Some Of The Work I Have Done

[Felton Leatherworks]

Can you look at some of the work I have done at www.etsy.com/shop/feltonleatherworks and tell me what you think. I tried to upload a couple of pictures on here, but it says the files are too big.

Thanks, Allen

[Mike516]

No offense, but the pictures are terrible. But you sold 2 things in your first couple of weeks, so what do I know

[Felton Leatherworks]

No offense taken. I see what you are talking about. The glare on the wristbands is pretty bad. I kind of realized that when I put the wristbands on the website. I thought they got better once I started using the white background. Other than the pictures not being so good, what did you think of the products?

[benlilly1]

Allen,

Here's a poor man's way that I take photos...Take your items outside and photograph with NO flash. Inside will work if you're near a window.....it's the flash that's the problem. Also go to www.picmonkey.com and you can adjust all your photos and even resize them. I use this website for my photos. It's great! And it's FREE!

By the way, your items look fine...good luck with Etsy!

Edited July 10, 2012 by benlilly1

[WinterBear]

benlilly has some great advice. You can also use your window or outdoor light with two other cheap items that will help with the glare. Neither item shows in the final picture, they just help distribute the light.

1) Glue or sew a piece of tightly-woven white cloth (such as a piece of sheet, broadcloth, or even a piece of white unprinted tyvek) onto a frame of some sort. You want the fabric taut, unwrinkled, and light should shine diffusely through without any shadows. You can place this frame between the sunlight (or a separate camera flash unit) to soften and diffuse the glare during a sunny day.

2) Get a piece of white cardboard and paint one side black. You use the white side to reflect light on the opposite side of your item to lighten shadows. It can help concentrate light if it's just a little too overcast. If it is a bright day, the black side can be used to "eat" some light and reduce the overall lighting. You can use your posterboard to bounce light from a lamp to augment light a project indoors as well.

You can get fancier, and make frames that fold and collapse, or that have pegs that allow you to poke them in the ground, or make diffusion covers for your camera, you can even get strips of gold and silver mylar glued to a board to change the quality of the reflected light (usually gold mylar for warmth and portraits, silver for technical photos, a mix of alternating strips for a moderate balance).

You might consider making a photobox as well. I think there are some instructions on this site, and on photographer's forums as well. A couple of lamps with full-spectrum lights and a photobox can give really good photos.

[Mike516]

My wife and I followed the instructions here: http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent

It's good to start with, but because it is cardboard, it won't last forever. We wound up buying one that's made really well, but I wouldn't get the "special" lights they sell. It only takes their bulbs and they charge a fortune for replacements. You can use regular lamps with it using daylight bulbs.

I would also recommend a tripod since some of your pics are a little blurry.

It is super important on Etsy that your pictures look good because the stuff is hand made. If the pictures aren't good, people think you don't pay attention to detail, and when you're trying to sell hand-mades, that's the kiss of death.

[Northmount]

With automatic white balance in cameras now, daylight bulbs aren't as important as in the days of film. If you need some color correction, use software like photoshop, or GIMP, or other.

Just make sure to avoid glaring light sources by using any of the methods previously listed.

You can make a simple light box frame out of PVC tubing (that you can disassemble) for storage. A king size flat white sheet will cover a fairly large box. I had a bunch of PVC tubing, but not the fittings, so cut and drilled some 2x4 scrap blocks for 3-way joints. 1/2" and 3/4" tubing is actual outside dimensions, so use a 1/2 or 3/4" Forstner bit to drill the holes. Nice firm fit, but does disassemble.

You can take good photos in full shade without bright spots and very little shadow if you watch your positioning.

Avoid using distracting backgrounds. A sheet of neutral colored poster board, set so it is flat on the floor and curves up against a wall or other support will give you a background without a horizon. Rolls of photo background paper are available in various colors and widths. I have a 4' wide roll that I hang in my photo frame tent on the back PVC upper tubing, pull it down so there is a nice curve to the floor, sit your object inside, lighted with a couple floods through the white sheet, and shoot away. Nice thing about digital cameras, you see your results right away and can make adjustments to get the best photo.

CTG

[Felton Leatherworks]

Hey everyone, I appreciate all the feedback on the photos. I will definitely be using the tips that everyone has given.

Allen

[Order and Chaos]

When I take photos of things I have made, I set the item on a piece of cloth that is both non-reflective and is a contrasting color in comparison to the item. The only two colors of background cloth I avoid using are either black or white. Since most of the items people will post pictures of here at the forum are typically small in size and a close up shot, you can get away with using something as simple as a grey t-shirt. As long as the edges of the t-shirt are not showing in the photo, it's all good. I've also used old bath towels as my background fabric.

Yes I'm thrifty when it comes to the incidentals.