Take Better Photos of Your Knits for Your Blog
•
1 like•906 views
A short tutorial about how to take better photos - written for knitters who blog. Written by Charisa Martin Cairn. 2010.
Recommended
More Related Content
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Featured
Featured (20)
Take Better Photos of Your Knits for Your Blog
- 1. Quick Photography TipsFor Knitters with Blogs You Can Do It! Charisa Martin Cairn
- 2. Photos make you smarter You can: capture an idea show someone what you mean remember accurately illustrate a thought learn how to use your point and shoot There’s no grading involved!
- 3. Point and Shoots take great shots It’s digital? Try every setting with one object Do not use flash! (tripod useful) Not in direct sunlight – overcast works best Check your white balance Unclutter your photoshoot Figure out the macro setting Carry it with you EVERYWHERE!
- 4. DSLRs take great shots Try all the settings! Don’t stick to “Auto” Low Aperture = blurred background Don’t use your DSLR flash, get one that you can point up or to the side (tripod = good) Unclutter your photoshoot Play with lens types: lensbaby, wide angle, telephoto
- 5. Easy Light Box Get the lighting right
- 6. DIY Lightbox http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent My personal fave:PVC fixes everything http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/03/pvc_light_box_light_tent.html
- 7. Video or Still Flash or Not White balance Additional options Close up (macro)or distance
- 8. White balance & Space balance Get the lighting and layout right – shoot what you like
- 9. Check your white balance
- 11. Sometimes “spare” may not tell the whole story
- 13. Wide open/low aperture Creates a mood Blurs the background
- 15. Don’t lay it flat, get if off the bed Shadow adds interest.
- 16. Tell a story
- 17. Carry your camera everywhere Get the shot!
- 18. Ravelry Papa and Mama
- 19. Betty Roberts, The Spinning Wheel Lady
- 20. Cookie A, Analytical and deep in thought
- 23. Your point and shoot takes video. Hmmm.
- 27. Even in a friend’s kitchen
- 29. And , sometimes, the digital darkroom makes the shot. Photoshop can be your friend.
- 32. Don’t be afraid to get in their face
- 33. Sometimes, rented equipment is good (Don’t buy what you don’t need) A rented long telephoto lens was employed for this shot.
- 35. Lowlight can be evocative
- 36. Perfection isn’t needed if you just need to capture an idea.
- 37. Do Cool Things Zazzle ‘em, Shutterfly ‘em, Blurb ‘em!
- 38. Make a calendar free, advertise your blog (bighugelabs.com)
- 39. Shutterfly.com Rather than use calendar option ($20 per calendar), try adding a border on a print and giving 12 prints.
- 40. Make things! Zazzle.com Publish! Lulu.com or Blurb.com
- 41. Photography is like knitting You have to do a lot of it to be good at it You start with one camera & before you know it… The more you do, the more you learn Look at other blogs and see what they are doing – can you do it too? Stitch by stitch, and photo by photo, you’ll master it!
- 42. Questions? Charisa Martin Cairn tookall the photos in this presentation.(except the cameras & light boxes & the one with the Ravelry folks ) See her knit pattern designs atwww.k1p1design1.com Resources Bing or Google Images, ideas! Flickr.com, Smugmug.com (search it, learn!) PioneerWoman (how to)http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography
Editor's Notes
- It’s digital? Try every setting with one object.Do not use flash! Wait until morning to take pictures, you will be handsomely rewarded!Do not take in direct sunlight - if you can’t avoid it, hold up a piece of paper to create a shady spot for your yarn. Better yet, get a translucent IKEA storage tub, set it on it’s side, put your yarn in and take a pic! Those storage tubs are excellent “light boxes”.The BEST light for outdoor photography is an overcast day.Plain backgrounds are best - solid colors like white, blue, gray, etc. You can buy a large sheet of paper from a craft store and voila with your IKEA storage box you have an instant yarn photo studio!
- It’s digital? Try every setting with one object.Do not use flash! Wait until morning to take pictures, almost all cameras let you turn off the flash.Do not take in direct sunlight - if you can’t avoid it, hold up a piece of paper to create a shady spot for your yarn. Better yet, get a translucent IKEA storage tub, set it on it’s side, put your yarn in and take a pic! Those storage tubs are excellent “light boxes”.The BEST light for outdoor photography is an overcast day.Plain backgrounds are best - solid colors like white, blue, gray, etc. You can buy a large sheet of paper from a craft store and voila with your IKEA storage box you have an instant yarn photo studio!Invest in a tripod if you really get going.
- Check your white balance
- Humans are usually better than forms
- Spare may not tell the whole story
- Just enough stuff, no more
- Play with depth of field
- Don’t be conventional
- Don’t lay it flat, get if off the bed. Shadow adds interest.
- Tell a story
- Jess and Casey of Ravelry
- All the “pro” photographers with $8,000 lens were looking at my butt, but I got the shot.
- Color play
- colorplay
- Opportunity!
- Shadow makes for interest
- Sometimes, photoshop makes for interest
- Don’t be afraid to get in their face
- Sometimes, rented equipment is good
- Seeing things where there are none, photo challenges
- Point and shoot can take evocative images too
- Perfection isn’t needed if you just need to capture an idea.
- http://www.bighugelabs.com/