Props for Product Photography

Sometimes I get obsessed with product photography. I will spend days studying how other artists, magazines, and websites style and shoot their products. I'm constantly on the lookout for cool backgrounds and props for my own jewelry photos. At the beginning of the year I gave you a peek into my process for photographing jewelry. I mentioned my photo props briefly in the post but really didn't go into much about them. Since I've recently acquired some new props that have me excited, I thought I'd share with you what I use.

The basis for any product photo is a background. I tend to just use a variety of papers.

As you can see, none of them are shiny or too distracting. I like to keep them neutral in color as well. My favorite is the black posterboard. It is very matte, and I can buy it at my local Dollar Tree for only a buck! I cut it down so I'm not dealing with such big pieces of paper.

In addition to the paper, another prop staple of mine is the cup/mug.

These are perfect to hang earrings. From time to time I'll also use the mugs for bracelets too.

I've got a small collection of traditional jewelry displays that make cameos in my photos.

The black earring holders are strictly used for earrings, but I use the wood display for necklaces most of the time. Both of them have their pros and cons.

The last of my staples are some general props: old books and a piece of driftwood.

The books come into play in various ways. I use the outside covers or inside pages as general backgrounds, I stack the books and let the jewelry (usually necklaces) hang, and I open the front cover and hang earrings from the edges. The driftwood only gets used from time to time and often to lay bracelets across. However, I don't limit myself to bracelets by any means with it.

I've had all of these props for so long that they're almost coming to bore me. So, I've been on the lookout for some new items. Over a month ago I found this lady and was ecstatic! I've been looking for someone like her for ages.

She'll help me show how necklaces hang on the body (since I have a hard time getting a picture of myself wearing them - short arms) She came topless, but I've got her dressed for decency's sake. Eventually I'll cover her with some text.

As well, I discovered this beautiful milk glass bowl while thrifting.

It's perfect for hanging earrings from the dainty edges or placing earrings inside the bowl. I've even taken a few bracelet shots with it.

Finally, I picked up this rusty piece of tin at an antique store. I probably paid more than I should have for it, but I saw so many possibilities.

It has a perfect matte finish and the rustic, grungy feel that I love. I can shoot any of my jewelry on it really.

I try to keep all my props together. The majority of them are in one of those collapsible canvas organizers.

This makes it easy to grab all of them quickly when I have the time to take pictures.

In addition to what I've shown you here, I do have a couple of other new items that need to be cut down to size. I'll also be keeping my eye out for more. Can you ever really have enough photo props? I hope you realize that the items I tend to use are either handmade, cheap, or found - with a few exceptions. There's no reason that your photo props have to be expensive, they just need to show your product well.

And oh, I love how my pictures are turning out with my new props.

Bright Blossom earrings - photographed from the milk glass bowl with black posterboard below and behind.

What do you use for photo props/backgrounds? Is there anything in particular you've been wanting to try?

It Snowed Down South (kinda)

If you haven't heard, it really did snow in Alabama yesterday.

I say "snow" but what we in the lowest portion of Bama received was less snowflakes and more sleety-ice that somewhat stuck to the ground.

My front yard

There were hours upon hours of wet sleet that formed icicles on everything.

The icicles on my Jeep at the beginning of the storm

The same icicles this morning

The ice that coated all the leaves made for an almost pleasant wind chime effect as the wind blew. However, if you were out there listening to it, you were also freezing your tail off.

I'm just praying my poor rose bushes will be okay.

The ice is currently starting to melt and dripping off everything, but the temperature is starting to drop again. As such, I doubt the roads will be driveable again tomorrow.

The tires on Pat's truck were covered in icicles. I laughed because they even hung off the bottom.

 There's been a lot of hullabaloo about why Southerners can't handle a little snow.  Before you start making fun of us (or continue to do so), take a look at this article at Gizmodo on Why the South Fell Apart in the Snow. It may explain a few things.

No worries, I won't be going anywhere as long as my car's door handle is froze up like this.

While I often consider a change of pace nice, I'm ready for all this cold, wet ickyness to be gone.

Icicles on my front porch.

It's almost pretty, but y'all Northerners can keep it!

Wrapping up 2013 in Jewelry

I really didn't want to end this year with yet another food post. Instead, let me leave you with some eye candy. . .my favorite pieces made each month this year.

January

February

 March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Honorable mention (since it's not completed jewelry)

I definitely like the direction this year has taken me and I'm looking forward to many more creative endeavors in 2014. Here's hoping you are too!

Happy New Year Y'all!!

Menu and the Photoshop Timesuck

I feel like I'm finally coming up for air. I've been working on a particular project for several weeks and then got involved in editing pictures for it. I adore editing pictures. I know. . .weird, sick obsession. There's just something about taking an okay picture and really trying to get the best out of it. I lose track of time while editing pictures. Really. Doesn't everyone have an activity that's a total timesuck for them? Just me?

Anyway. . .in the midst of all that, I was able to get my meals planned for the week along with the shopping done. Thank goodness I started on that BEFORE I opened the Photoshop! So here's what we'll most likely be chowing down on this week.

Breakfasts: Yogurt w/granola, Juice, Eggs w/toast & fruit, Cereal, Muffins

Lunches: Tuna noodles, Ham and cheese quesidillas, Juice, PB&J, Pita pizzas

Dinners: 

Tofu w/corn & rice mix

Mushroom Stroganoff with goat cheese w/green beans

Slow cooker pinto bean stew with jalapeno corn dumplings

Roasted shrimp and veggies (carrots, potatoes, zucchini)

Sounds delish to me! What's on your menu this week? Share it for Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Now to dive back into the Photoshop and get some of my jewelry photos edited so I can list some new stuff soon. Wouldn't that be a miracle?

Focusing on Life Week 9: Knock, knock

I thought long and hard on the Focusing on Life prompt this week. "Knock, knock" definitely denotes a door, but the door to my house is so very boring and the sliding doors at Wal-mart (one of the few places I've been this week) are absolutely non-inspiring.

Then I realized what I've been constructing all week would be a fabulous subject. I got a bug up my butt for some reason to create some St. Patrick's Day decorations for my foyer. The problem was that I didn't own any St. Patty's decorations. No worries...Pinterest to the rescue. A quick trip to the dollar store and a few craft endeavors and I was all set. Now when you come a knock, knocking at my door you're greeted with this just inside.

I'm super pleased with how it all came together and would like to show you some of the details.

After seeing the colored vases, I picked up a few clear vases and started squirting acrylic paint inside them. It was a lot easier than I thought, though I did go through quite a bit of paint. The fake flowers and tinsel shamrock were both Dollar Tree purchases.

The subway art printable was another Pinterest find as was the idea of the split peas in the tall vase. The frame was one I happened to have hoarded in the craft room. It had been black, but a few coats of white paint fixed that and gave it a little shabby look (which I love).

I really liked the idea of hanging a small wreath on the mirror. I just added some clover wire stuff from the dollar store and knotted a ribbon to a grapevine wreath.

The wreath looked a little plain, so I used this cute clothesline idea to fru-fru it a bit more. The tags are made from leftover scrapbook paper, dictionary text, and green letter stickers. I had the tiny clothespins on hand and used some green yarn for the line. Getting the yarn tied on so it would hang right was the hardest part of this project.

This is the most decorated my foyer has ever been and I LOVE IT! Feel free to come knocking at my door anytime over the next two weeks. Well, that is as long as you only want to visit the foyer. The rest of the house isn't ready to receive guests. Oh well. . .

Head over to Sally Russick's blog, The Studio Sublime to check out how the other participants interpreted the Knock, knock prompt for Focusing on Life Week 9.

June in Photos

As promised in yesterday's meandering post, I'm going to share some of my favorite Instagram pictures from June.

As in every month (just about) I got a sunset on the water picture.

I thought the bubble pattern in my beer was pretty neat. What do you see in it?

I actually grew something I can eat!! (and did eat)

June was full of all kind of storms. This ominous one was setting off many alerts/alarms.

I took a Kumihimo class at my local bead store with a friend. That was so much fun!!

This cute tree frog was in my watering can as I struggled to keep my plants alive.

I took some time to bust out a baker's dozen pairs of earrings.

Father's Day meant a beer cake for my step-dad.

Stumbled on this pretty brook while at a playground and geocaching with the nieces.

Finally, I rounded the month out with a rainbow of jello shots (thanks Cindy!) and fun with a few really good friends.

Now. . .it's time to move past the month that got away and on to bigger and better.
New necklace in the shop.

Button Fringe Necklace

As well, there's a few more items in the on SALE section of the shop.

Now, let's see what we can do with July! ;)

April Goal Review

Another month has ended and a new one begun. As such, it's time for me to review my goals. All pictures are ones I have taken over the month and shared via Instagram. 

Sunshine on Fish River

PERSONAL

1. Exercise (basically, just be more active)  We just didn't seem to do as well on this as we have previously. We weren't very active during the weekdays, though I did determine that grocery shopping can burn quite a few calories. We did play some disc golf, walk a few parks, and have a single bike ride all month but definitely need some improvement.



Oranges with lunch

2. Eat right/better We've actually done okay on this one. My menu planning does help, but every once in a while we just lose it. We definitely need to cut down on the sweets.
3. Read more books/watch less TV (I'd like to read at least two books a month, however that all depends on the length of the book) I've really slacked with my book reading this month. I wish I could get more invested in Inheritance, but I'm struggling. I did buy Jenny Lawson's (The Bloggess) new book, "Let's Pretend this Never Happened (a Mostly True Memoir)" and am itching to get it started. As far as TV watching, we really only watch in the evening after dinner. So, there's not much change in that.
4. Make a real effort to keep the house clean. I've followed my cleaning schedule a little closer this month, but I don't believe the house is any cleaner than usual. I definitely think I can get better so there's room for some improvement.
5. Discover new music. I've thought about this goal a few times and have listened to a few new-er bands and songs for me, but have not invested any real effort or time on this goal. I totally need to work more consciously on it.



A magical-looking spot on Fish River

6. Grow some plants inside and out. Please note that this is the ONLY goal I'm deeming as MET this month. While the nieces were here for Spring Break, we gave some plants a new home on our front porch. Now, to just work on some inside plants! 
   
7. Make my visions of my dream house and this house co-exist (basically, start decorating this house the way I envision my dream house being decorated.) The plants on the front porch help me some for this goal. As well, Pat and I have continued to talk about flooring and some other decorating issues. Yet, that's it. We're getting there I think, just at a snail's pace.
8. Declutter/organize at least one drawer/cabinet/area a week. Though I haven't done this on a weekly basis as I had intended, I have done it about half the time. I'm pretty happy with my progress and just hope I can continue on this trend.
9. Have a yard sale (possibly organize a neighborhood one) As I've done NOTHING to plan one for this spring and it's already warming up, I think this goal will have to wait until the Fall. Dangit.
10. Take better care of my face and skin I've really not done well on this at all over the month.
11. Go to the doctor/dentist  Just haven't done it yet.

Crawfish (one of the two parties this month)

BUSINESS/CRAFT

1. Make a real effort with my blog. There's definitely a trend toward improvement this month, it's just not there yet.
2. Include more tutorials on the blog. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to make a tutorial. I did download an app for my phone called Snapguide that's supposed to help with making tutorials. Hopefully I'll try it out soon.



Paints organized in Roy G. Biv order

3. Keep the craft room more organized. I won't say that the room's been MORE organized, but I haven't let it get too out of control over the month.  
   
4. Discover my passion. I'm starting to recognize that I'm more conscious about what I enjoy making and materials I'm drawn to. So, I don't think this goal is a complete fail this month.
5. Get published. I've made more progress on this goal in this one month than any other. A Facebook jewelry friend let a group of us know that an editor was looking for some additional submissions for the Fall issue of a magazine. I submitted a design. She liked it but wanted to see one change. I made the change, but haven't heard back from her yet. We'll see. Taking that first step is always the hardest. Maybe it was just the leap I needed.
6. Create something everyday I really didn't focus on this goal at all over the month like I did at the beginning of the year. I definitely need to get back into that habit. I went DAYS without ever going into the craft room. That was not good.
7. Explore other venue options for selling my jewelry (in the community)While I've not made any concrete decisions on this or actual steps toward it, I feel as though I'm getting closer than I've ever been in regards to this goal. I've talked with a friend who is selling in the community, figured out how to find local craft fairs, and contemplated what kind of displays/booth I want. It's not much, but it's still so much more than where I was.
8. Find a way to use what I have instead of buying more. I need less more in my life! I did okay on this over the month. There were a few weak moments, but overall not too bad in the spending department.

Disc golf

GENERAL

1. Figure out where my time is wasted and put an end to it. I'm continually aware that much of my time-wasters are games on the iPad. Yet, I lack the willpower to stop playing them. In general though, I don't feel like I've wasted as much time as previously.
2. Find some confidence and exert it. I know I'm not doing well on this one. I continue to be a wallflower in most situations.



Buttons being printed on the 3D printer

3. Think outside of the box. I have done this somewhat with a few projects. As well, since Pat has the 3D printer built, I'm thinking hard about how I can use that to my benefit. It's something. 
4. Be Grateful/Thankful. I've done a lot of thinking on this one, but have yet to express it as well as I was hoping.

 

Sunset while pontoon boat trailer getting fixed

 
Overall, I haven't had as many successes as I would like, but my failures are not near as big. I'm getting there I think!


Here's a tasty bit for your patience with this post; a new necklace in the shop.

Chocolate Frosting Necklace

For the original goal list as well as my goal reviews for January, February, and March just click on the links included in this sentence! 

Did you set goals/resolutions for the year? How are you doing on them so far?