photo shoot/photo editing = new product images

I was recently asked how I get my photos to look like they do. So, I thought a little photo shoot and photo editing lesson might be a fun topic. :-)

I like my pictures to be pretty to keep the look of my blog pretty. I am a very visual person. So I spend time setting up props and trying to get good lighting and making sure things are just right. I edit every. single. photo. that I put in my shop's listings or on my blog.

This is the system that I find works best for me.....

First of all, I only use natural light. What's natural light? Just the light that comes in the window - no flash. I find that for the look I want a flash washes everything out and causes shadows. So, I have to plan my photo shoots for a sunny afternoon. And I have a few simple tricks to help bounce and reflect the light and tone down the harsh sunlight.

I set up my little "station" right inside the front door of my living room. I have to wait until the sun comes around, usually after two o'clock, and then I have a few hours of prime photo taking time. I usually have to evict Sophie from her sunbathing. :-) I tell her 'mommy has to work' and she reluctantly gets up and moves so I can set up.

 
I use a piece of white poster board and gently bend it so part is on the floor and part is up the back (I tape it in place so it won't slide). I put a piece of white foamcore board opposite the door to reflect the light back into the setup. And, to tone down the harsh sun (which would cause shadows), I tape a few pieces of wax paper to the glass door. That's it! Simple but effective!

 
Then, I put my items in place, lay down and squish behind the chair, and take pictures!

 
 
I thought I'd also show you what I do when I edit my photos. I like my white to 'pop' and my colors to be vivid. I try very hard to keep the colors in the photos true to life when editing. Here is a before and after, so you can see how editing helps. The image on the left is straight out of the camera and the image on the right has been edited...

 
The colors are still acurate but the picture on the right is so much brighter and more fun to look at!

This is what I do: I use Adobe Photoshop Elements to open the file. The first thing I adjust is the 'color cast' to get rid of the dingy cast of the photo. Click on 'Enhance', go down to 'Adjust Color' and then select 'Remove Color Cast'.

 
 
A box pops up and you use the eye dropper to click on an area that should be white. The program will adjust the image.

The next thing I do is adjust the levels to make my photos bright and the colors vibrant. Click on 'Enhance', go down to 'Adjust Lighting' and select 'Levels'.

 
 
A box pops up where you can slide the tabs to adjust the brightness and intensity of the image. I usually slide the right tab quite a bit, that's what brightens my photos, and the left tab just a touch, to intensify the colors. Once in a while I may go back and adust the color cast again if it still seems a bit off.

It's really a matter of playing around to see what works to give you the look you want. Those are the particular steps I take with every photo. It can be a lot of work, but I am all about the details! :-)

So, now that you've seen 'behind the scenes', here is what I was taking pictures of today - my new Twice as Nice Flowers. They are from my 'reuse recycle create' line and are made from recycled catalog pages. I love to pull colors and patterns together and I had a lot of fun making these flowers. Just think - what could have ended up as trash is now handmade into pretty little flowers! :-)

 
This set is available here. 

 
And this set is available here.

I hope you enjoyed my 'lesson' and if you get anything out of it - great! :-)

 

Comments

[Sharon]

Your designs and photos are always so beautiful -- thank you so much for sharing your technique. I've printed this out for reference! Sharon

[Mechelle]

Thanks so much for your great photo tutorial! I wish I could do this, but I don't have a glass door since I live in the southeast.

[Angie Aleszczyk]

Thank you Patty....I just got a new camera from dans...Olympus E600 with 2 lens love it so far need to take a few glasses...again thanks for the info

[Barb Liberti]

Thanks so much, you make it seem so easy.