Depending on what you want to go for regarding the overall look and feel of your products, being able to plan ahead (if able) and actually manipulate a setting to what you have in mind can be a huge advantage to the final result of your product photo’s.  Whether done artificially or making use of ones surroundings, you will find that a creative approach to your photography using your items (or models) as a focal point can really improve the desirability of the items in question.  Simply pointing and shooting doesn’t always work and is yet another frequently used tactic by handmade sellers that may not even realize that so much power and impression can be extended to customers through an attractive photograph.  They say a picture is worth one-thousand words.  It is true even for you products!

Why Is Photo Composition Important? – For anyone that will be honest about how they search for future purchases, the majority of you will be able to raise a hand if I suggested that the first thing you will notice about a product is what it looks like!  Not that we are THAT lazy as a species, but being able to look at a description and know what we’re getting solely from that alone comes secondary to being able to see the thing in reality… but of course this rounds up the final impression of what we buy so it is still important!  Just not necessarily the first thing that grabs our attention.  If you look around you, big businesses, the media, anyone that wants your attention will be able to get it when they imply creative photography in their advertising methods.  It’s everywhere, which means “competition”.

This is why you want your products to stand out from the crowd!  For some it’s harder than others. For example jewelry makers that make their pieces from bought supplies will have a very hard time making the jewelry alone looking unique from say the next business who has purchased the same supplies that are being worked with!  So those of you being unable to brand your product, your best bet of grabbing a potential customers attention is to get creative with your product photography, and that means displaying the piece in a unique and eye catching way by using focal points, lines, good lighting, props, models maybe… you name it.

Setting the Scene – Yes it’s easiest to point and shoot, and I’m sure most people like me whom have a VERY busy schedule (I’m a mom) being able to find the time to devote to dramatizing product photography is not top on the agenda, but your business will pay for it in a positive way and you MUST keep reminding yourself of that.  You don’t need to go over the top.  If you make a lightbox (tutorial linked at bottom of this article), use models or the great outdoors as your backdrop you’re set to go as it is.  The important thing is to have FUN with your work, as it’ll leave that exact impression behind in the final photograph (remember your pictures will tell a story!).

Just remember what’s important.  Your product is your focal point.  Try not to draw attention away from it too much.

For smaller details, using the macro function on your camera will help bring what your want into focus whilst softening out the surroundings and that by far is probably the easiest option for those of you that photograph jewelry or smaller objects as an example.  For fashion designers or other textile accessory makers, furniture makers… general larger works  you may find using a light and bright indoor setting, or a lovely garden/park setting as being perfect for being able to frame the model and item within your photos.  Use of existing lines like door frames, windows (you may want to play around with reflecting light here to prevent silhouetting), dado rails, floors, furniture, trees, paths, water edges can make interesting work out of your photography being as you need to manipulate the model and or item to fit the setting!  Done with confidence however the result will look VERY professional and can do wonders for those first impressions!

Try not to always take your photographs head on as it can make the entire setting seem quite static, and even though it IS static, you want to create the illusion of flow to help give life to your products.  Different angles are worth having a go at, whether they are side on, low down, high up, and those that even change the perspective of the setting.  Never take one photo alone.  Take LOADS because you are sure to find through all that trial and error at least one photo that’s a million times better than all the rest, even if you are sure you have the perfect shot.
For my own product photography I literally can range from 5-100 photos of just the one thing I’m taking the picture of!  It makes all the difference though :)

For those of you that can edit their photos by using photo programs such as Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro etc you’ll find that slight white balance adjustment and the same brightness/contrast can give a bit more richness and color to your photographs without going too over the top.  For those of you that don’t have access to expensive photo programs then try one that i hear about time and time again along the grapevine called GIMP which is free to download and use directly from their site http://www.gimp.org/.

For more help with your product photography please visit:-

* Finding Your Spark – Lighting -

* Finding Your Spark – Getting The Best Out Of Your Product Photography -

* Finding Your Spark – Making A Lightbox –

Best of luck!  Happy snapping :)

Nay – http://moonangelnay.etsy.com