I am the first to admit that I am not a professional photographer, not even novice class.  I am a super duper right out of the box “newbie.”  Yes, I have always loved the romantic idea of being that person who takes amazing photographs with beautiful composition, but NO, that’s not me.  My simple point and click Canon Powershot helps me get by for sure, and there are the far and few between beautiful picture of my daughter, my husband, and the sunset. So when I received the email about submitting a photo of my items for the craft show’s website, I procrastinated.

I am not sure why I procrastinate about photographing my work.  Of course the big reason is I am a total neophyte when it comes to photography and the second reason, but not that far behind, is all of the books I have read about starting your own craft business stress the importance of amazing photos.  From my current favorite book, that lives next to the sofa, “The Handmade Market Place, how to sell your crafts locally, globally and online” by Kair Chapin states:

“Photographs are key.  A beautiful photograph is a tribute to the work you put into your craft.  You need beautiful photographs for your store, your blog, and your marketing materials.”

It goes on to say that you should have a light box, how to add props to your photos, the background is key, make sure the shadows aren’t strange, and explains the settings on most cameras, among other things. For a neophyte these are good reasons to delay.

Today was the day, I could no longer procrastinate, I had to put on my big girl panties and just go for it.  So after figuring out what room in our home has the best light, Kennedy’s, and where in her room to set up, her princess bed, finding the tripod, the camera, and the goods; I got started.

Here is Kennedy’s room before:

(Here is my new to blogging disclaimer, I forget to take photographs while working, so I don’t have photos to show my crazy process, the disastrous mess I made, the cat laying in the middle of my shot, the many hair clips holding the fabric just right or Kennedy finding the last marker that isn’t washable and coloring herself, yet again.  But I can explain it.)

I started by using the background of the princess bed, above… NO NO NO- way to much pattern, horrible.  Then I pinned up a light pink piece of fabric for the back ground…NO looks like lunchmeat with cute clothes in front of it.  So I settle for a blue-ish fabric.  I added the newly made vintage pennant banner (from day 6) thinking this would be somewhat of a prop and a piece that represent what I am selling.  Strung a small white rope across to hang the clothes with clothespins, rearranged them way to many times, swapping them out for different colored skirts, crafting aprons and bibs and final, two hours later, I decided it was good enough.

Photo taken, many actually of the same thing.  Next into Photoshop for a tiny bit of editing, cropping and placing my logo on the picture and here is the final photo:

Moral to photography for me, once I become successful in this adventure of selling at craft-shows and online I will be hiring a photographer.  Do you know of one?

read all 31 days here