Tips for Success: Photo Retakes

Selling online is difficult, especially if you're selling expensive items, like a leather bag. There's so much in a purse. The feel, the weight, the shape. We love to try things on, so slinging a big leather bag over our shoulders and taking a quick glance in the mirror is the way that we usually shop.

How can we online sellers provide that similar experience to a potential client?

Photographs. Lots of them.

Here are some easy tips taking great photos:

1. Use natural light. No light we can afford can match the brightness of the sun. Find a spot outside or in your studio with lots of natural light flooding through and stage your product photography there. In my old studio, I didn't have a lot of windows, so I used 3 really bright flood lights and it still required LOTS of photo editing to get the colors just right, and I still ended up getting some feedback about the color not matching the product description images. This situation has not come up at all since I moved to my new place which has a big window next to my work bench. It's great! Very minimal (if ANY) photo editing needed before the pictures make it to the shop.

2. Model your product. I buy a lot of jewelry online, and as much as I love numbers to show the dimensions of the item, the thing I look for most is a model of the product, whether it's on a human ear, mannequin ear, or on the edge of a coffee mug. Photographing a product on a well-known source for dimensions allows a potential customer see the actual proportion of the product.

3. Sell the stage. Set the mood. You walk into IKEA and what do you see? A simple couch on sale. But it's not just a couch in the middle of a blank room, it's a couch in the middle of a beautifully (and strategically decorated) living room. Handbags sell the same way. And so do lots of accessories. Model your product in an outfit that matches the product, because afterall, you're not just selling the product, you're selling the whole package.

Here's an example of how I changed my photography setting and had this bag go from no hearts, no treasuries, and very few views to 100+ hearts, 3200+ views, and 4 Front Pages!



Now if only this bag would sell... ;)

Have any other ideas that I missed? Got a success story about one of your products?? Share them in the comments! We're all always trying to find ways to improve our sales, so please feel free to provide lots of feedback. :)

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Hanging Art 101

Hope everyone had a great weekend. I thought I'd share this helpful art-hanging guide with y'all.

copy via Pier 1


•Start by tracing each object’s outline onto scrap paper. Tape the cut-out pieces of paper to the wall, experimenting and re-arranging to see what composition works best.

•Don’t space objects too far apart—the width of your hand is a good guide.

•It’s usually best to place the largest object near the center, then work outward.

•Hang the largest pieces at eye-level (about 63-66 inches above the floor).

•For a unified look, choose items that incorporate the same color, frame style or subject matter.


Tips for hanging one large piece.

•Small items work best in small areas—a narrow wall or cozy reading corner.

•Shop your hardware store for picture-hanging kits. And, if you’re hanging something heavy, know the weight since you need to choose hooks based on the item’s size.

• Your new best friend? A level. Whether you choose a laser level or the traditional box version, this is the best way to make sure your frame is even.

• Keep it in proportion. When hanging artwork over a piece of furniture, make sure the art is not wider than the piece underneath it. Also, leave no more than 6 inches of wall space between the furniture and art.

• Vertical or horizontal? The decision might be dictated by your desire to create height or to widen and elongate a space. But generally, vertical arrangements appear formal and dramatic while horizontal hangings feel more casual.

• Maybe you don’t need to hang it. Leaning artwork against the wall is a classic studio look and allows you to move objects around whenever you want.

copy via Pier 1



via HGTV

via Flickr

via Apartment Therapy






via Black Rooster decor


via Wish


via House Hunting

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