As I was setting up to shoot more of the jewelry line, Bee's Knees, I thought I would share my process and give you a few tips on how you can shoot your own "stuff". #1 product - products to sell on Etsy or Ebay, your art work or journals, flowers your kids picked for you, etc. Tied for #1 in being equally important is #2 lighting - Lighting, lighting, lighting. For a natural light photographer this is, hands down, the most important tool I utilize. If possible, I will shoot the couple of hours before sunset. I am in major lust with that beautiful golden light the sun gives at this time. You want to make sure the light is diffused. In this instance, the sun was setting on the opposite side of the house. #3 background - be mindful of whats behind your shot. This could be nature or a solid wall like this. For product shots I prefer a solid wall, [wrinkle free] fabric, or posterboard. Be far enough from it that it doesn't become the focus in your shot. It's the background. #4 props - you won't always need props but sometimes they're nice to have, if they make sense. Choose items that compliment your product, without stealing the show. #5 get comfortable - don't kill yourself trying to get THE. PERFECT. SHOT. If you need a pillow for your knees (I prefer being low/eye level) or a chair to sit down on, use it. If you have a lot of items to shoot, don't forget to take breaks. I also have a water bottle with me at all times.
When it comes to shooting your product, make sure your camera settings are right! Play around/experiment until you find what you're happy with. When I want to shoot closeups I always shoot on aperture priority and adjust my ISO. Below are the photos I took with the above setup. My ISO was all the way up to 1000 and my f-stop was 5.6. Make sure to shoot your product from multiple directions (straight on, above it, from both sides, etc). You'll want a wide shot and several closeups.
Would love to hear if these tips prove to be helpful for you!! ♥
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