Work to do today...

Ah, work...LOL

I have several photos that need to be re-done, because they were taken with my old camera, and the resolution was not as good as it should be.
As someone who writes blog articles on how to take better photos, I'm sure it would behoove me to make sure mine are 'up to snuff.'  ;-)  Some need new backgrounds, and some need a better presentation, as  many of them were taken in a hurry, just to get the listing up and running.

That said, let me digress for a moment to state that I feel 'artful presentation' can be a double-edged sword.  It is not always desireable to have an 'artsy' set with other items in the photo.  It can create a good deal of confusion in a potential buyer's mind as to what is actually being sold.

It is one thing to show items on a pile of small rocks, or with a plant, or on a model.  It is quite another to picutre shoes, for example, along with a necklace or other jewelry or apparel.  It muddies the product.  What are you selling?  Shoes?  Jewelry? Scarves?  Keep it clear and simple.

It also pays to be creative.  I have lost count of how many pairs of earrings I've seen photographed hanging from the side of a coffee mug.  While there is probably not much 'product confusion' here, as it is usually a fairly tight shot on the earrings, it is still obviously a mug.  It's an over-used and trite device.  Likewise hung from a glass.  This is usually a very poor technique, especially if a clear glass, or even one with a delicate pattern.  The background shows through, and the product is not clearly visible.  That is to say, it does not "pop."

There are many other poses earrings can take:  laid flat on the backdrop is one, but also a very common theme.  Try hanging from a piece of driftwood, or artificial foliage, but keep the scale in proportion. Hang them from the edge of a small jewelry box; show them held in the palm of a hand...yours, or a model's or a jeweler's form hand.  Be creative! 

I know re-doing photos can be a real pain-in-the-drain.  Especially for products such as mine, which are fragile, and must be stored with at least minimal protective wrapping.   It makes for a very time-consuming project... which I why I have not gotten around to it yet.  But, I promised myself I would work on it today, so off I go.

Cheers!