Taking Great Photos of Your Work: A Photography Tutorial

It seems that every crafter needs to take photos of their work these days - usually to post on a blog or forum, participate in a challenge or contest, submit work for publication, or even to use as personal reference for future card making. Digital photography makes it so quick and easy to snap - but getting  a beautiful picture takes more than a point and shoot approach. Do you ever feel yourself saying that your photos do not do your cards justice? Here are a few tips I have learned along the way that will help people see the true beauty of your work.

1. Lighting

Lighting is critical - it affects color, clarity, - the ability to SEE the work. Bright yet diffused sunlight is the best light for photos. If it is direct and harsh like a spotlight you will get glare and spots, which isn't good. You want a bright room that is filled with light that will face the work (coming from behind the camera). Flash usually washes out artwork, or causes glare and creates shadows.  The warm, bright light of the sun is magic for your pictures.

2. Focus

If your project is out of focus nothing else you do will help your photo to shine. How can it when we can't see the project? My digital camera (Sony Cybershot) has a macro flower selection on it that allows for extreme closeups. The danger with this is if your auto focus doesn't select the right area to sharpen. In the photo below, the background is sharp and in focus while the card is blurry. Be sure to focus in the right area.

3. Background

Nothing is more distracting from your work than a busy background. You want a neutral background which can serve as a blank canvas for your work. White is my favorite background, but it can wash out pure white cards.

Because I have no shame I will show you the first card I ever made and photographed. EWWWW! Not only is the background distracting, but the light is coming from the back of the card not the front, the card is out of focus, the angle is too extreme, and I took the photo standing too close and on top of the card. Don't do anything I did here - including make such an ugly card lol!

For a neutral background you can do one of the following:

• Buy a mini photography photo lighting box (they run anywhere from $20-500+) which is basically a white box that usually comes with lights. There are tons on eBay. A cheaper alternative is to make your own. Amy Westerman has great directions for making your own for just a few dollars on her blog here.
• Use cardstock. A quick, affordable way to get a neutral background is to take 2 sheets of 12x12 white cardstock and lie one on the table and prop the other against a wall or something sturdy that is on your table. A Sheet will work for larger items.

4. Watch the Angles

• Large items: You want to make sure scrapbook layouts or books/albums are not photographed at an angle. Often the easiest, best way to get a good shot these items is to lay them flat on the ground and take a photo as you stand over it. Be sure to be high enough and perfectly centered.
• Cards: A slight angle is best - this shows people that it is a card and gives dimension to the work. Angle it toward the light to pick up sparkle and texture  - remember not to get too close to your card or your photo will become distorted i.e. rounded on the sides. A zoom is good for this reason, or you can take at a distance and crop the photo later.
• Close up details have different rules: I know I just said to be centered, straight, and have a proper distance but I break the rules when it comes to details. Extreme angles are perfect for showing off a detail or embellishment on a project- the unusual angle provides interest or eye candy and really shows off texture, depth and sparkle.

In this sneak peek of a Design Team card I will be posting next week you can see the angle allows you to see how I paper pieced the dress and put the dress and the bouquet on 3D pop up dots.

It also allows you to see the sparkle and the gold trim I added.

I just like the interest an extreme angle creates for details.

5. Photo Editing Software

This is a must for color correction, cropping, adding special effects like the butterflies and flourishes I added in the photo to the left, or watermarking (adding your name to the picture).

Software can be very pricey and get super complicated. For a basic, easy to use software I highly recommend Adobe Photoshop Elements - it is $100 and will satisfy all but a super pro's needs. Be sure to download the free trial version to see if you like it before buying. You can try it before you buy on the Adobe website.

I hope you find this tutorial helpful and enjoyed the two sneak peeks of cards to be posted next week . Thanks for visiting! My camera is still in the shop but I should be back with a card tomorrow or Friday at the latest.

Suzy

Comments

[JeanMarie]

Your tutorial was very helpful :)TFS the link for the light box also!!
found my way here via Canadian Carnival Blog

[Jacqueline]

Excellent tips!

[graybune]

Thanks so much, Suzy. This is great!

[Ching]

This is soo awesome Suzy. He he, looks like great minds think alike with the use of those K&Co embellies with the BG Boxer papers. :)

I just tagged you on my blog if you're into that sort of thing. :)

[Heather]

Just wondering what type of camera you have?

[Debby Boltman]

Thanks so much! That helps A LOT!! I love the sneak peek and the dressform. Wow! You constantly amaze me with your talent!

[Amy]

oh my gosh, the sneak peek of the paper pieced dress is amazing! I can't wait to see the whole thing. BTW, thanks for the tips on the photo taking! You are so right on everything!

[Terry]

Suzy...you are a doll!!
This tutorial is awesome......
Thank you.