Baring it All - Just for YOU

Fancy Photo Studio

Yes, many people have asked for pictures, so today I'm baring it all for you!

I've tried many, many different methods and continue to read blog posts and articles about how to take the best photos of handcrafted jewelry.  Last summer I took advantage of all the nature around me and took outside photos.  I really loved bring that organic element into my photos.

But I live in WI and summer leads to fall... and then WINTER.  And I'll be gol darn it I'm not going to freeze my fingers off taking outside photos through the winter. 

So I needed to find a solution that worked indoors.  My good friend Stacy who's an excellent photographer shares anytime she finds great articles about photographing our items and one in particular really helped me.  (Sorry, I don't still have the link, but it was great!)

With some of my props

The article said use natural lighting from a window, but filter it with a sheet of tracing paper.  Put a table right up to the window and cover it with aluminum foil... with full sunlight coming in, this will appear white.

They also had a number of other "reflective elements" to shift the light back on the item you are photographing.  My challenge, in an old house, most of my windows are multi-pane and leaded glass.  Not good because of the shadows that it throws behind the paper.

I have two windows that I've found work great... one worked all winter, but then when the trees bloomed, I no longer got direct sun.  So I found a better window which happens to be right by my desk. 

So using the M setting on my little point & shoot Canon camera, and using a mirror to capture light on the front of the object with the natural backlighting, this is my "photo studio" set up.  Nothing fancy... trust me. 

Click photo to enlarge

At some point I will set up a silly photo tent, so I'm not reliant on Mother Nature to give me sunshine so I can take good photos.  Note in the photo the lilac bushes outside of my window.  Yes, the period of time I can capture just the right light for my photos is from about 11 a.m. until about 1:30 p.m. 

How do you photograph your pieces?  It's not just jewelry, it's any of us that are creating artistic treasures and marketing or blogging about them online.

Hope your day is terrific!
{Hugs!}