Today's post will be about composition and angles. First, let me apologize for the poor quality photos...the sun has not been cooperating with me and I just can't bring myself to lug out the photo tent! However, I refuse to complain because my gardens have been absolutely loving the rain!
When you are trying to sell your products online, you are hit with the problem that people cannot touch your pieces. Therefore, you have to make them enticing to the public. One way to achieve that is through interesting angles. Toss away all your ideas that you are not creative enough. If you created the piece, you are definitely creative enough and just have to tap into your creative photography skills.
We have all seen these photos:
Dead straight ahead...
Eagle eye views....
all of which do not make your piece look very interesting. If you shift the angle of photo 1, look what happens:
Pointing the camera dead straight ahead into the piece....
but lift the angle up a little bit so parts of the back of the piece are clearly visible....
Same shot...different angle. See the difference? And, with the right camera setting, you can capture an awesome depth of field. I hope you are really reading your manuals!Now, take that same shot above and cock the angle to the right a little bit....
Much more interesting, huh? Now, going back to the first shot and comparing with the final one. Which one are you more likely to click on when doing a search. I know, the quality is poor, but if the quality was better, I would definitely be more interested in the second image. The thing is that it is the same shot, but 2 angle shifts.
Clean up the composition in the background and it would make a great photo!Here is another demonstration with another shot. Showing the bracelet long-ways, here is a dead on shot.
Shift the angle to the right a little bit and look at the difference.
One more demonstration. This one pulls you in closer to show details in the piece (if they would have showed in this photo, I would have it made). But either way, taking a slice of an item is definitely more artistic than showing it all. You have heard the old saying, "Leave something for the imagination". Apply that principle here and use it for your "I got you to click" picture. It will serve you as the photo that pulls them in.This angle is dead on but lifted up in the back a little bit, like first demonstration 2. Interesting angle, a little bit going on in the background, but not so much as to distract.
Now, cock the camera to the left this time and it looks so much more interesting than the one above.
So, I think my key concept here is to think creatively. Think angles. Scour Etsy to see what other angles people are using. Practice with your own angles and see what you come up with!Next week will be the final installment in the series: Photo editing software. A must!
