions to this common frustration that can help you achieve a sharp, crisp, and alluring photo.

Set-up Solutions

Lighting: Good lighting is essential, because without it, your camera can’t capture the fine details and different tones and values of your item. A good source of light can be as simple as a bright windowsill. Direct sunlight, however, can wash out and overexpose your photo, so take care to either shoot on overcast days or diffuse the light with a sheer curtain or a piece of tracing paper taped to the window. Achieving good light levels indoors is trickier, but can be done inexpensively with a DIY lightbox and a pair of high-wattage full-spectrum industrial or shop lamps. When shooting indoors, be sure to have at least two sources of light, one on each side of the item, to avoid harsh shadows. Take advantage of your camera’s exposure values scale and white balance as well (see Bright Light, Big Color: Using EV and White Balance to Make Your Photos True to Life).

Tripod: Snapping a sharp photo requires a steady hand. The slightest movement of your hands or body, even the simple act of depressing the shutter, can result in “camera shake” – the blurring of an image that occurs when the lens is moved while the shutter is open. A tripod solves this problem by providing a stable base for your camera. The camera is affixed to the head of the tripod, so your hands are off the camera until the shutter is depressed. Tripods come in all sizes, from floor models ideal for taking shots of large items such as clothing or art, to tiny table-top models that are great for jewelry and other small items. In a pinch, if you don’t have a tripod, a bag of rice or other bean-bag type surface placed on the table top or on a stack of books can provide a stable enough base for you to angle your camera and snap a sharper photo.

In-Camera Solutions

Macro Mode: Taking clear photos of very small objects, such as jewelry, can be difficult unless you utilize your camera’s macro function. Read through your camera’s manual to determine how to switch your camera into macro mode. The icon for macro mode usually looks like a small flower. By switching your camera into macro mode your camera will be able to focus on objects as close as 2cm away, depending on your camera model.

Left: Photo taken with default camera settings. Right: Photo taken in macro mode.

Focusing: Most contemporary digital cameras have a two-step focus function that enables the user to select precisely what part of the item they want in focus. Try depressing the shutter button of your camera only halfway down, and watch for one or more rectangles to appear on the camera’s screen. The part of the image within the rectangle will be in focus. Once you see this rectangle, fully depress the shutter button. Generally this rectangle will appear in the centre of the screen, but if you want the focus of your image off-center, simply move your camera to the left or right while keeping the shutter button half-depressed, then press down all the way when the image is arranged as you wish. You may need to practice this technique several times before achieving a consistent result.

Remote Shutter Release/Timer: If camera shake is your main enemy, you might consider purchasing a remote shutter release for your camera. This is simply a button on a cord that when plugged into your camera, allows you to depress the shutter without touching the camera at all, completely eliminating camera shake. You can also achieve a similar result by utilizing the timer on your camera.

Depth of Field: Ever see those artsy photos that are sharp in one part of the image, and blurry everywhere else? You can create that effect by utilizing depth-of-field. Depth-of-field refers to how much of the area in front of or behind the subject of the image is in focus. A “shallow” DOF means that very little of the image is in focus – perhaps only the item itself, or even just a small part of the item. A “deep” DOF means that most of, if not all the image is in focus, including the foreground, subject, and background. DOF can be complicated to understand, but essentially it is composed of a geometric sequence called “f-stops," which describe focal length divided by the aperture diameter.

Left: Photo taken using f-stop f/8, resulting in a deep depth-of-field (in focus from back to front). Right: Photo taken using f-stop f/2.8, resulting in a shallow depth-of-field (in focus up close, blurry far away).

The smaller the f-stop (i.e. f/2.8), the shallower the DOF. The higher the f-stop (i.e. f/16), the deeper the DOF. If you have a manually operated digital camera or a camera with an “Aperture Priority” mode, you can take advantage of DOF to create some great photographs. To get that sharp-in-front-blurry-in-the-back effect, switch to Aperture Priority and set your f-stop as low as it can go. In most cameras without an add-on macro lens, f/2.8 is the lowest possible setting. Focus the camera carefully on one part of the item by depressing the shutter halfway as described previously, then snap your photo. Again, this can take some practice but the effects are worthwhile.

Post-Processing Solutions

Photoshop: Levels: Using the Levels function in Photoshop can help to bring out the details in too-dark or too-light photographs (for tips on how to use Levels, see this article).

Photoshop - Unsharp Mask: Although the name seems counter-intuitive, the unsharp mask function in Photoshop is the quickest and easiest way to sharpen your photos during post-processing. Unsharp mask uses a combination of sharpening and blurring edges to increase contrast, whereas the sharpen function only sharpens, which can lead to unwanted edge pixelation. There are three controls that make up unsharp mask: amount, radius, and threshold. The amount slider controls how much contrast is enhanced. It can generally be left between 100-150%. The radius is the most important slider, as it designates how far to look for anything that might be considered an edge.

Left: Photo before using Unsharp Mask. Right: Photo after using Unsharp Mask.

This means that a low resolution image should have a lower radius setting than a higher resolution image. A good rule of thumb is to take the photo resolution and divide by 200. Set the radius at the resulting number. For example, if resolution is 180dpi, set the radius to 0.9. Threshold basically withholds the results of the other two sliders, so it can usually be left at 0, unless you have unwanted grain in the photo that needs smoothing. Be cautious to not over-sharpen your image, or it will look pixelated – good sharpening is subtle and enhances the photo without overpowering it.

Final Tip: Practice, practice, practice! One of the great advantages of digital photography is that you can take endless numbers of photographs with no waste, so don’t hesitate to take the time to figure out which of these techniques can work for you.

Happy snapping!

For more photography how-tos, go here! Also, terrain is an experienced photographer and has shared her expertise with the Storque before, so for more of her how-tos, go here!

Give Props: How to Style Your Photos

2008-01-29T11:19:00-05:00

Styling is a tool with unlimited possibilities. It can help your products and your store present a unique and cohesive presence to potential buyers and existing customers who are interested in getting to know you better.

In professional circles, a stylist is someone who works closely with a photographer and art director to provide a shot with appropriate elements, helping to create an enhanced, thoughtful (and sometimes thought-provoking) photo. Sometimes, a styled shot is used in tandem with a hero shot (a shot which shows product alone).

If this is your first time souping up a shot, this will guide you through. In time, you’ll get faster and more daring as your styling mind develops! The end result will be beautiful, creative photos which not only showcase your unique items on Etsy, but provide attention-grabbing images to show off in blogs, periodicals, newsletters, or anywhere you find a promotional or photo op!

Getting Started: Take Notes
Consider the subject: in this case, the item you’re going to sell. Because you’ll be introducing props, you should make sure they will not detract from or confuse the shot you’re planning. Spending a little time thinking about the product itself will help avoid this.

Helpful Things to Think About

What is the product?
What are it’s obvious qualities? Color, size, texture, function, shape...
What are the hidden attributes or uses that you find interesting? These are attributes which may not be obvious to buyers. But, these are the attributes which really sell an item.
Is it portable?
Does it make a great gift or party favor?
Was it made with a special process?
Is it all-natural?
What inspired you? List anything you think is interesting about your product.

As an example, I’ve chosen a card set I designed. Somewhere in my listing, I’ll want to show a hero shot, which features all of the cards together. But, to create more of a mood and spark their imaginations with excitement and potential for this item, I will also take a style shot, which will highlight one of the card designs.

[My Listing: Card Set]

Obvious Qualities: Pink, small, note card, gift card, paper

Hidden Attributes: Surprise, taste, party favor, food, dessert, secret admirer, dinner party, gift tag, scrapbooking, photo embellishment, business card, candy, secret, pocket-sized, politeness, manners, etiquette, modern, bright, happy, tea party, friendship, sweetness

Brainstorming
Working off your list, and keeping an open mind, consider some ideas for your styling. Remember, the point of styling a shot is not to obscure the qualities of an item, but to enhance them while opening the viewer’s mind to more possibilities. Try to show the item, but also to tell a story. Yum!

I was really inspired by the qualities of crisp, modern etiquette, giving little surprise gifts, and the idea of sugary, dessert-y treats when looking at my ‘You’re Sweet’ card. So, my prop ideas derive from those
attributes. Taking a quick look at them let me know that the color palette I’d chosen was working together.

More Ideas and Examples

Show portability or usefulness. If your product is small and portable, you may want to show off this attribute by planning a realistic, lifestyle shot where it’s shown nestled in a tote bag, alongside a book or wallet. Or, show how it might be used.

Show inspiration. Maybe your product was made in your inspiring country studio. Consider incorporating some branches or leaves from your garden into your shots. Maybe one little pinecone resting next to it is all you need.

Show process. Do your buyers seek out your product because it is made in a certain way? Are there special tools you use to create your items? You might want to incorporate these into your photo...a sprinkling of saw-dust, a needle and thread, a sketch, an assortment of wood-block type pieces.

Set It Up and Get Snapping!
First, set up a shot with just one or two of your new props. Take a test shot. Do they bring out anything interesting in your item? If you don’t feel it’s quite right, be patient and critique what is wrong. Art direct yourself: can you take a different angle, move the props into a less or more prominent place? Change the focus? Be patient. It may take some time until you feel you get photos with the right balance that accents your product and vision while still providing flavor.

Below are some test shots I thought had some good ideas happening between my item and my prop choices.

Build On Your Ideas
See if you can take it further. Can you add a twist that better distinguishes your own style as an artist/craftsperson? Or, can you add in another product to showcase more of your collection? Once you get comfortable using props and you feel your product is really singing in its new environment, push the boundaries. Use interesting angles, lighting, materials, or focus to add to your story.

For my shot, I really liked the way the tea cup was looking, but I preferred the gold cup to the green, and chose the simpler background to give more clarity. I was really excited by the way the raw sugar was adding texture to my concept, so, I worked with it, and tried some different ways of bringing it in. I thought the shot was looking a little monochromatic, so I added some subtle green, crafty touches to offset that.

These are my six final shots. I really enjoy the front-and center shots which do the work of a hero shot while still showing off the styling. I also simplified the presence of the sugar, using it more as a shape and texture than a prop. I could take this even further by adding in a table-cloth, or natural wood tabletop, but that is a project for another day.

Below are more great examples of sellers who use really clever styling ideas. As you’ll see in the shots below, sometimes the simplest styling can really give flair, drama, and even humor to an item. By using similar styling across all of your collection, you can create a really cohesive and inviting look for your entire store.

Moss Limited Edition Sketchbook by lusummers

Glittering Opulant Marie Antoinette Choker by louiseblack

Mini Runner in Vintage Green by yorktownroad

Custom Silhouette Pendant by luckymebeads

More Helpful Things To Keep in Mind...

Keep your eyes open. Props are everywhere! Sometimes, just walking through a new environment can give you some great ideas. Take a stroll through the dollar store and see what you come up with. What about that margarine tub of mismatched buttons hiding in the craft closet? They might make a great background...

Look for examples. When you get a magazine and a photo pops out at you, take a closer look at how it was styled to learn technique.

Incorporate more of your own items. Try putting other items from your shop into a shot without losing focus on the main item. This shows how well items in your collection work together!

Last, and most importantly...be free. Sometimes, the best way to come up with an idea if you’re really stumped is just to play. Remember, you are the art director. Look beyond the typical use for your item, and just have fun with it.

For more SusyJack goodness, check out our interview.

What's your take on stying photos? Leave it in the comments!

Online Workshop Wrap-Up: Color Theory Applied to Your Shop

2008-01-29T04:01:00-05:00

Even if you missed us in our sparkly gem sweaters during last week's Wednesday Online Workshop, you can still get the point! In accompaniment with Jenlo262's recent color theory article, we discussed the basics of color theory, and how you can apply its principles to brighten up your shop. In case you weren't able to make it to the Virtual Labs, you'll find a wrap-up below with important notes from the discussion. You may also want to check out the other articles in the Shop Makeover Series!

We began the Online Workshop with a discussion about the color wheel and the principles used to create color themes to complement your products.

The Monochromatic Color Scheme uses one single color in a combination of different tints, shades and tones. A great example of monochromatic can be seen in this adorable dress by Neneee.etsy.com.

The Analogous Color Scheme uses three colors that are next to each other on the color wheel, for example blue, green and yellow. One color is used as the dominant color, while the others are used as an accent.

Take a look at this beautiful skein of analogous yarn by brennx0r.etsy.com.

The Complementary Color Scheme is made up of two colors that are opposite one another on the color wheel, for example blue and orange. This is a great color scheme to use when you really want to create a dramatic contrast between your item and the background.

Check out how maryandjane.etsy.com's red dot earrings vividly stand out against the green background. This is a perfect example of how complementary colors can really make your item stand out or "pop" as they say.

The Split Complementary Color Scheme uses the base color, in addition with the two colors adjacent to its complement. This color scheme creates a strong contrast, but does so in a more subtle way.

Take a look at lupin.etsy.com's colorful pansy brooch and how she used the split complementary color scheme of green, purple and yellow to create a balanced color contrast which really makes her item stand out.

The Triadic Color Scheme uses three colors which are evenly spaced around the color wheel. If you draw an equilateral triangle over the color wheel, you will create a triadic color scheme at the three points, for example green, purple and orange.

The Tetradic Color Scheme uses four colors arranged in two complementary pairs and looks best when one color dominates three accent colors. If you draw a rectangle over your color wheel, your will create a tetradic color scheme at the four points.

And just a note to all those who were trying to say that Mary didn't have her facts straight, it is indeed TETRADIC!

Creating a Mood with Color

Colors can be carefully combined to create a mood within your shop to complement the type of items you are selling.

If you are selling delicate, feminine items, you may want to use a soft color palette such as white, yellow and pink.

If you are looking to make a bold statement, you can use a warm color palette like yellow, red and orange. These colors have been shown to raise a person's heart rate and create excitement.

A shop selling vintage items, or items with a vintage feel may want to use a color scheme that was popular within the era the items are from or inspired by. For example, if you want your shop to have a 1970's feel, you might want to use avocado green, brown and mustard yellow.

Using a cool color palette can complement a shop filled with eco-friendly products very nicely since the cool colors like blue, green and grey are most commonly found in nature.

If your shop items incorporate a broad range of colors, you can use neutral backgrounds like black and white, silver and grey or tan and gold in order to unify your items. Neutral colors will help draw the focus to your product and make the vibrant color palette within your items stand out.

Another trick is to create a shop centered around one single background color. This is a great way to brand your shop and create consistency. Take a look at how kinchi.etsy.com's shop uses bright green in the background of every photo. This gives the shop a fun vibrant feeling which perfectly complements the children's clothing sold in the shop.

I hope this information has inspired you to go out and experiment with color, expecially during these cold, dark winter days.

Give it a shot soon, because we'll be highlighting Shop Makeover Series before and after screenshots at the end of the month. Paste the links in the comments below!

Shop Makeover Series: Makeover Your Listings with Color

2008-01-22T19:41:00-05:00

For her second post in her color theory series, jenlo262 has some recommendations and examples for sellers undertaking the Shop Makeover series. The following article covers color combinations and theory, as it applies to your listings.

Before you can make a sale, you will need to get buyers to look at your art. There’s no better way to entice the browsing customer to click on your image than by keeping it fresh, interesting, and colorful!

For the first image in your listing, I suggest worrying less about what and more about the wow. It’s not necessarily important to capture the whole complete image of your item as long as you get the basics of the item with some colorful artsy flair. How can color make your item pop? Follow these six tricks for a better image and see how these sellers made it work…

First things first — keep your colors true: Before you start arranging or choosing colors for your background, you will want to make sure you can keep your colors as bright as they can be by building a light box (see Lori's post here). A box will especially help when trying to keep your whites bright — making your item the center of attention. If you can’t build a light box (or your item is too big, keep it natural by using indirect sunlight. For two-dimensional items, scanners work great too if you have one available.

[crochet pattern by anapaulaoli, yarn by OneSheepHill, bracelet by FancyFreeMe ]
Contrast - balancing your lights and darks: Keep your item from blending into your background by using dark colored backgrounds for light items and light backgrounds for dark items. Or mix and match!

[earrings by KiwiTreeBotique, mug by misslo, apron by JoyfulAbode]
A splash of bright color: Keep your listing fresh by increasing your color intensity.

[soap by SudsMuffin, beads by tearose, cuff by NicoleLorentz]
Using your color compliments: Make your item pop by looking across your color wheel for a background color.
[buttons by frombelgiumwithlove, hairpins by thefunkyfelter, clay pendant by Dirtgirlpottery]
Using analogous colors: Invite your viewer into your listing with a lovely combination of similar colors.

[earrings by staroftheeast, face wall pocket by amandamoon, ceramic pendant by leapinglizards's shop]
An artsy background: Finally, give your listing a little artsy flair with an interesting, unusual, or incongruous background and have some fun!

[earrings by executeme, lariat necklace by 12linden, vintage book by whiteelephantvintage, Green Katamari pincushion by ReFabulous]

If you’re still not sure how to spruce up your listing, try just keeping it simple. The tiny little square that makes or breaks whether you get a shopper in your shop can only hold so much. A solid colored background with a quality photo will make a great lead-in to your wonderful works of art.

Comment below with links to your before and after screenshots from your Shop Makeover improvements! Which of the techniques described here helped you out?

Jenlo262 Presents: The Basics of Color Theory

2008-01-16T14:47:00-05:00

When winter is in full swing, there is no better time to consider color! Even in winter, color is everywhere. It jumps out at us from a group of children playing in the snow with their brightly colored hats and scarves, and it falls deep into the background of the soft lavender hills in the distance. It weaves itself throughout our homes, our landscapes, and city streets. But how do we use these colors in our creative processes – be it painting, weaving, sewing, or decorating? How can we make colors come to life in the middle of winter?

The artist’s basic color wheel (which differs from the subtractive wheel used by printers which has magenta, yellow, and cyan as its primary colors) helps us define what we are seeing, and how to make a world of color work for us. The idea behind the color wheel starts with three primary colors (red, blue, yellow) evenly spaced around the wheel. These colors are considered primary because they can not be created by mixing other colors. Historically, for artists, they were considered the building blocks for all other color choices.

As you most likely learned in your kindergarten class using glasses of colored water (although you may have forgotten by now), mixing two primary colors together creates the secondary colors of purple, green, and orange. Then, by looking across the wheel, this establishes your complementary color combinations: red and green, blue and orange, and yellow and purple. Artists consider these complements to encompass the whole spectrum of colors, since when they are mixed together (e.g. red mixed with green) they produce grey. (Or what we used to call in art class – “mud," at which point we knew it was time to go clean our brushes!)

If you need a little (and I mean little) science to back this up for you, consider the effect of the complementary colors on your eyes (more specifically the cones and rods inside your eyes).

Take 20 seconds to stare at the orange square, and then stare at the white space to the right of it (or a blank white wall or white sheet of paper) for 20 seconds. What do you see?

You are likely to see a faint blue square shape – the complement of orange. If it doesn’t work for you, it works best if you color in a red or orange square with markers on a plain piece of paper, so feel free to try it again. And remember: I said a little science! It’s also fun to note that the faint square your eyes produce is the same shape as the original colored shape at which you were staring. For more information (and another more complex eye test), go here.

But what can these complementary colors do for you? For early artists it was a great way to deceive the viewer. When blue pigment was scarce (i.e. expensive), an artist could make a grey sky look more blue by using an orange color next to the sky. A color complement is just that: it brings out its complement in surrounding colors, making it brighter and more vibrant.

So, if you want those colors to pop off the page, you can place complementary colors next to each other. Or if you want to hint at a color, you can use a complement to bring out color from something more neutral. It is also a great way to help a viewer travel through your painting, your quilt project, or even your room! Watch your eye travel from an orange pillow, to a blue vase, to an orange and blue quilt lying across your favorite chair. Using even a little bit of color complements can brighten any home!

Going further into the color wheel, we can mix primary and secondary colors together to give us a broader range of colors (tertiary colors) from which we can create color schemes – color combinations that work well together (e.g. using colors that are side by side on the wheel with one or two complements).

Another way to do this? Shop by COLOR! Choose two or three colors near each other in the Etsy color chart, and then venture out to find a complement! It’s a great way to look at a variety of colors to find your color scheme and also get to look at the items that go with them. Understanding your color wheel will make the process of finding colors that work together easier, but as you create your color combinations for your painting, your room, your afghan project, and more, it is important to realize that there are other factors at play as well (lights and darks, warms and cools, the emotions of color – more on that later). However, understanding your color wheel will be a great start to any project!

Look for the next installment in Jenlo262's series on color theory, coming soon!

Wednesday Workshop Wrap-Up: Shop Makeover Series

2008-01-15T18:49:00-05:00

In our latest weekly Wednesday workshop, we discussed the importance of the current shop makeover series. Below is a summary of what we discussed. A crowd of Etsy users joined us in the Virtual Labs for a question and answer session. Each question was asked by an Etsy seller and each answer was a brainstorm generated by the EtsyLabs, as well as fellow Etsy sellers. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Join us for this week's workshop Wednesday, January 16th in the Virtual Labs, specifically the "photo lab" room, at 4:00pm EST sharp for the next Labs Online Workshop!

Question 1: Which is better, one shop with lots of different type items or 2 shops that specialize?

A note from Etsy's official Terms of Use: A person may have more than one account. However, it's not a practice we encourage or support. There are certain guidelines you must adhere to, including full disclosure of ALL your accounts in each profile. Additionally, your actions under one username will apply to all your accounts. So if you break the rules, the consequences effect you across the board. Please see the DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy (under Member Accounts) for more information.
Having one shop is best. A great way to make all the items you offer in the one shop look good together is by photographing your items at a similar angle for your first thumbnail shot.

Question 2: Any suggestions on how to accurately photograph red fabric?

Use a diffused light source or the sun, when it is hitting the object from an angle with some shadow.
Try photographing in natural daylight when the lights and sun are not directly shining on the fabric.
Perhaps describe the item in the listing as "cherry red" or "burgundy" or "candy apple red."
You can buy a "grey card" and read light off of it using your camera.
Try adjusting the hue in Photoshop.
Try scanning a swatch of the fabric and see what happens.
Don't use the flash on your camera!
One seller said that she used to have the same problem when she was using a very old camera. When she upgraded to a new camera, she felt the new camera addressed the red problem better.

Question 3: How important is a good avatar?

There is a whole article that addresses this question in depth.

Question 4: I have always questioned my item descriptions. I hope they are alright because going back and changing them = not fun times.

With item descriptions, it's always a good idea to make sure you have all of the pertinent information you yourself would want to know if YOU were buying the item.
Include concise, clear descriptions that include all the pertinent information, including size and dimensions, information about texture, color, scent, and anything else that will accurately represent your product.

Question 5: Where do you discover what people want?

This is a tough question that can be highly debated. Some artists tend to make things they think people will want to buy and others are driven to create work for themselves that they hope others will appreciate too.
If you are targeting a specific customer base, start looking at magazines that the customer base might read and look at the types of products in there. You could also start a thread in the Etc. or Crafting and Business forums on Etsy asking what people are looking to buy.
Make a note in your shop announcement and/or profile that states that you accept custom orders. In that way, customers can come to you with what they want.

Question 6: What is the one thing a seller can do to improve their shop?

Read this article about photos and take all the advice in it.
In a poll, workshop attendees overwhelmingly agreed that photos are the best and most important thing to change in your shop for a makeover.
Other suggestions included: being more organized, updating your shop regularly, developing a brand and consistent image for your shop, as well as promoting your shop.

Question 7: How do I set up gift voucher codes?

Gift certificates are another interesting way to spread interest in your shop. For information on how to sell gift certificates on Etsy, check out this article.

Question 8: Any suggestions on how to choose the three featured products for your shop?

When choosing your featured products, make sure you are picking the brightest, most colorful and interesting shots in your shop. It's the very first thing a shopper sees and just might be the ticket to getting them to stay!
If you sell a variety of items, try to illustrate that in your featured items as well.

Question 9: What's the most effective way to organize sections in your shop?

Breaking your shop into sections is an excellent way to organize the products in your shop.
Consider how various items relate to each other. If you have specific lines in your shop or similar types of items, those can be your section names.
Consider organizing sections by type of product, audience, size, season.
Arrange the sections in a logical order, such as alphabetical.
More about sections here.

Question 10: Do you think it is okay to switch banners on occasion depending on the season/new products, etc? Or is it better to stick with one definitive banner so your shop seems consistent?

Some users have everthing in their shop matching (business cards, banner, avatar) and some like to spice it up now and then.
Perhaps you could try dressing up your banner for seasons, holidays, or sales, or updating it with a fresher color or new product images.
If your products change seasonally, maybe your banner could too.

Question 11: Do teams help?

Teams are an excellent way to band together with fellow Etsy sellers in your region or craft medium to network, share skills and advice and promote together.
There is a treasure trove of information about teams here.

See you next week! Keep up the good work on your journey toward a better shop!

Shop Makeover Series: Photographing for Success

2008-01-09T10:32:00-05:00

As part of our Shop Makeover series, here we focus on photography.

The absolute best way to give your Etsy shop a makeover is to take the best possible photographs of your products, no question.

Why is it such a big deal? Photographs are the number one visual description you can give to a shopper when browsing on Etsy: they are the first step in attracting people to your items. Think about it: when you shop in a store, you like to look at an item, maybe pick it up, feel its weight and texture. These are all ways of shopping and making decisions during the shopping process, so you want to be on top of your game since you can’t physically hand your products to your shopper. You need to show them, through your photographs, what your product is at its best, what is feels like, how big it is, all sides of it, and how it might function in their world. The best part is, you don’t have to be a professional photographer to capture professional looking photographs of your products.

Questions to ask yourself when taking photos:

• What type of environment does my product live in?

Creating or “staging” an environment for your photo is a great way to market your items to shoppers; it gives them a sense of the function and also creates a feeling or mood that might be desirable to your shopper. To find creative staging ideas, flip through your favorite product or clothing catalogues and check out the different ways you can group items together to maximize the usability of your products.

Hot tip: Does your product function outside or inside? Photographing an item outside (that doesn’t belong in an outside environment) can throw your shopper off. You can photograph your items inside with great natural light next to a windowsill!

• What type of background works best for my products?

Photographing with backgrounds suited to your products is key. Backgrounds can be tricky, and if they aren’t done well, can distract your buyer from looking at your item. You can never go wrong using a solid colored background, at least to start out with. Make your products “pop” and stand out to the eye by using a lighter colored background for dark colored items, and vice versa. If you have a muted item, use a dark background. Experiment with different backgrounds until you find what works best with your products.

Hot tip: Hard cover books, cardstock, ironed flat fabric, wood, and scrapbooking paper are all great backgrounds to play around with. Stay away from using your floor, bedspread, carpet, grass, sidewalk, or other everyday items as backgrounds: they make your photos look less professional.

• What type of lighting works best for my products?

In most cases, natural lighting is the best type to highlight your products. You can achieve the look of natural lighting by setting your products near a windowsill and taking angled shots. Don’t forget to take advantage of using the" macro" setting on your digital camera to pick out those fine details. Also, set your EV white balance to enhance the brightness of your photos.

Don’t have windows where you live? Take your items outside, either in the morning or afternoon when the sun is not directly overhead, and set your products down on a solid background that you can crop. If you can’t work with natural lighting or it doesn’t maximize the look of your products, try making and using a light box with this simple tutorial.

Hot tip: Never use the flash on your camera for product shots. It washes out natural coloring and details in your products.

• Am I editing my photographs to maximize my sales on Etsy?

Believe it or not, you can edit your photos in a way to help your products stand out. When editing your photos, crop them the way you want them to appear in a square; this is how they will appear in your shop. Crop your images in a way that focuses directly on the image without too much background or space remaining to distract your viewer.

Cropping detailed shots of your images is an effective way to show off your product and make your shopper feel like they can see it up close (almost as if they are picking it up themselves). Photoshop and Gimp are both well known and effective photo editing programs. If you don’t already have a photo editing program on your computer or just don’t understand how your current program works, download Picasa. Picasa is a free downloadable photo editing program made by Google that is super user friendly; it allows you to crop, change color, adjust lighting, sharpen, and many other editing tools!

Hot tip: Scroll through the Time Machine 2 sold items or the Gift Guides and click on the pictures that jump out most to you. Take a look at the cropping and editing of these photos and use them as your inspiration.

Things you can do immediately to give your shop an instant photo makeover:

• Take all of your new product listing photos in natural light, next to a windowsill on some sort of a solid background, with no flash on your camera.
• Take several different angled shots of the item from close and far away.
• Once you have the photos loaded on your computer, you can edit them to your liking and delete all but the five you will use for your listing.
• Look over the items currently listed in your shop and take the time to re-shoot them using your new photography skills. Trust me, it will pay off in the end.

Still need some help? Watch this little video we made to help you along with the photographing process.

Now go retake your photos and see what a difference it makes in the way your shop looks!

Introducing a New Series for the New Year: Shop Makeover

2007-12-27T10:00:00-05:00

We're launching a new series of how-tos in the New Year, "Shop Makeover." After the hustle of online shopping during the holiday season, and after a bit of a breather and time with the family and friends, it's eerily quiet. As we return to our shops, we may find ourselves thinking "what now?"

The best thing about New Years is that it provides a demarcation point in the flow of life: out with the old, in with the new. So we're asking our sellers to join us in a New Years resolution: it's time for Shop Makeover! We will reassess and evaluate shop presentation, branding, organization, wording and all those things you've been meaning to do but putting off because of the peak selling season.

This Shop Makeover series of how-tos will set conversation topics and provide useful tips for sellers on how-to revamp their photos, tagging systems, banners and avatars, reorganizing shop sections, and better titles. Please let us know what other things you'd like us to cover in the comments below.

Also, we'd like to feature some sellers who undertake some of the most dramatic and wonderful makeovers. What we need you to do is take some screen shots of your shop to show your "before" so that we can compare them to your "after." It's going to be a learning process for everyone and we need some brave souls to share their experiences! Let us know in the comments below!

How-to: Photoshop Techniques for Mature Listings

2007-12-21T12:09:00-05:00

People on Etsy come from many different walks of life: we're an international, multi-cultural marketplace. On a website of Etsy's scale, certain words and images need to be concealed. These policies are about keeping this community healthy — and growing. Reaching a diverse audience is essential to the success of our marketplace. You can view our policy regarding mature items in the Etsy DOs and DON'Ts.

After January 1, 2008, we will be working extra hard to enforce this policy and here are some tips for making your shop appropriate for all audiences! We will still rely on our community to help bring listings to our attention, so we welcome you to flag listings you feel are too risque for Etsy and we will be sure to investigate. For Etsy admin, we want to inform sellers (and all members of the community) about our policy.

Spidercamp, one Etsy seller known for her rude little bunny plushies, described how she felt the door to communication with Customer Support admin was open. For her, "it's the difference between Etsy telling me I'm not ever allowed to swear, and Etsy asking me nicely not to swear so much in strangers' faces. It's a fair request. I haven't changed the things I make, and my sales of these items have not suffered in the least."

Here are some tips to help you adjust your images, the instructions are for Adobe Photoshop, but other image editing programs like GIMP (gimp.org) and Picasa (picasa.google.com) are free and have similar tools. Remember to save your files as JPEGs in RGB mode or they won't upload to your listings properly!

Cropping:
A simple option is to crop the image so only an "all ages" snippet of your photo is visible for the first thumbnail. For example, if you use vintage ephemera with nudes to create a collage, crop the image so you have a "zoomed in" image of one of the faces or another lovely detail. Then, in the following images in the listing, go ahead and show the whole she-bang.

To create the cropped image in Photoshop, you can use the marquee tool to select a portion of the photo...a portion with no naughty bits. Hold down the shift key if you want to keep the selection a perfect square and press the spacebar to move the marquee around on the image. Once you've chosen the area, copy the area inside the marquee (you can use the keyboard command Apple + C on a Mac, Ctrl + C on a PC) and open a new document to paste the selection into it. Save this image and you can use it as the first image on your listing, then upload the complete photo for one of the other images in your listing.

Using Mosie as our nude model (mvegan5's XXX kitty), the first image show's just the pretty kitty face, appropriate for the main photo of the listing:

Then the full image of your artful nude can be shown in one of the following images:

Overlaying and Blacking Out:
Another option is to use the standard black square. In Photoshop, use the rectangle tool to make a shape (again shift will keep the shape a square), but you will have to wait until you create the shape to move it around. To adjust the size of the box once you have made it, go to Free Transform under the Edit tab. You can also make other shapes with the marquee tool and use the paintbucket option to dump a color into the shape.

Place the shape over the mature regions and save it to upload as the first image in the listing. Then use the original image as your second image in the listing. If you're feeling extra frisky, you can use a "PG" image to cover up the mature parts.

In this one, I used a picture of my kitty Stella; you may want to use your avatar or something humorous instead of just a black box. This "shameless" kitty belongs to megrnc and we originally found the photo on the Etsy Pets flickr group.

Filters:
For those of you with some knowledge of Photoshop and filters, you can try this method. Select the "questionable" area of your image using the marquee tool and copy and paste the selection into a new layer. Working on this layer, you can use a filter on just the selection to distort it. I used the Mosaic filter (under the Pixilate filters) to add a blurred bar over this naked puppy's private parts, but many other filters can be tested out to find one that looks good with your image. This method is fun because it give that professional too-hot-for-tv look. We found curlygirlglass' sassy puppy on the Etsy Pets flickr group, too.

Text:
You can also write the word MATURE or other text over the area you'd like to conceal. Smuttons, an Etsy seller who makes buttons from saucy vintage imagery, remarked that using text as a graphic design element in this process actually helped her sales! "When I made these red banners over the naughty parts and wrote SMUT on them, it kinda stuck out. I got this convo from this buyer who wanted to get one of my buttons, but she even requested that [the SMUT be left] on it!"

Other Methods:
There are other lo-fi methods, too. For Spidercamp, whose plushies have bad words embroidered on their tummies, she just blocks out the portion of her item with her hand. "My approach to 'mature-izing' my listings is pretty simple and crude...So far I've just been blocking part of the filthy language with my finger in that first photo."

If you have any other suggestions, please feel free to post in the comments or send me a convo. I'll be glad to help with any Photoshop questions as best I can, and thanks to our beautiful models and their owners!

On The Level: Make Your Photos Pop with Histograms and Levels

2007-11-12T03:30:00-05:00

If your lightbox is letting you down and you can’t find a sunny window to save your life, you might find yourself in dire need of some digital post-processing to help out your photos. Fortunately, the “Levels” tool found in most photo editing programs can whip virtually any photo into shape with just a few clicks of your mouse.

Using the Basic Functions of the Levels Tool:

In Photoshop, Levels is found under Image>Adjustments. In the Levels function, you will see three arrows below the histogram of your images. The arrow on the far left controls the darkest third of the image’s pixels, or “shadows”, the middle arrow controls the grey tones, or “midtones”, and the arrow on the far right controls the brightest third, or the “highlights”.

1. To adjust your histogram, first evaluate the distribution of the pixels to determine whether your image is currently low-key, high-key, low-contrast or high-contrast, versus what you want it to be (see description below).

2. Simply click on the arrows and slide them back and forth to adjust the tonal range. If you have a low-key or high-key image, use the opposite arrow to adjust the image i.e. if your image is high-key, move the shadows arrow to the right, if your image is low-key, move the highlights arrow to the left. Use the midtones arrow and move it left or right accordingly until your photo has improved to your satisfaction.

3. If your image is low-contrast, slide both the shadow and highlight arrows in towards the middle to create more contrast. High-contrast images are not so easy to repair. The distribution of pixels in a high-contrast image means that there are fewer grey tones that can be manipulated. A high-contrast image can be darkened or lightened overall, but not evenly redistributed. A very high-contrast photo may need to be re-taken.

4. Click ‘OK’ to save your changes. Then go back into Levels and have another look at your new histogram. The pixels should be more evenly redistributed in a centered, bell-shaped curve. You can continue to adjust the image using the arrows until your desired effect is achieved.

Tip: When an image’s pixels are redistributed over a wider tonal range, some tonal values wind up empty. This is called “combing”, and appears as a finely striped histogram, with the blank or empty vertical stripes representing the tonal value that is missing. Repeated use of Levels can lead to heavy combing and appear as banding or “posterization” in the photograph. Always use Levels judiciously and try to make all adjustments in one turn to avoid combing.

What are Levels and Histograms and How can They Help?

The “Levels” function is a tool used by digital editing software to manipulate the tonal values or brightness levels of an image. The standard 8-bit digital image contains 256 colours which are mapped as discrete black, grey, or white tones on a histogram, with 0 = black, 255 = white, and 254 shades of grey in between. When you take a photograph, the pixels of an image are sorted into one of these 256 tonal values, and stacked to make a vertical bar. When the bars are lined up together in numerical order of tonal value on a graph with 0 (black) on the far left, and 255 (white) on the far right, they create a curve on the graph. This curve (or curves in some cases), is the image’s histogram.

Some digital cameras have a function that allows you to view an image’s histogram directly on the camera screen. Even if your camera doesn’t have this function, a program such as Adobe Photoshop will be able to produce your image’s histogram in the Levels function. By examining the shape and placement of the histogram’s curve, you can determine whether your image is properly exposed or not, and manipulate the tonal values to achieve a better image.

A perfectly exposed, evenly toned image will display as a bell-shape centered in the middle of the histogram, with the bulk of the image’s pixels (top of the curve) lying in the midtones or grey tonal value range. The ends of the curve will meet precisely at 0 and 255, because a properly exposed, evenly weighted image will have fewer perfect black or perfect white pixels than mid-tones. However, very few photos will display a perfect curve. See here:

Depending on where the peak or peaks of the histogram fall, you may have a high-key, low-key, low-contrast, or high-contrast image:

High-Key: In a high-key image, the bulk of the histogram’s curve will fall on the right side of the graph, indicating the majority of the tonal values lean towards 255, or perfect white. This may indicate an over-exposed photograph that appears pale or having glare. See here:

Low-Key: In a low-key image, the bulk of the histogram’s curve will fall on the left side of the graph, indicating the majority of the tonal values lean towards 0, or perfect black. This may indicate an under-exposed photograph that appears dark or muddied. See here:

Low-Contrast: In a low-contrast image, the histogram’s curve will be tight and narrow and bunched in towards the centre of the graph. The ends of the curve will not meet 0 and 255. This indicates a photograph with not enough contrast that may appear washed out, flat or dull.

High-Contrast: In a very high-contrast image, the histogram’s curve may be inverted, with a peak at either end of the graph that dips in the centre. This indicates the majority of the pixels in the image are either very dark or very bright and results in a photograph that is very high-contrast with few midtones. See here:

The types of histograms described above are not necessarily “bad” histograms. There times when it is desirable to have an unbalanced tonal range — for example, a scene of a snowy day would realistically be a high-key image.

Whereas a night scene would automatically create a low-key value range.

A soft and romantic image might need to be low-contrast, while high-contrast would enhance a bold and exciting image. The “Levels” function comes into play when you do need to adjust the distribution of tonal values across your image.

Bright Light, Big Color: Using EV and White Balance to Make Your Photos True to Life

2007-10-25T16:03:00-05:00

Taking a great photo is all about managing light. Nothing is more frustrating than photos that turn out too dark, too washed out, or off-color. It’s a particular challenge for sellers who have to use artificial light rather than natural light due to time constraints or inclement climates. Luckily, your digital camera has a few handy tricks — exposure value (EV) and white balance — that can help you overcome these challenges and snap your way to better, brighter photos.

How Does EV Work?

Evaluative metering is the term used to describe how the camera divides an image into different zones for light metering — it evaluates the lighting conditions and makes adjustments to exposure based on the position of the subject, the brightness, direct light and backlighting, and a multitude of other factors. Essentially, evaluative metering performs the same functions as the human eye.

However, cameras are not as perfect at adjusting exposure as our eyes. In overly bright or underlit conditions, a little manual compensation is required. Exposure values are the numeric values (+1, -2, etc) which describe a particular combination of shutter speed and lens aperture. On most cameras the exposure values are measured at one-half or one-third stops. The default or no-compensation level is set at 0. By raising or lowering EV from 0, you adjust the shutter speed/lens aperture which allows either more or less light to reach the camera’s sensors, thereby brightening or darkening your photograph.

How to Use Exposure Values (EV) and Evaluative Metering:

photos by terrain

1. Even a basic digital camera should offer evaluative metering. Use your camera’s manual to locate the evaluative metering function. The icon typically looks like this [ (o) ]. Your camera may have other light metering modes such as centre-weighted averaging and spot AE point, but for now, make sure the regular metering function is selected (it is most likely the default setting).

2. You should also have an exposure value (EV) scale associated with the evaluative metering function on your camera. The icon for this scale will often appear as “+/-0”. Select this icon and you will see a simple scale with 0 in the middle and a +1 and +2 on the right or top, and -1 and -2 on the left or bottom.

3. Aim your camera and focus on the object you are photographing. Use the arrow keys (or equivalent) on your camera to move up or down the scale. Watch the camera monitor and you’ll see the shot you’ve composed become brighter as you move up or to the right of the scale, and darker as you move to the left or down the scale.

4. If you have a white object in your scene, use it to gauge when you’ve reached the appropriate brightness level, or place a white object temporarily in the picture to judge the light levels. When you’re satisfied with what you see, press the shutter button and you’re done!

Tip: When shooting in low light you’ll want to raise the EV to brighten the shot, but to do this the camera takes a longer time to gather light and take the photo. This can exacerbate “camera shake” (the tiny movements caused by even a steady hand or by the mechanics of the camera itself). To compensate, use a tripod and press the shutter button cleanly and gently. Most digital cameras have a timer function, in which case your finger wouldn't even be pressing the tripod-mounted camera when the shot is taken.

How does White Balance work?

White balance is the balance between cool and warm light color temperature captured by your camera’s sensors. Color temperature describes the spectrum of light as it is measured in Kelvin, from “warm” light (low Kelvin) to “cool” light (high Kelvin). See the chart below for a range of common light sources and their relative temperatures:

1000-2000K Candlelight
2500-3500K Tungsten household lightbulb
3000-4000K Sunrise/sunset (clear sky)
4000-5000K Fluorescent lighting
5000-5500K Electronic flash
5000-6500K Daylight with sun overhead
6500-8000K Moderately overcast sky
9000-10000K Shade or heavily overcast sky

The lower the temperature of the light, the more of a warm or orange-ish color cast will be visible in your photographs. The higher the temperature, the colder or bluer your photos will appear. Using pre-set white balances allows your camera to accurately judge and compensate for the light temperature of your composition, and the result is a photo with truer, brighter colors.

How to Use White Balance:

photos by terrain

1. Not all digital cameras offer white balance customization, but most offer preset white balance settings that match commonly used light sources. Use your camera’s manual to locate the white balance function. The icon usually looks like a little lightbulb. Select it and you should see several presets from which to choose. You may also see an icon “AWB” which stands for auto white balance, which is the default setting.

2. What kind of light are you using? It is crucial that you match the preset white balance setting to your light source. Natural source presets typically include “daylight” and “cloudy.” Artificial presets may include “fluorescent,” “tungsten” (incandescent), and “daylight fluorescent” (halogen). Note how the color tint on your camera monitor will change if you flip through the different presets. Select the preset that matches your light source and snap your photo.

3. If your camera has a custom white balance setting, take advantage of it! Select the “custom” option icon and place a white piece of paper or cloth in the scene. Aim the camera so that the entire frame is filled with the white object. Press the “set” or “enter” button on your camera. The camera reads the white object and uses the data from it to set a custom white balance for your composition. Now you can continue to photograph your items.

Tip: If using a custom white balance, keep in mind that any changes to your composition will throw off the data used by your camera to make the custom setting. This includes any changes to your lighting and even alterations to backdrops, props and reflective surfaces. If you need to rearrange your scene, be sure to set a new custom white balance.

Using EV and White Balance together:

EV and white balance can be set totally independently of each other, but still used together for maximum results. If you raise EV to brighten a photo but neglect to adjust white balance, you may have a brighter photo that still has a blue or orange tint. Conversely, if you adjust white balance to match your lighting conditions but don’t adjust your exposure values to compensate for an underlit scene, your colors may be true but the photo may remain too dark overall.

Tip:

Because EV compensation requires more fine-tuning than white balance, set your white balance first and adjust EV second.

Happy snapping!

Printing Digitally: Producing Beautiful D.I.Y. Photo Prints

2007-10-19T06:42:00-05:00

Elizabeth, aka sevenbridges, is a photographer living in Berkeley, CA. She is inspired by things she sees every day, and tries to capture them in a unique way. Her background in the IT world gives her a leg up when it comes to understanding printing. When she's not shutterbugging or working on prints, she spends time with her daughter and watches really bad movies with her boyfriend. This piece was originally published in the Etsy Forums. Even if you're not a photographer, any artist may need to produce beautiful prints that show off items — for your portfolio or for other promotional purposes.

In the last few years many artists and photographers have started to print digitally at home, a shift from the chemical photo labs that have long been the standard. It's possible to control the color, media, and to produce a print in a very short amount of time - but you have to nail the basics to do it properly and create a print that will wow your customer.

Why Print Digitally at Home?
So, given the options, why print at home? Beyond the longer turnaround time inherent in sending out your prints, most outsourced labs don't offer you the same creative control. Learning to tune the color of a print, choose the paper it is printed on, and generally making printing part of your creative process is a truly worthwhile thing, and provides your customer a product that is produced by you, from beginning to end.

Outsourcing your prints is always an option. Some outsourced labs are cheap, that is certain - and many provide a great quality image for the money. Adorama (www.adoramapix.com) can print a 16x20 print on excellent paper for $10. iolabs (www.iolabsinc.com) prints on a wide range of paper at archival quality, with a minimum order of $25. PrintsAhoy (printsahoy.etsy.com) is an Etsy seller of high quality digital prints, selling 8x10 prints on photo rag for around $8 each. An equivalent print-at-home might cost between $3-10, for ink and paper, but there is a significant upfront cost, as well as a learning curve.

Source
Before you even think about printing, you have to have a good source! A high quality scan or photo of your traditional media work will make all the difference in your end print. If you aren't getting good results, there are lots of tutorials available if you search the web - looking through them will help you figure out the right technique for both your art and the equipment you have available.

Likewise, your digital photos must be high enough resolution to print at the size you want. Optimally, you should be printing at 300 dpi (dots per inch). There is some wiggle room in that, as long as your image turns out with the clarity you feel it needs to have. Make sure your image processing software is set to your desired print resolution and not screen resolution (72dpi - much too low for printing), to ensure a crisp image. Here's a nice little chart explaining optimal print size for a given number of megapixels.

It's important to keep in mind that the pixels and sizes for film reflect a professional scanner and scanning negatives. Also, image processing software has evolved to the point where interpolation (guessing what should be in between pixels) is very good, so sizing up can still be very successful. As always, use your judgement. Visible pixels mean it's way too big.

Printers
Next, let's talk about the heart of printing: your printer! There are dozens (if not hundreds) of consumer grade photo printers on the market. At first glance, many of these will produce a great image. They are perfect for snapshots and your photo album. However, they have serious limitations if you want to produce a quality print you can sell.

Most printers do not generally have archival inks, which means that their prints may fade or change over time. They are limited in what media they can use - they may not be able to use heavier or textured papers properly, or sizes over 8.5"x11". Beyond that, there are generally no color profiles available for them, which leaves you to trial and error as far as color goes.

So how do you choose a printer? There are quite a few professional grade printers which will not totally break the bank, and a whole lot that will. As I see it, the differences among them are broken into two important categories: pigment and dye based. Each has its benefits and drawbacks. A good discussion of pigment vs. dye can be found here.

You may also want to consider whether the printer has a straight paper path - this means that you can feed in very thick papers, and the printer can push them through without any bending. It's also worth considering the maximum size the printer can handle, as this will define what print sizes you are able to offer.

Considering all of these things, choosing a printer is a still a matter of both technology and taste. Read reviews, but be aware that many review sites that offer comparisons only look at consumer grade printers. Try to see the output in person, if possible. As with most things, first hand experience is the best way to decide.

Paper
After the printer, the next obvious topic is paper. If you want to produce a quality print, you have to be printing on a quality paper - not just for color, but for archival quality, bleed (how well the paper holds ink in place once applied), texture, color (of the paper), and feel. At first glance, your paper is your print. Using a consumer grade paper is simply not an option.

So, what paper to use? There is an incredible variety of paper available, from makers who have been making quality art papers for hundreds of years (Hahnemühle) to long-standing leaders in papers for photo printing (Ilford), as well as many manufacturers exclusive to digital printing, sold through photo stores.

Paper can be very expensive, and you won't want to buy boxes of paper and find that you don't like the result. I suggest getting some sample packs from various paper makers - these generally are affordable, and you can test print on them and find the papers that you think suit your images best. Your portraits may look best on a velvet finish cotton paper, but architectural photos look best on gloss.

Generally, gloss papers will produce a sharp, bright image. Matte papers will provide a more subdued, warm image. Cotton rag, linen, pearl, and canvas each have their own distinctive characteristics, and it's only by trying them that you can tell what you like. Finding a paper you love and feel comfortable working with can really make production a lot more fun.

Color
There is nothing more frustrating than printing an image that was beautiful on your monitor, only to find it washed out or just plain wrong upon printing. There's also nothing worse as a buyer than receiving a print that just doesn't look like it did on the screen. Don't despair - color management can help!

To ensure that your image gets printed the way that you want, it really helps to understand your workflow, and how to use ICC profiles. The ICC, or International Color Consortium, has a tag-line of "Making color seamless between devices and documents." This is exactly what you need. They have tons of information, a section of which can be found here.

In short, an ICC Profile describes the way that digital color values are interpreted between your camera and your imaging editing software, to your display, even on computers with different operating systems, and ultimately into ink or pigment by your printer software and printer. A good introduction to ICC Profiles can be found here.

Most good paper manufacturers provide ICC profiles for the leading printers. Using these can help you achieve much easier control and accuracy of color between your camera, display, and printer.

But above that, experiment. Don't be afraid to use your paper sample packs - that's why you bought them. Learn how to proof images, and how to use the tools in your image processing and printer software. Each probably has a good section in the handbook about color management that will give you a good start.

Digital printing is an art as much as a technology. I'm sure I haven't covered every important aspect of digital printing. It's a vast topic, and there are those with years of experience who surely have more nuanced advice - I welcome their comments! This article only documents the basics to produce a sale-able print that your customer will love. As for the rest, you will discover yourself through trial and error, ultimately resulting in the knowledge and ability to use it as part of your creative process, making your prints art themselves, and enhancing your images instead of merely presenting them.

Some useful links:

Printer Manufacturers
Canon
Epson

Pigment vs. Dye
OddParts

International Color Consortium Profile Information
Color.org
More Color.org Resources
Dry Creek Photo

Paper Manufacturers
Ilford
Hahnemühle

Forty's Foto Tips, #3: Fabric is a perfect backdrop for earrings!

2007-10-01T08:26:00-05:00

Find some fabric that complements the earrings you will be photographing. I went with pink to bring out the highlights in these fishing lures (I think they're lures, but what do I know, I've never gone fishing!). Then drape the fabric over something so you can poke the earrings through and they can hang naturally. I put it right over my computer monitor and it worked great. Plus, I could easily move my light source right in front of the earrings.

Adjust the earrings to show them off just right, in these I made sure the blue chain was visible, not hidden behind the charm. Some more things to consider when photographing earrings or other jewelry:

• take pictures of the different parts of the object to show off the findings or to give a close up of a charm

• with earrings, do not photograph them in someone's ears unless you mention in the listing that you will be sending a brand new pair of the same item, it's unsanitary and can be a turn off for a lot of buyers

• taking pictures outdoors on a sunny day can make some great images, perhaps create a set using things found outside your house, such as rocks, to do something dramatic that will make your beautiful jewelry stand out

Etsy Labs Shop Critique Round-up

2007-09-21T11:37:00-05:00

Did you miss the first Etsy Labs Shop Critique Workshop, or just want to review all the info? Here's a summary of what went down:

We chose three sellers who graciously allowed us to critique them. Thank you to HerRoyalMajestyBags, sofiamasri, and Popko for participating!

First up was HerRoyalMajestyBags:

HRMB has created a wonderful brand for herself. Her avatar, banner, and writing (in her shop and on the forums) work together to give us a memorable brand and a great sense of her personality and humor.

We felt that she could bring her pictures to the next level so that they communicate her brand image. Instead of the brown fence (which the bags sort of blend in with), we suggested finding backgrounds that bring in the colors and mood of her avatar and banner. Rich reds, purples, golds, black? Experiment with finding a palette that works together and will make the bags stand out.

Also, she should play with the type/angle of pictures that she is using for her gallery shot. Since this is the first thing people will click on, it must be eye-catching. One of the assets of her bags are the rich patterns. Maybe experiment with getting a closer shot for the gallery picture so we can see some of the beautiful fabrics. Since the bags are symmetrical, we don't necessarily need to see the whole bag in the gallery (although I DO like gallery shots where you can tell what the item is). She can also try loading a photo that is larger than the alloted size and allowing it to crop down, so when people click they will see more of the bag. Play with the angles of the shot — right now they are all face-on, straight shots that show pretty much the whole bag. Switching up the angles can give the entire shop a more dynamic, interesting look. Have fun, and don't be afraid to take a "bad" picture during the photo shoot. Take lots of shots (try to take 50 of each product while working on photo-artistry).

Next was sofiamasri:

We love her work, and the banner is great! It really works well with her fun, colorful items. We talked about changing the avatar to make it go with the banner. Something colorful and fun...either using one of her items like the popsicle necklace popsicle necklace or something coordinating with the banner. The avatar you use in the forums can get people clicking into your shop, so having something that gives people the feeling of the shop is key.

It also seemed like there were items with very different looks in the shop. It is hard to balance your creativity and drive to make new things with creating a cohesive brand identity. As well, your style can/does change over time. It may be best to focus on a particular customer or theme in your shop at a given time, or bring the backgrounds together so that everything works together.

Now, photos:

1. As above, finding a theme for the backgrounds will help bring it all together. The patterned background in the popsicle picture is great...she might find some other patterns or solids that work with that.

2. Lighting: This shot of the porcelain star nest and the popsicle shot are both very nice. However, the lighting in them gives them a different "feel". The lighting in the star necklace gives a subdued, sophisticated feel, and the bright popsicle pic has a young, fun feel. It might be best to decide where to go with the lighting, and standardize it in the shop.

And pricing...it might be interesting to create different lines (perhaps as categories in the shop? Or perhaps opening another shop if you feel you can deal with that now!) with hi/low pricing to reflect your different customers. If you create different lines, photographing them in different ways (as in the opposite of #2 above) with different backgrounds then helps differentiate between them.

And Popko:

Popko is already a great seller and has been very sucessful! She makes beautiful things, and is a skilled craftsperson and designer. She has a good presence on the forums, and she has kept her avatar for a while, so we all recognize her! Her avatar is great — a picture-of-yourself type of avatar is wonderful — it is nice to know who you are talking to, and it can really draw people in if you are nice and/or interesting looking, and/or reflect your product/customer. We also like how she has the glass in the avatar so we get a hint of what she does. As well, she takes clear, bright, really good photos.

Popko is looking to take her shop to the next level. The next step for her is becoming a "name-brand". You know how there are some sellers that when you see one of their pictures or items, you know right away who's it is? That's where she is looking to go!

Here were some ideas we had for her:

1. She might think about switching up the banner. Julie made the comparison to Coca-Cola — they regularly switch up their image to keep things fresh. There were different opinions about this...many people liked her banner as is. One thought is to incorporate glass into the banner...it seems that the opaque, graphic-art part of the banner does not go as well with the translucent, airy feeling of her art.

2. Selection — perhaps the supplies and lavander buds are distracting us from the real star of the show, the amazing jewelry. Further, when we think of Popko, we think of her glass/tile sort of work . Maybe the pieces like this Golden Gypsy Hoops Earrings and this On the Seashore - Vintage Beach Charm Bracelet in silver, while cool, are not popko-brand? Maybe having a second shop for supplies and other things would help streamline her core brand and make it really tight. She might also think about using the categories to create different lines (as her category "confetti line jewelry"). Danielle had a really great idea here of possibly using different background groups for different lines if she'd like to keep it to one shop.

3. Photos — Popko is already taking great clear, eyecatching photos. The white backgrounds really "pop" her multi-colored pieces. Some pieces are on backgrounds of other colors. The backgrounds should be a concious choice — if almost all are white, then some are another color, it might look scattered. Usually, white backgrounds work best with really bright pieces (which she has), and when ALL of the backgrounds in the shop are white. There are exceptions, of course — a theme with black backgrounds and white backgrounds might work as well. She might brainstorm background ideas...while she might decide to stick with the white, she might also go in a whole new direction.

Thank you again to our wonderful critique-ees, and to everyone who attended the workshop, and to everyone who wanted to attend and is now reading this wrap-up!

The next Shop Critique Workshop will be on Friday, September 28 at 1PM EST (U.S.) in the workshop:

http://www.etsy.com/workshop_main.php

See you next week!

Forty's Foto Tips, #2: Make a light box!

2007-09-20T12:14:00-05:00

Ahoy! Thanks for stopping by my advice column in The Storque. I'm no professional photographer, but I figured that would just make it easier for me to pass on some fun and simple tips that can help anyone! If you have any suggestions, please feel free to email me at Lori@etsy.com. Here's the first tip. Come back soon for more installments!

Tip #2: Make a light box!

We made one for the Etsy Labs using things found around the office and some info from Instructables.com. Here's the Instructable: "Costless Macro Photography Light Box" by PetervG.

They're tres economical and make a world of difference in your photos! Try to find yourself an easily portable lamp. It doesn't have to be battery operated, but small desk lamps with telescopic parts can really make lighting your pieces much less stressful, and you can drag it all over your house. Lighting is essential when trying to take up-close images and a flash will create unwanted glare. Make sure your head or camera isn't between the light and the object or you will get an awkward shadow. I find it's best to set up the light box on a table so you don't kill your back contorting yourself to take pictures on the floor. Once you have a light box set up and ready to roll, practice using the macro setting on your camera, if you have one.

This will allow you to get nice and close but still have a clear picture. If you don't have a "close up" setting, try standing back from the object and zooming in.

Hot Tip: Resizing your photos the easy way!

2007-09-14T12:21:00-05:00

Ever wondered how some sellers always seem to have their images perfectly sized and cropped to make the perfect looking thumbnail? You want the secret? Well, search no further and check out this great little video tutorial I found on YouTube all about how to resize your photos! Watch it by clicking the play button below!

Resizing your photos can also be useful for emailing your photos and uploading them all over the web. Keep in mind, to get that perfect looking thumbnail in your Etsy shop, crop your photo into a perfect square just the way you like it...that way, your image will show up just as you planned!