DIY Photo Shoot

Now, I have a little jewelry website to sell some of the pieces I've made and a few people have asked how I get my photos. They obviously aren't professional, but they don't suck, either. Plus, I use a point and shoot camera. Here's a little set up that I have found works for me. I keep everything in a little box.



Opened, you can see that I have a bunch of stuff in there.



The first thing you'll want to have is a bunch of props for you to put your jewelry on.



Other things you'll want is direct sunlight (I use an OTT Lite), a white sheet or fabric, and opaque plastic box.







I also like a little bit of clay to hold things in place (really good for earrings) and I bought this tiny tripod at the Dollar Tree. Its the best thing I ever bought from there! Well. Except for glow sticks. Anyway.






Okay, so the first thing I do is put the box on its side and drape the white fabric around it, including the top. Make sure its smooth against the sides of the box.



Then place your items inside the box, and your camera (if you have a tripod) in front of it.



I use my camera on the auto setting, as I'm not a photography wizard, I'm a lameass (that was for you, Cindy). The most important thing to remember is to set your macro setting. This is the setting that looks like a little flower. Its used for close-up shots. If you don't use this setting, you might have issues with your camera focusing on the item. Another tip I have is to use the timer function. My camera has a 2 second timer, and I love to use it.

Make sure your item is in direct sunlight. For me this used to mean going outside and getting my back sunburned. So wear sunscreen if you do that. Or, get an OTT-Lite. Its a daylight lamp. I got mine at Tuesday Morning for $30. It's great!

I've found that you have to just adjust for the light you have, and sometimes your photos just won't come out wonderful. Shrug and try again later, or use what you have. I suggest taking several different viewpoints, both close-up and far away. I'm definitely not an expert, but its working out for me so far!