The Incredibly Easy Way to Take Gorgeous Photographs of Products (with your iPhone!)

Learn how to take gorgeous photos with your iPhone with tips from CreativeLive! http://blog.creativelive.com/the-incredibly-easy-way-to-take-gorgeous-photographs-of-products-with-your-iphone/

Developing a working understanding light is the best and fastest way to create beautiful images of your products.

In her class, Craft Photography Fundamentals, Candice Stringham, breaks lighting basics down so you can start taking gorgeous pictures – right now.

Candice is the Marketing Director at the sumptuous paper goods company, My Mind’s Eye. And it is, literally, her job to ensure the My Mind’s Eye product photography accurately conveys the mood, color, and texture of the My Mind’s Eye product line.

It is a practice she has perfected (just look at their Instagram account) and a skill she taught during her craft photography class.

Here is a look at some of her best tips for lighting your product photos:

You don’t need expensive fancy lights to make great photos! A table and a window or door are enough.

Front Light = BORING

Learn how to take gorgeous photos with your iPhone with tips from CreativeLive! http://blog.creativelive.com/the-incredibly-easy-way-to-take-gorgeous-photographs-of-products-with-your-iphone/

When shooting portraits, front light can be your best friend, but when it comes to product photography, front light falls flat.

It takes away depth and texture, and does not allow your product to show off what makes it special. The only place you’ll want to use front light is for a gorgeous photo of yourself.

The Sweet Spot in Side Light

Learn how to take gorgeous photos with your iPhone with tips from CreativeLive! http://blog.creativelive.com/the-incredibly-easy-way-to-take-gorgeous-photographs-of-products-with-your-iphone/

You want highlights and shadows that make your products feel touchable. When customers can’t feel your product in real life, you’re next best option is capturing it with as much dimension as you can muster from your natural light source.

All this requires is turning your product away from the window on an angle. Watch carefully as the light casts deeper shadows, snap that shot and test the best angle that will show off the texture. Don’t be afraid to test a couple of different angles, play with it!

Up Your Game with Backlighting

Learn how to take gorgeous photos with your iPhone with tips from CreativeLive! http://blog.creativelive.com/the-incredibly-easy-way-to-take-gorgeous-photographs-of-products-with-your-iphone/

Backlighting is hot right now in commercial photography and it’s totally doable!

Backlight outlines the overall shape of your product while also adding brightness to the image.

This high‐key look brings an airy feel that will make your product stand out.

To accomplish a good backlight, turn your camera to face the source of light, work with your exposure compensation and potentially have a bounce card nearby to add light to the front of the product and voilà you have a beautiful backlit image!

With the recent opening of Handmade at Amazon, and the fierce competition on Etsy to get noticed, you need to make sure you are getting the best images of your products in order to make them sell.

By following these simple lighting tips and more useful information found in Candice’s Craft Photography Fundamentals class you will be well on your way to getting more customers to buy your handmade goods.

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Congrats to our prize winners, Sandee, Connie, and Jacobine!

Are you totally in love with the My Mind’s Eye product line? RSVP to join us for Creative Paper Crafts with My Mind’s Eye on November 3rd and 4th to get oodles of inspiring paper craft ideas from the folks behind the brand!

And enter to win a My Mind’s Eye Deluxe Product Set or a $100 Gift Certificate to the My Mind’s Eye online store in the contest below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meg Gayman

Meg Gayman is a CreativeLive Content Producer, coach, runner, CrossFitter, wife, and mom maintaining health and happiness in Seattle.