Photographing On Etsy

Before I start this tutorial, I want to go over a few ground rules. Every photographer is different, we all know that, and everyone is going to market their item in a different way. I tried to be as general (while being as specific) as possible. There really is no right answer to these sorts of things; this is just what worked for me, and it very well might not work for you. I'm also still learning! This is just a comprehensive review of the techniques I've learned since I've started. Call it pointers. Or basics.

Also, this tutorial is not a guide on how to use your camera. I touch on a few very basic concepts of camera usage. If you guys want a camera tutorial, you are going to have to look elsewhere. Honestly, mine stays on "auto".

This is Part One: Photographing Inanimate Objects
Part Two: Incorporating People, will be tomorrow.

Annnndddd....Without further ado, on to the guide!

Here are some of the first pictures I took for my etsy shop, back in 2009 when it was only vintage:

At this time I really didn't know much about photography, and I only sort of knew what I wanted in a picture, but not how to achieve it. I used light all wrong, had clutter in my background, and uneven frames. The only three rules I thought applied to photography and Etsy were.

1. Be creative.
2. Do not overly photoshop your pictures.
3. Make sure to use a nice bright light.

This is a nice starting point. If you follow these three basic rules, you can expect pretty decent picture. I tried to follow all of these three rules when I started out, and as you can see I churned out some okay advertisements. But, I'm sure you guys will all agree--they aren't breathtaking, or awe-inspiring, or deeply creative or intuitively designed. They function well, but fail to attain any high degree of artistry.  

Fast forward a few years to 2012. Hopefully I've grown, right? About 6 months ago I was hired to create an Etsy shop for a local consignment store to feature their beautiful jewelry, and vintage odds and ends. Here are some of the pictures from their store that I designed and shot:

Obviously, I have grown. That is lesson number one. You will always get better with time, especially if you keep practicing.  Don't give up. You will surprise yourself.

Lesson two consists of knowing how to use your surroundings to the fullest. Look at what is around you. Use it to capture the idea that you are trying to sell (trust me, Etsy is all about selling ideas).

I learned to use woodgrain. Everything looks better on woodgrain.

I also learned to spend a lot of time prepping my garment and making sure it lay "just so".

The best time to take pictures is very early in the morning, right when the sun is coming up, or late in the evening, right when the sun heading to sleep. These times are called "the golden hour". Taking pictures in the golden hour is just about amazing.

However, if you are like me, and lazy, and decide to wait until noon to begin your photo-shoot because you were up all last night reading the fourth Game of Thrones book, your best bet is to stick to the shadows. The shadows evenly distribute the light and, for some unfathomable reason (at least to me) make the colors just pop. There is no glare in the shadows--its a safe place to start taking pictures if the sun is high.

Also, if you can see, the part in the sun does not show the lace detailing as finely as in the shadow picture. The sunlight just obscures all the details! No sunlight, no glare! Remember that--if you take a picture in the shadows it eliminates the glare.

The fourth thing I learned is when all else fails, you can always center things! This is nice, because it requires less thinking.

And last but not least, don't forget to add personal signature that makes the photograph uniquely "yours". I choose feet.

 

Hmm, so those are the basic steps I follow when photographing my vintage or handmade items. And my pictures have improved. I just go out and try to be as creative as possible with whatever I have on hand.

Good luck! And if you guys have any photographic tips, please feel free to comment. I am always looking for more pointers!

Be sure to check out my other Etsy tutorials!
Packaging on Esty: After the Sale
The 3 Most Common Etsy Mistakes

Etsy Mistakes

When browsing Etsy (something you should be doing quite regularly, especially if you sell there) I've come across a number of mistakes that many Etsy sellers make. Usually I cringe, and go on my merry way, but today I decided to compile a list of the three most annoying errors Etsy sellers make.

1) The first, and chief annoyance, has to do with measurements. You probably already know what I'm taking about, but if you don't, let me elaborate. Say you are searching for a dress for your birthday. As you are browsing, you come across the perfect little ensemble...only to realize the seller did not put any measurements in the listing. What?? You think, perplexed and mildly annoyed, as you try to size up the model and analyze if you are anywhere close to their dress size.

If you are an etsy seller and you do this, STOP IMMEDIATELY! You are losing customers! You know what I do when I find a dress that I like without measurements? Most of the time I shrug my dainty little shoulders and keep searching. You just lost my interest with your lazy, half-retarded attempt to sell me your handmade/and or vintage item. On very rare occasions I'll go the extra mile and send the seller a convo inquiring about said measurements of said dress...AND THEN YOU HAVE TO MEASURE IT ANYWAY! So why not save me the trouble and go ahead and put that in your listing?

Seriosuly.

2) The second thing that annoys me is shipping. I could write a whole bloody article about shipping.

So lets get started: my pet peeves about etsy shipping.

• Why does your amazing handmade lace halter top with cute button flower embellishments and tea-dyed empire waist belt cost me $10 to ship when it looks like it weighs less than then my baby kitten? I might understand that extraneous amount if you lived in, like, China, or something, BUT no, you live TWO STATES AWAY from me. Don't expect me to buy from you. Ever.
• The item I am salivating over in your shop cost 1,200 dollars. Why are you charging me 10$ for shipping? What is wrong with you? 
• I will not pay more for shipping than I did for your item.
• I want to buy your postcard. Why is shipping $5? Do you think I don't know how much it costs to ship a postcard?
• You make a listing for 1$, and put 10$ in the shipping. What? 
• I buy something from you. I pay 7$ in shipping. The item arrives with a $3.50 stamp on it. I will never buy from you again.

Give me a reasonable shipping price, and refund my shipping if you happen to overcharge me. Do not use shipping to try to make money--thats not what it is there for! Is that too much to ask?

3) The third thing that makes me confused is why people consistently don't upload a picture of the "back" of their garment. Why is this? I most certainty want to make sure I look good from behind, not just from the front. And, I do want to see what I'm buying from every angle.

And thats really about it. Those are the top three Etsy blunders I keep seeing over and over again. Can anyone else relate?
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Check out my other Etsy Guides!
Photography on Etsy: Inanimate Objects 
Packaging on Etsy: After the Sale

Packaging On Etsy

This week I'm going to do several posts about selling on Etsy. I've learned quite a bit in the last few years and I want to be able to share it with you guys!

When you sell on etsy you need to go above and beyond when you ship. The customer just spent their hard-earned money on your handmade item, an item that you probably spent hours or even days designing, creating and photographing.

DON'T throw it in a bag and slap the address on it. THIS IS NOT EBAY!

I expect my purchase, when I buy from Etsy, to be at the very least lovingly wrapped. I mean, someone just spent the last several hours hand-making it! When I spend my money on Etsy I feel like I am purchasing someone's treasure. I cannot stress it more that you should play into that idea as much as possible. Think about the things you yourself have bought from Etsy. Don't you love the cute gift wrap? Doesn't it make you feel special?

If you don't show any value towards packaging your item, the buyer, in return, won't feel that they have an item of value. So treat your items  the way they deserve to be treated (as priceless treasures!) and your customer will honor their purchase even more.

That brings me to my second point. Always, and I mean Always, include a free gift. This is another way to make your customer feel special and appreciated, and is also a very nice way to thank them for shopping with you.

I just include one or two of my handmade postcards, depending on the price of the purchase.

Many people forgot how important packaging is. They spend so much time making and photographing their item, only to throw it carelessly into a brown box. Think before you ship, and go the extra mile to make your customer feel special. That, after all, was probably why they purchased from you in the first place.
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Check out my other Etsy Guides:
The Three Most Common Etsy Mistakes
Photography on Etsy: Inanimate objects