It gets impressed on you over and over about the importance of good photos to sell items online in the forums on etsy and selling tips on etsy wiki. I have been so worried about even coming close to the standards of photography I have seen in many etsy shops that it created a bit of paralysis in me that kept me in part from listing. Yesterday I decided to just start going for it the best I can. I realized I won't get better unless I take pictures and get them out there. We own a good SLR digital camera that I really don't know much beyond the very basics on how to use but I do want to learn.
I also have 3 different softwares for photo editing that I am using to see which one I am most comfortable with. What I have found with most of them is that any auto fixing I do seems to make the picture look worse. The colors and lighting seem to get all messed up. What I use the software for mostly is cropping and resizing and let the camera's pictures be as they are for the rest of it. I have found one effect that I like for the pictures that other people may not like. I prefer to soften the edges of the pictures. I think it creates a softer look on the page which fits in with my theme of making life "cozy".
I have way too much stuff in my craft room to leave it all just sitting here. I get new ideas all the time that will only add to it. And above all that I really would like to say to my husband some day that I sold something!
So you have my thoughts for today. Feel free to leave a comment. It's nice to know someone might be reading.
Oh yeah, taking nice photographs seems so difficult. Especially if I compare myself to other people on etsy, who not only take wonderful pictures of their items but also manage to make their unique vision of photography show in those pictures.
ReplyDeleteI know it takes practise and all, but it is still quite frustrating, and yes, it does make me not list as much. But I keep on trying... I also have a nice camera that should be able to take clear pictures - it's just the user end that's the problem:)
But I have learnt to use picture editing software to my advantage, I know there's lot to learn about that, too, but especially managing the curves, colour balance, contrast and sharpening settings can make a turn for better in an image. Of course, it would help even more if the image was better to begin with:)
But it was a bit comforting to read that I'm not the only one with some problems with the photos... I came to your blog while looking at random blogs of people on etsy:)
Take care:)
- nettlefly@etsy
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. Godd luck to you in your etsy endeavors.
ReplyDeleteMy fingers get tongued tied---
ReplyDeleteGood luck, nettlefly