Capturing the Light

As I mentioned last month, in my post about a new pin I had made, I created a new photography set-up. I am finally getting around to telling you guys about it today.

I am a member of the handemadeology team on etsy, which is a business and promotion oriented team open to all. There is a great blog set up by the founders of the team that you can visit at http://handmadeology.com that  is a wonderful resource for and support for etsy sellers. They have advertising tips and photography tips, and they also promote sellers, which is always appreciated!

I decided to build a cheap little light box based on the instructions provided by handmadeology here.  I didn't want to buy foam board as the tutorial recommends because, as we all know by now, I am CHEAP. Rather,  I currently have several large rolls of lovely artist paper that I bought on sale from a local art supply store, and I figured I could use that instead to line the cardboard box. So, I cut off two sides of a small cardboard box, and measured the bottom and sides of the box against the large roll of lightly-textured white paper.

Ta-dahhhh!  This is my wee little lightbox. I didn't do it perfectly, 
obviously, since there is a little area the paper 

doesn't cover in the corner. I need to do something about that.

Megan Models my Wares

Collage pin 

My friend Megan, another PhD student in the English department and a fan of Irish lit, was a sweetheart and agreed to model for me for some Etsy photos.  Her hair is so gorgeous and she has such a cool and unique style that I knew she would enhance my brooches and bobby pins.  She did such a great job and made it so easy!  We played around in the afternoon light for an hour, and then we each grabbed dinner, and later went to a clothing exchange organized by a friend -- more on that soon.

Modeling these pins

Her hair is so thick!  I think she looks stunning here. I blurred out the background by using a mask in photoshop and then applying lens blur.

A bunch more images after the jump.

Clicking Away

I am trying to improve my photography skills so that I can make my items in my etsy shop more attractive. So, I am having fun taking pictures of random things in my life, and trying to manipulate my cheap digital point-and-shoot into imitating something more expensive. And working, very, very slowly, on understanding the many ways in which one can use photoshop to improve a picture without over-doing it.

So, here are some pics I was taking of things in my garden, breakfast -- whatever!

Ms. E's dwarf lemon tree

Our lavender and succulents

home made spicy sausage rolls with leeks and celery