Tutorial Tuesday - Photography Tips!

Hi all,

This week's Tutorial Tuesday is not video-based. This week I want to share some photography tips to show off your projects in the best way possible.

1. You don't need a DSLR to take great photos. (I don't have or want one and photography is one of my hobbies)  A bridge or compact camera or even the camera on your phone is just as good, plus it's less messing around with settings which is always good.
2. Make sure you have good light. Find a surface near a window and photograph your makes there during the day. If it's a dull, rainy day then just wait for a nicer day.
3. If you do have a camera with different settings, see if you have 'expressive' mode - it makes the colours really 'pop'.
4. The background should be either the wall that's already there or blu-tacked scrapbook paper (if you want something more colour specific or your wall is really 'busy'). A too-busy background can distract from your project.
5. If you can, stand/sit further back and use the zoom function. This will blur the background (this works best if your project is about a metre from the background).
6. When photographing cards, have them side-on to the light. That way you get graduated light against the card and it looks more natural.
7. Buy a mini-easel from The Works. They're super cheap and great for photographing smaller makes such as mini cards, tags and smaller scrapbook layouts such as 8x8".
8. You don't necessarily need a tripod for photographing cards, just a steady hand. However, if you find your pictures are blurred, tripods are not that expensive.
9. Don't post blurred pictures to a gallery or blog. Seeing those is my pet hate - it just makes me think, could you not have spent ten more seconds having another go? If you're in a rush, leave it for another day. (rant over)
10. For large scrapbook layouts, find a wall near a window with good light. Stick the layout to the wall using blu-tack and try and get it straight - use pictures or anything else on the wall as a guide. For this you ought to use a tripod so you get the picture dead square and not angled in any way. Set the tripod up so it's the same height as your layout. If you have a camera with a grid on the display, use this to help you. 
11. You don't need Photoshop - the default photo editor on Windows 10 works just as well. Instagram is great for quick editing and sharing too. 
12. If setting up each time you have made something is a bit too much 'faff', then why not save them until you have a few to photograph, then do them all at once?
13. You can use props in your pictures to add some interest - think buttons, jewellery, candles, boxes (if you have a few makes you want to photograph, showing them on different levels can look fab!), art supplies... but don't overdo it and don't think you have to use any props at all. I personally don't like to but I know a lot of people do.
14. Think about the purpose of what you have created. If you've decorated a box - fill it. If you've upcycled a jar - show it with some paintbrushes in. If you've decorated a frame - put a picture in it. If you've made something that hangs, hang it.
15. If you're blogging and want to show specific details or techniques, then of course take works-in-progress or close ups of the finished article - it really helps to show what you are explaining on your blog post.

Aaaand I think that'll do for now - Any questions, just ask! 

Emily xx