Tuesday Tip: Soft Focus Filter

This is one of my favorite cheats or photography hacks!

A Filter, is something an item that attaches to your camera lens and typically changes something. We have talked about using a UV filter to protect your lens... and I STRONGLY believe everyone should have one on every lens they own. It's clear and it doesn't effect your photos - but it provides awesome protection against dust, scratches and falls for your lens at a very reasonable price.

I am not a filter nut, however I get a TON of use out of my Polarized Filter, which is like sunglasses for your camera. It reduces the reflective light and adds contrast to your images. It's super awesome for darkening skies and removing reflections in glass, and water... I use mine ALL the time!

But, one of my favorites is the soft focus filter... This was probably used a little too much in the 80's and 90's portraits... and it was the spring board for the "center focus" filters which blurred out all but the face in the middle of the portrait.  However, I find that this "hack" of one of the most popular filters for portrait photography... is not only convenient and practical... but looks AWESOME!

All you need is a Rubber Band... and Tulle.

 

Simply use the rubber band to hold the tulle tightly to the front of your lens No wrinkles. Be sure to hold the extra down away from your flash and so it doesn't go back into the field of view. I use white when I am shooting on a light background or outside, black tulle when I am on dark backgrounds.

This creates a sort of diffusion, or soft focus filter effect. As you can see by my fab model below... 

No Filter

Stinking kid wouldn't take a bath, so you have to forgive the creepy model. 

However, you can see there is a lot of shine on the hair and face... and you can see a lot of whispy frizz in the hair. On a regular person you would see all the uneven skin tone, even blemishes and all the wrinkles. 

1 Layer of Tulle

With this simple step while shooting you see the shine and wispy hairs are reduced... on humans you would see some evening of the skin tone, less reflections from shiny skin... even smother appearing wrinkles and blemishes. 

Is it removing them.. no. But without spending time in Photoshop, it is giving you a solid option to add a natural, softer look to your portraits.. for virtually free. The best part about this... is it is easy to carry, tucks into a pocket...and unlike my filters it doesn't mind going through the wash when I forget to take it out of those pockets! 

Happy Shooting!

Top 5 DIY Product Photography Tips

I have had several online shop owners coming to me asking for advice on how to make their DIY product images better... and time after time, I find myself writing the same (or similar) email back... I thought I would simply post a quick Tips post to be able to point people to!

If your images are dark, grainy, have a color cast, blurry or simply "yucky"....

Here are my top tips, for starting to troubleshoot and solve your DIY Dilemma!

1. Lets talk set up. Here is a great post about how to set up next to a window. http://www.tsualist.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-dollar-store-studio.html
You do want to make sure you understand the difference between shooting in the morning, afternoon, night... sunny, partly sunny, or during a rainstorm... each difference changes the type and quality of your light. I have some great posts on this on the blog... There are a ton of posts in March for product photography - and previously about white balance and types of light... like this one http://vertephoto.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-best-time-to-do-product-photography.html

2. Camera settings. Usually the biggest issue isn't the type of camera (tho lens quality will play a role) but focusing on an item close up, and possible reflection off the materials may be the root of the issue. Here is what to look for in order to over come those issues:

• Keep your flash off.  When your shooting close up and you use your flash... it creates an overexposed image with too much light and the subject looks blurry or "ghostly" because of the reflection of the light back into the camera.

• Make sure your shooting in a Program mode (not auto which is commonly a green square or green P, or AUTO... but a regular P) this will allow you to control your flash and access additional options.

• Find a Macro Function: I would suggest using the "flower" or "close up" mode that it lists under your Scene (SCN) mode... these will allow your camera to focus closer and typically allow more light to your sensor. This will help (maybe solve) the complaint you had about the images being so dark - by gathering more light to your sensor your images will be better exposed. Depending on your camera, it may allow you to physically get closer to your subject and still remain in focus as well. (NOTE: Most point and shoot style cameras will only allow you access to find this SCN mode when your camera is in Program. If your in Auto, this menu will not be visible)

•  If you have an "anti shake" or "DIS" or any sort of Image Stabilization option turned on for your CAMERA - turn it off.  These functions when on the camera are adjusting your ISO setting which is what is causing the images to look really broken down and poor quality.. your seeing the noise created by your pixels. To learn more: http://vertephoto.blogspot.com/2013/05/tuesday-tip-dis-function.html

• Now, it's hard for me to tell.. you could have adjusted the ISO (which is what controls the noise) by selecting an anti shake type function, or you could have done it manually by adjusting your ISO - If you selected it manually you want to read just and go down to auto or 100 (maybe 200 if you want to shoot on a cloudy day) Typically auto is just fine, and you should never really "need" to adjust this off of auto. If it is set to auto and it is forcing your ISO settings up on its own with no adjustments from a IS function or you... then you have WAAAY to little light going on! You can check your camera settings to see what the auto is shooting at typically on your camera, if you cant find it let me know and I can show you how to find it on your image on your computer by viewing the meta-information.

• Back off. In most cases you've got high enough resolution - you could back off a little if you need in order to get focus.. then simply edit the images to crop closer :) If you need a photo editor I can give you some to check out - that you can either download free or that would be fairly inexpensive. (you can pick up old versions of Photoshop Elements, a consumer level photoshop program that is easy to use for as low as $10... and they work perfectly for 90% of your photoshop needs!) 

4. Lets talk backgrounds.

• Black adsorbs light and is great when TOO much light is your issue... but it rarely is.

• White backdrops (like poster board) help to reflect the light you have creating  an overall more balanced look to your images. In most cases of DIY, the issue is not enough light... so by using white your adding extra light to your area.
• If you don't want to go white - go Grey. You can find poster board still at the dollar store or any craft store :) super easy and cheap fix.While grey is a neutral, it wont bounce light... it wont absorb it either.

5. Add Light. ADD LIGHT..... ADD LIGHT! 99% of issues, the image posted above included will benefit from MORE LIGHT. Just because you think something is well lit, doesn't mean your camera will see it that way. Your camera sees about a 1/3 of the light you see. (ok this is really "depending" on the settings and type of camera... but its a good rule of thumb)
Use reflectors to bounce light where you have shadows. Use diffusers to soften harsh light. Read up on white balance, to make sure your getting the best quality of light. Again... I talk about light ALL the time because it is the SINGLE most important factor in photography. EVERYTHING is contingent upon light.

Bonus Tip: Be sure to keep your manual for a quick reference to find the different scene modes, or other adjustments and settings that I am talking about! If you don't have it, google your camera and look for the PDF manual, there hasn't been a camera I haven't been able to find one for yet!

Now, after you have put these tips to use... if you still want some additional help.. I am HAPPY to help troubleshoot! Simply leave me a message, or shoot me an email and I will be sure to take a look at what you have going on!

Watermarking made Easy!

It shocked me to learn that many shops don't know what watermarking is, or how to do it!

Today I would like to share a few thoughts about this process and some easy, inexpensive ways that you can protect your images!

First, what is watermarking? Officially a watermark is a recognizable image or pattern in paper or print that appears as various shades of lightness/darkness when viewed by transmitted light. This "watermark" term is more commonly used to describe a layered image on top of a photograph or digital file that claims the copyright rights to that image OR product.

©VertePhotography

I use a watermark on my digital files to claim ownership of that image, so other photographers can not take the credit for it. Nor can it be sold by anyone else under copyright law. (I will explain copyright on a different day, but basically without my permission even the young lady in this image wouldn't be able to print it out, say at Walmart... because Walmart doesn't have my permission to SELL the image)


Why should you protect your images online: Shop owners, and bloggers have taken to watermarking their images so as images are shared digitally, pinned and tagged etc it's
1. Protecting another person from saying it's their item or creation (like another shop or blogger using that image to promote themselves, or their shop.)
2. People have a name, or something to search if they want to purchase or find out more about the product or image. Say if you found something on Pinterest but the link was broken. If the bloggers web address is used as a watermark you can easily contact them about it.
3. Advertising. It gets your business name, or information in front of other people.

NOTE: You should know that just because this is the standard and well practiced option, it does NOT prevent less then honest people from stealing your ideas, or images if they really want them.

How can you do it? Almost any core editing program has a layer function these days, you can pick up a old copy of Photoshop Elements (some as low as $10) and that works AWESOME. Because each version lets you not only work in layer but create a png image file where you can remove the background. (so you don't have a big square over your image) Most allow you to simply drag and drop the watermark over to where you want it, adjust size, and opacity (how see through it is)

Placement: Ideally, the watermark should be on the image, but not over the product itself. You still need people to see what your selling after all! What good is a product image if you cant SEE the product or quality of it!

Now... I perfer to do my watermarking in batches over one at a time. WHY do people do it one at a time? I think because most of those "core" programs don't allow for "batch" processing. SILLY programs! Who has time to do 100 images one by one... well maybe shop owners and bloggers don't do 100 images (or more.. my last shoot was 400+ of like 20 products!)  at a time. Fair enough.

But.... if you want consistency, and SIMPLICITY. Batch process is totally the way to go. You can pretty much set it and forget about it - unless your like me and offer it as a service. I find myself doing client images with their shop watermarks, or for other bloggers all the time so I am constantly changing my settings to their preferences and watermark images.

In past Photoshop Elements (which is a consumer grade program, it cost less then Pro-programs, so I suggest it often) You only had the option to do text, but you can control the color, font, placement and opacity still.

You simply select the folder you want to "batch process" and where you want it saved to... select any other settings such as image size changes, file name changes and your watermark (or label as its referred to in some). Hit run and BAM your computer does the rest.


Now.. ready for this... I have the TIP of the WEEK! For some it might even be the tip of the year considering how much your going to love it!

I found you a FREE software you can use to batch process your files

Yep- cus I rock like that!

You can download and read more about the program here: http://www.watermark-image.com/


It works really the same way I explained above... only it gives you a few other options... like a 3D effect... which looks really snazzy!

Product provided by: Melli's Yarn Works

Product provided by: Melli's Yarn Works

I really liked testing this software out. I even suggested it to a few clients and wrote out directions - so if anyone needs them I can post them for you. But overall it was fairly simple to navigate. I think the biggest thing was having the right image for the watermark to start with.

So if anyone needs your logo turned into a watermark - ask me! This month I will be happy to do it for free for you!

Setting up for Sucess

Why bother to shoot your own products if your not going to take the time to be SUCCESSFUL! The point to having photo's is to showcase your images, so people can see what they are buying right? So let's make sure we have the tools we need to from this....

To this!

Product Provided by: Crafty Gal Creations

Depending on your product, and set up you need to think about how the light will hit the items, what part will reflect, what shadows can be created, and what adjustments do you need to make so you don't see shadows, as well as making sure each part is shown, and showcased the best it can be.

There are a few secrets to this.

1. Tweezers are your friend. I use these to place each stone, bead and chain in just the right place.
2. Cleaning cloth. I use my soft clothes from cleaning my lens to polish stones and remove any finger prints, fibers or dust that may be on a product
3. Cotton Gloves. These are so I don't get new finger prints on items as I am working on them. They are special gloves from the photo lab, same quality that they use when handling negatives. You can also use latex or even finger cots (found in the bandage section of your drug store). I never cared for them, but its a viable option.
4. Time. Don't try to do this in a rush
5. Stable work area. Placing product on a table that can be bumped or with a fan moving in the room can be a nightmare...please save yourself the headache.

Now, if you have been following along in this series we have covered...

Why you want to shoot with a CAMERA

Backgrounds: Part 1 Part 2 and Part 3

Finding the right location for your home studio

Finding the right light

White Balance

Setting up your DIY studio*

and now, collecting the tools to success.

Which brings us to product placement, posing, and perspective.

These will be our focus this week! Be sure to come back!

*I have delayed the release of the DIY studio available light - as well as a followup to the Dollar Store studio due to (of all things) TIME to shoot the images for them! I hope to get the images done this week and fit them back into the schedule - but I wanted to make sure you still had some great information to chew on this week! For now, you can view the First part of the Dollar Store Studio from the link above - it gives you some basic guidelines and some very helpful tips!

The Making of a Light Reflector

What is a light reflector?
Simply it is a tool used in photography to reflect light towards the subject. You can use them with all different light sources such as sunlight, flash or strobe lights, our continuous lights commonly used in home studio photography, or video.

The concept is simple, light hits the reflector and due to placement it reflects it back towards the subject.  One of the most common used reflectors would be a white wall or ceiling, remember the light will change color if you bounce it off something colored! You simply point your adjustable flash towards it and the light bounces off at an angle, or use the reflector to bounce your sunlight back towards your subject!

Today, I will be showing you how to make 3 different versions of a Light Reflectors, that would be helpful in a home-made studio, like one used for small product photography. You will be happy to know that I purchased only $3 in supplies and used only these few other items that everyone should have at home, or would be easy to find! You can use any of the techniques with any of the products and mix and match to make the type that works best for you!

• 2 1/4 boxes (recycled from shipments I have received)
• Tape 
• Scissors

First let me show you the Gold reflector. This is a great option to have on hand if you are shooting on a cold day, in shadows, or even when overcast. It adds a "warm" light to your image.

For this reflector I purchased 1 gold tissue pack from my local dollar store. Yep, that's it. Simply make sure that you select one that is solid gold and without any patterns to it.

I then folded my box flat and cut one edge of it, creating a long bendable piece.

Next, I set out my tissue paper (which is a thick metallic sheet, which I didn't know has silver on the other side... so in reality you could buy 1 pack and use 1/2 for one gold reflector and the other 1/2 for the silver!) 

 I used two sheets to cover the whole box, and I cut them so I could fold each section nice and smoothy.I just used clear tape I had on hand, you could do glue or whatever... just make sure its as smooth and flat as you can get it.

Then, as you can see it can be stood up and bent around in order to reflect light towards my product. (To see why I am shooting with this studio set up visit TSUA-List and read "My Dollar Store Studio")

Here is the finished product image using the Gold Reflector and shooting with the diffused light from the window....  you can see some of the gold picked up in the white background on the table and in the label.While for purposes of the other post this is done in program mode, with no editing... it shows you what you can expect... a warmer tone where the gold reflects on the product.

Next I made a silver reflector. This time I used a shallow box and wrapped it in my $1 aluminum foil purchase. I covered the whole box and flaps here it is while I was working on it.  

Again, try to keep it as smooth as possible, and I simply used tape to keep it from moving around.

Then as I set it up to be used...this one allows it to stand easily, and I can adjust flaps to angle the light if I need.

And the finished image - there is still a slight shadow from the product, but I shot this with the window to the right and the reflector to the left, with a backdrop against the wall behind.

As an alternative, you can use the aluminum foil as both the reflector and the bottom side of your background. Below, I did just that, shooting directly towards my window with the white background over it filtering some light. This is a really nice effect! Again, the product is showing a little dark because I am shooting program, with no post-editing and NO exposure compensation... all things that are easily done to create sharp and well exposed images as shown in the second image. 

Learn how to fix this back-lighting situation using camera settings here.

No edits.

Simple Photoshop Edit

And lastly, I made a simple white reflector buy cutting down a piece of foam core and attaching a part of an old cardboard box to it to create a stand. I just used packing tape to secure it, and bent it to create the stand.

I do have to keep something (like my bottle of paint) behind now to keep the right position.

It does a great job of reflecting light to reduce shadows and provide even soft light from the diffused light already coming in from the window. Below you see an unedited, and shot in Program mode, image with the window on the left, and white reflector on the right. 

All of these reflectors provide you with a means to manipulate your available light.  With small adjustments in a basic editing program, or by simple adjustments to the camera mode all of these would make nice product images. 

This how-to post is brought to you by Streeter & Co, in partnership with TSUA-List. I have been a member of the A-List since it rolled out, and I LOVE what it does for small businesses!

To learn more about creating a home studio for your products check out my "dollar store studio" guest post on the Indie A-List blog.

 I will be continuing to tackle home studio projects, and provide you with great DIY product photography tips! I hope you come back and learn more!

The Best Time To Do Product Photography

When you look up "best time to shoot product shots" everyone seems to have an opinion. Some say when it is bright and sunny, others on a overcast day, some say mornings some say afternoons. When honestly it really depends! There are SO many factors that go into selecting a time of day!

I feel the best time of day to shoot with natural light is...

WHEN YOU HAVE TIME TO BE CONSISTENT, AND FOCUSED.

That's the real key. Select a time of day that generally works well with your schedule. Nap time for the kids, early morning after they go to school... you want a time where you can work uninterrupted, constantly.  The more variables you take out of your photography the easier it will be to learn what to do and how to do it well. Just like when we talked about starting with one background that will work for all your products, be consistent with the time of day you choose!

First Select your location, look for:

•  The ability to create a studio area that can be easily set up, or left up for multiple days (preferable without causing disruption in your household)
• Your windows: If your shooting inside, and using natural light look for a window without panes, this will help eliminate distracting shadows. If you are using available light, meaning home lighting kits NOT sunlight... then you want to be FAR away from the windows so you don't have extra highlights or shadows to compensate for.

• Space. Give yourself space to be able to lay out the products to shoot, a place to put them when your done, and keep them out of your way while your working. You also want some distance between the product and the background. The further your background is from your product the more "blurry" it will be when you are using a macro/aperture control mode, which in turn will draw more attention to your subject!

• Easy background area. If you have a window close to a wall, you can use the wall for your background and the window for light (for natural light options). 

•  Check the light at the time of day that works best for you. 

Now this is where choosing the best light vs. time of day gets tricky when using natural light. While your eye can not see the different colors of light your camera does. and its not just time of day to think about, but window placement and weather as well! (light 101)

So depending on the light coming into the window you may need to try different techniques in order to produce the best results with your photography.

If I shot out of my mastered room at 8 am that window is completely in the shade of early morning light and my images would be blue and underexposed because there isn't enough light, and the temperature of the light that is there up in the 7500K range. Where if I shoot next to my office window one side gets direct sun closer to 3000K, and another window on the other side gets a soft glow of filtered sun at the same time probably in the range of 5000K. So if 8 am is the best time for me to shoot, I have 3 different locations I could choose from that would "fit the bill".

Since I have a large window, and a wall close to it I selected that to be my "shoot" area for my natural light images for this post, and several others for this blog since I can set up easily and without interfering with other workspace in my office.  I choose to pick my battles dealing with the warm direct light and window panes. Because my smaller window is host to a second workspace, and too close to my prop closet for me to feel comfortable shooting in that space. So for me, it makes logistical sense to utilize a different option, where I won't be in my own way.

Do you see, its all a compromise and understanding what your choices are, what fits your life the best, and understanding the obstacles. We can work around most obstacles, but if you don't have a consistent day or time to shoot... you create more because your lighting (which is the MOST important part of good photography) will always be changing. Things that work for one person in their lighting situation wont work for you!

The more consistent you can be, with every choice, the easier it will be to get consistent quality images!  This is why professionals shoot with studio lights for products. Consistency! I can set my studio lights 1 time for a client with X product, and unless something drastically changes with that product size or shape I know I can recreate that same scenario every time for them.

So, to make sure we are all on the same page as we move forward. You should know have...

1. One background to work with for all your products
2. A location where you can create a studio space 
3. A time of day where you can consistently shoot uninterrupted

Now, if the best time or location for you is really a horrible light situation say after 7pm or you don't have a window in the space you need to use, this poses a completely different set of issues. I do have help for you on creating your own studio, working home lighting, and so on... stick around, those posts are coming!

Shooting with Natural Light

Understanding Light vs. Time of Day, is a KEY factor in your photography success.

Lets start by understanding how light works. For the photographer who is shooting next to a window with available light, or even taking products outside time of day becomes OVERWHELMINGLY important. Just like when your doing portraits, the color temperature of your available light, namely the sun, is dictated by time of day. When asked recently "Is it better to use available light or natural light" I very quickly answered... it DEPENDS! A lot of natural light, isn't very "good" for shooting... say late at night or during a thunderstorm.... but the same can be said for available light (house lights) it all depends on your camera settings and understanding how to work with what you have!

As a reminder, anytime I start talking about light... you have to remember that all light has a color temperature, if you remember that from your basic science classes, or my previous posts. (light 101)

Because of the way digital camera's work, we want to find the most "white" light possible in order to produce the most accurate colors. As you can see white, is not on this simple chart, but its closest to the 5000K-5500K temp even tho it is not shown and tends to be the closest  to "noon" time sun. Regardless you will  have to work with your camera to understand your lighting scenario and produce the best results if you are working with sunlight in most cases. This means knowing roughly the temputure or color cast your lighting situation is most likly to produce.

If you shoot like I did here about 2 hours after sunrise, with direct light coming in from a rising sun, you notice the image has a warm almost yellow cast to it, t. The background on the table and leaning on the wall should be white, and the walls a light tan not yellow.

You would get the same sort of yellow orange tone if you were to shoot at sunset, which most of you see when you take images at the park or of your own families I am sure. 


The good news is, all digital camera's have a white balance mode (WB) by learning what kind of light you are shooting in and how to set your camera to see it as "white" you will be well ahead of the curve when it comes time to shoot your images. In most cases, this is set to auto and will function very well for you. You may never need to change this! However, if you find yourself with a yellow, green, blue, or reddish tone to your images (easy to spot on white) you can typically use one of the preset modes to adjust for that sort of lighting situation. The two charts below offer you some assistance listing both the common lightning scenario as well as the icon commonly used for camera manufactures so that you can simply select the one you need to adjust your white balance.

 If it doesn't fully fix the issue , there are other options... like working  with a reflector or diffuser to adjust your light in the area. If you are shooting with light that is more blue, like in the shade, use the gold part of the reflector to direct a warm glow onto your subject. If your light is too warm (like the yellow glow from above, use the white or silver, depending on how cool you need to make it. If your sun is very harsh and casting a lot of shadows... utilize a diffuser and put that between the sun and your product to reduce the amount of light hitting your product. (FYI, I find wax paper to make a great product diffuser if you are in a pinch!)

Look for a great DIY reflector post next week!

Or, use the manual WB settings to make your own adjustments. Either by guessing or by using tools such as a expodisk or white card.

www.expoimaging.com

There is even a simple way to edit for WB within some new Photoshop and editing programs, such as Lightroom, if you choose to do it in post-production... which I find harder, honestly.

To figure out what additional supplies and what studio set up will work best for you, do a test shoot during the time of day that you plan to shoot.  Set up your studio the way you think it will be utilized the best and take some test images. Now, try different WB settings, make a note of what you select on which image. Then, review them on your computer, send them to friends - unedited. Remember we want to shoot correctly (or as correctly as we can) and not count on spending time adjusting in Photoshop. Which ones turned out the closest to an image you would use? Look at what adjustments will need to be made. Can you now adjust your set up to remove shadows, or add a reflector or diffuser to provide an additional light source or to filter the bright light coming in? That will be our next step in creating a functional home studio set up for you!

The Background, pt 3

What makes a good background?

What should you look for when making or purchasing one?

How do you select the right colors to highlight your product?

I think we can agree that the best backgrounds are or should be...

1. Not distracting 
2. Easy to find and work with - requiring little to no maintenance, such as ironing or steaming.
3. Fit both the smallest and largest product you have.
4. Store easily and conveniently until needed.

What makes something a good choice for your background?

I feel your background should to one of two things.. if not both.

1. Provide a solid and consistent look to your shop regardless of product style or colors. 
2. Reflect the style, look, and branding of your shop
3. Showcase your product!

Once you know what your vision is for your shop, and you know what products you will carry, what size they will be you can start selecting a background that will work for them. I suggest everyone start with one background, and if you want to increase later as your skills grow then do so! By starting with one, you can focus on recreating the same consistent look over and over again.. consistency!

What should you look for when making or purchasing one?

If you are purchasing a professional muslin or photography backdrop, like from my shop or other online retailers look for...
1. How does it hang or attach? Can you use clips, or a bar to hang drape it over your shooting area? This one shows tabs that would hang from a pole, such as a curtain rod, or dowel.

2. What size is it? You want a background to easily offer 6 or more inches to all sides of your product... so if your using it as a drape from a wall it should hang with 6 inches of clearance above your product. Not just your product height plus six inches... but enough to cover space behind, height and space in front along your shooting table.

3. What is it made out of? Will it reflect light, absorb light? Is it shiny or flat? I can not tell you what is the best for you, because ultimately it depends on what your shooting, and with what equipment. However, like I pointed out in part two, shooting on reflective surfaces is not for the beginner, it requires skill, attention to detail, and some additional equipment to make it all work out.

4. Are you purchasing cloth or paper? If cloth - what kind? Is it dual sided or backed in any way? Is it thick? Can you see through it? I would stay away from any kind of reflective cloth such as silks and satins as a good rule of thumb.

In addition, I would look for something that is easy to care for and can be folded or stored easily. If you are searching to make your own, and poster board doesn't fit your needs I would look into solid curtains like from your local resale shop. Many of them have thick enough fabrics, or a backing already on them. Sheets tend to be to thin, although cotton is a good choice. If you can utilize a more natural look try out a painting canvas or muslin from your local hardware store!

How do you select the right colors to highlight your product?

I try to think in opposites and compliments when I am faced with this question. If you are working with a lot of different patterns and colors in your products and want a consistent look then I suggest going with white, black, grey or a neutral tan. Let the product do the talking. When you shoot whites, use black... if your product is black use a white background, the oppisites... or think about doing a grey or natural brown/tan to compliment all of them.

Product Provided by: L.W. Hooks

If you want to create a custom look for your shop, then I suggest creating (or letting me create) a custom backdrop to incorporate your branding colors into a pleasing backdrop that can work with any of your products.These are two backgrounds that I made a few months ago, just to give you some examples. The second is still available at my shop.

Scarf from Old Navy, received during a scarf swap!

Product Provided by: Colletta's Kitchen Sink

If you want a different backdrop for every product and wish to highlight it specifically, then I suggest working off the color wheel / opposites concept.

If your items are yellows, oranges or reds... shoot on blues... the opposite. Or you can work the fashion 3, rule which is finding a background within 3 steps of your product color. If your item is Green you can go to light or medium blue... or lighter green or yellow ( really I would decipher yellow as more of a yellow toned tan then really "yellow"). Below you see two examples of opposites... orange and blue, and red and green.

Product Provided by: Craft Gal Creations

Overall the best advice I can give you if you are not wanting to stick with "safe" white, blacks or neutrals is to find balance. Balance between texture, pattern, size, scale and colors. 

Top 5 Things you can do for great Wedding Portraits

Even if you have hired a professional photographer, and followed all my other advice from this months (Love posts), there are still a few things you can do on the day of your wedding to have a dramatic impact on your images!

In my 20 some odd years of being in the photography industry I have done countless wedding, bridal and event photography. In that time I have been able to be a part of all stages, from assisting, to being the “main” photographer, to editing, creating video, and even printing the end product. In that time I have really learned to appreciate the art behind wedding photography.

 Did you know as a bride, attendant or even a guest there are countless things you can do to help a photographer and insure the images that are captured are priceless keepsakes for generations? Here are my top 5 ways of insuring great wedding portraiture!

#1 The Shoot List.
First as a couple, be sure to create a “shoot list” with your photographer. This list is the combo of shots you need it should look something like…
Bride/groom
Bride/ Groom / Grooms mom (Anne)
Bride/ Groom/ Grooms mom / Step Dad (Frank)

This list should be done in advance and copies should be on both you and the photographer’s side. A real wedding photographer will have the basics memorized- but as in many modern families there are people you want in, people who may need to be on the end to be edited out later (you laugh but we all know its true!) and even ex’s who cant be stood next to each other. The more information you can give ahead of time for these little notes, as well as the REALLY important shots you want. Like… if you HAVE to have a photo of great-great grandma and the newborn… you should speak up prior to the chaos.

#2 The Assistant
Any wedding photographer worth their salt will not be doing this solo and the shoot list will be the assistants guide to make sure everything the bride want gets done. He/ she is the backbone so to speak, and the backup. They are also the “go to” in most photographer / assistant relationships. The photographer is there for the bride. The assistant is there for everyone else. If your mom wants a shot of something, she should be told to go to the assistant with it. The assistant will either take the shot (if they are a second shooter) or will be sure to have the photographer do it. Or will at the very least be able to handle the situation without distracting the photographer away from the bride. You should clarify the role of the assistant or additional shooters in your pre-wedding consultation you’re your photographer before the wedding, and be sure to inform your bridal party… and vocal family members whom they can and cannot go to with requests.

If there is no assistant (or even if there is) you should also assign Aunt Betty (who always wants to help, and knows most everyone… you know the one.. ) to assist the assistant. Or, better yet find one from each side of the family, give them a copy of the shoot list, and let her be the runner during the bridal portraits. This can save a lot of time! The photographer or photographers assistant can say who they will need next, and she can go get them. She can also watch to make sure each combo you need is getting done… because trust me – you wont know! It also makes her feel important and keeps her from going to you with everything she thinks needs done.

#3 The Kit
I highly recommend this kit to every bride. Go to the dollar section of your local drug store or big box market and pick up these handy items.

1.  A small sewing kit (includes tiny scissors, thread and needle, add safety pins and several boutineer pins (craft needles) to it if needed)
2.  A pack of Mary-Kay blot cloths ($5) or some round cotton pads (dollar section) to blot shiny areas during the day- don’t forget to use them on you and your groom!
3.  Extra lip gloss /lipstick, powder and WATERPROOF mascara
4.  Nail file, clippers, and basic polish – you know one of your bridesmaids are going to need this.
5.  I also recommend Tylenol, Advil, Tums, and a Powerbar.

Now the tricky part to this kit is making sure you have it with out – ALL the time. I suggest you give it to your maid of honor and put her in charge of making sure you touch up makeup and blot about every half hour. (or before each “stage” of the day at least) I have seen these kits cleverly attached to bouquets or as a cute handbag to carry all day.

#4 The Smile
Everyone should be forewarned that especially in today’s technologically crazed world, it is best to assume someone; somewhere is taking your photo, especially on your wedding day. Everyone should keep good smiles, and shoulders back, sit up straight etc… all day. Nothing looks worse in your church shots then the one bridesmaid or groomsman that is hunched over, or picking their teeth. While your photographer can (and should) do something about this in your formal shots, during the ceremony there is nothing they can do! As a bride and groom, you should always have a smile… remember to excuse yourself to the restroom to pat your underarms dry, checking for food in your teeth, or touching up make-up.

 Last… PLEASE remember a wedding is no place for gum! Your photographer will thank you for not making them edit out bright blue gum from open mouths! Fact: Some will charge you extra for it, and they should!!!

#5 Go the extra mile.
Professional wedding photographers all have a different view on the next subject. But most I know agree. If you are having a buffet, or sit down dinner it is not a good time to be doing photos. NO ONE likes having those table shots done, food in teeth and all! It is a good time to let your photographer breath, sit down, swap batteries, or reset gear for the party portion to come. Discuss in advance what your photographer typically does during this time. It is the polite thing to include your photographer (and crew) in on the meal. Some photographers will flat out refuse, while others may tell you they may take a small portion in to the kitchen area or somewhere away from guests, some may outright thank you for being so generous, and some may be even be expecting it! I find that the longer you expect them to produce amazing images, the more you should expect to feed them! This also is a nice way of thanking them for everything they are doing! Yes, they are paid to be there, but if they pass out from lack of food or dehydration think of all that equipment they are likely to break… and moments they will miss as they are carted away in an ambulance!

Found on the Wedding Bee

Tip: If you want a shoot of everyone who attended your wedding, rather then doing table shots ask for a photobooth, or photoguest book option. Or even set up an "upload" station with a laptop or cards to where they can send their own snaps of your wedding to you!

I hope these tips come in handy! I know my past brides and friends have always appreciated them!