A few months ago I struggled to take good photos of some cards I'd made.
Before and After Photos
I hated the photos of the ivory cards on the white background. They didn't do justice to the cards at all: the colors were off and the lettering was almost illegible. The cards looked so much better in person!
First, I changed the background of the photo from stark white to a rich, wood brown. The wood is actually one of those small lap desks you can buy for your laptop computer. It's great to have something small and portable to use as a background instead of a piece of heavy furniture.
I liked this second photo, but I started to have second thoughts about the ribbon. I'd chosen the ribbon because to me polka dots say "fun" and what's more fun than a birthday? But the darker background brought out the elegant side of the textured cards. I wasn't sure that the ribbon was still a perfect match. On a whim, I changed the ribbon around the cards from an aqua polka-dotted grosgrain ribbon to a plain, satin red.
Small Changes, Big Results
Immediately, the cards started showing up in treasuries on Etsy. Of course, there are other differences besides the ribbon color in that third photo. The lighting is brighter and the view is closer. But I have a feeling that the bright, happy color of the red ribbon may have been the finishing touch the photo needed. The cards finally look as good in the photo as they do in person!
If you want to improve your own photographs, you don't need high-end equipment and an elaborate studio. (I took these photos with my old point-and-shoot camera in my basement.) Instead, ask yourself: What's one little change I can make? Background? Packaging? Props? Photo angle? You might be surprised at what a big difference that small change makes.