The issue with selling on-line is that the only sense people can use to buy is sight. This obviously gives us online sellers a big disadvantage from the start.
Customers can't pick something up and feel it, try it on, umm and ahhh over how fabulous it looks in the mirror. All they have is what you give them in a picture. These pictures have to be eye-catching and show a product of to its best!
Time and time again I stumble on pages with dark or fuzzy images...or both! I have no idea how these sellers sell their goods. I just retreat and go and look at something else. I have no interest in buying or drooling over something that I can't see properly, and I am amazed anyone else would.
I am getting lots of compliments about my images at the moment. I won't lie - I'm chuffed hehe!
I was (at the very very beginning) one of those people who couldn't get a decent picture for toffee. I used a black velvet background and very very rarely did my beloved Samsung phone get a clear image.
After a while I ditched the black velvet (thank gawd!) and used white card. This was better but in the pictures the white card looked grey. Anyhoo, I carried on with this for a while..still not happy but unable to do much better when some lovely lady told me about picture editing.
I downloaded Picasa - brightened my images and woooo! A picture that I was *almost* happy with. (Will go more into this in a sec)
Now - when I opened Sparrow's - I had a way in my mind that I wanted things to be...a plain white boring (albeit effective and clean) background just wasn't going to cut it for me - so I started experimenting with other stuffs. Some of my long standing likers may re-call <takes deep breath>.the book phase, the artificial grass with pearls phase, the brown paper phase.....I could go on ;)
By this point I had meself a nifty new camera (Samsung Galaxy Smart Camera) - its my baby - nice and simple to use but 90% of the time churns out a cracking photo in terms of clarity.
Then, after a particularly bad photo taking session in the kitchen with shocking light (Thanks winter days!) lots of reflections and the swear jar filling rapidly, I caved and purchased myself a small photography studio of ebay for £30. This is without doubt the best thing I have ever bought!!
It consists on a small box like tent, two lights, a few background sheets and a tripod (tripod is not pictured)
It all folds flat into a nifty little carry case which is great for storage. I would recommend it to anyone who has small items that they need to photograph.
Set up it looks like this...excuse the messy kitchen!
.So, now I have my magic tent and lights I was desperately trying to find a background that was light, bright, not too plain but that fitted with Sparrow's image and showed off my products well.
I went with fabric....I can't believe it didn't cross my mind before to be honest, but it finally did, and I am finally happy!
So, this is how Sparrow (currently) takes photos of stock ready to sell....
Tent gets set up like above....fabric gets laid in with a bit pulled up at the back for any shots that need to be taken straight on. (Most!)
Lights on - item in - snap snap snap!
A few little things that I have picked up - jewellery persons especially...this my peeps is you friend!
Blue Tac!
Its a bloody god send!
I try not to photograph flat....it just doesn't look right to me on my background of choice for some reason so I try and prop everything up and take a shot straight on rather than looking down. Like this.....(getting good at this talking in pictures thing! )
Left pic is pre-edit , right pic is edited.
See what I mean?
The left one is fine - just fine- meh who want's fine!! Its clear but it doesn't jump out like the right pic does! There is nothing BOOM about it! In the edited pic the locket is the main focus and it can't be missed!
What do i use?
I try not to photograph flat....it just doesn't look right to me on my background of choice for some reason so I try and prop everything up and take a shot straight on rather than looking down. Like this.....(getting good at this talking in pictures thing! )
Just please please please double check that a piece of blue tac isn't peeping out in a shot! Its annoying when you see it and you have packed everything away! Really REALLY annoying!
If you have a macro setting then use it! Most smart phones do - you just need to find it. (I would tell you but it took me a long time to find mine and I have no clue-look in your camera settings???!) It will make all the difference!
Now, (if you're still with me....long one this aint it!) , you've done all of the above, have nice clear images with half decent lighting...you upload to the computer and 'Oh! Its not as bright as I want' . This is where editing comes into play.
Look at these two images.....
If you have a macro setting then use it! Most smart phones do - you just need to find it. (I would tell you but it took me a long time to find mine and I have no clue-look in your camera settings???!) It will make all the difference!
Now, (if you're still with me....long one this aint it!) , you've done all of the above, have nice clear images with half decent lighting...you upload to the computer and 'Oh! Its not as bright as I want' . This is where editing comes into play.
Look at these two images.....
Left pic is pre-edit , right pic is edited.
See what I mean?
The left one is fine - just fine- meh who want's fine!! Its clear but it doesn't jump out like the right pic does! There is nothing BOOM about it! In the edited pic the locket is the main focus and it can't be missed!
What do i use?
Mainly Picasa and PicMonkey - both free, both incredibly easy. (Really! I can use it so it must be!)
I highlight, lighten, bring out the shadows, crop and add my text. It takes a minute once you have the knack and it makes a mahoosive difference!
And thats it! Phew you all think ;) !
I hope someone finds this useful - its only my little way of doing things but I do so wish someone had given me some tips a year ago - I could have saved myself alot of stress and headaches lol.
By no way are all of my pictures perfect (the odd dodge one still creeps in and refuses to be sorted) but I think they are a good standard and judging by some recent feedback so do others!
<skips off to stroke camera and snog tent> ;)
I highlight, lighten, bring out the shadows, crop and add my text. It takes a minute once you have the knack and it makes a mahoosive difference!
And thats it! Phew you all think ;) !
I hope someone finds this useful - its only my little way of doing things but I do so wish someone had given me some tips a year ago - I could have saved myself alot of stress and headaches lol.
By no way are all of my pictures perfect (the odd dodge one still creeps in and refuses to be sorted) but I think they are a good standard and judging by some recent feedback so do others!
<skips off to stroke camera and snog tent> ;)
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