"Hey, do you use a light box to shoot your photos? You get such great even lighting..."
I thought it was a great question and that I should do a blog post about it. I am not an expert at all, but after playing around this is what I do to take my photos. I personally do not use a lightbox. Lightboxes are wonderful and very useful. I, personally, am too lazy to build one and living in a small house have NO where to store one. And besides I found something else that works for me.
You may remember this photo of my daughter helping me the other week when I was taking the photo for my header.
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This is typically what I do to take photos of my creations. I usually use a smaller white piece of card stock paper instead of the big poster board, but I needed something bigger for that tree.
I take my photos usually in the am by the window in my dining room with the light on. My camera is set to macro mode and I turn off my flash.
This is typically what my photos look like when I download them into my computer, way too dark. So I edit the brightness in PhotoScape. You thought I was going to say PhotoShop didn't you? Well, I do not own PhotoShop. So what is a girl to do without PhotoShop? She uses PhotoScape by google because it's FREE. Thank you Marisa for telling me about this FANTASTIC program! Anywho, in PhotoScape there is a brightening tool which allows me to brighten my pictures.
When I am done brightening my products look just like they do in real life. Here is the before and after.
I used Photoscape to create my header, buttons and all of my collages. While someday I wish to own Photoshop, I LOVE Photoscape and use it all the time.
If you have any questions about anything (blog code, polymer clay, photos, etc)...please feel free to leave it in the comment section. I try to e-mail everyone back (as long as your e-mail is public...or leave your e-mail in the comment). I would love to use some of these questions as tutorial blog posts. I may not be an expert, but I can sure tell you what has worked for me.
Don't forget to enter my giveaway, here.
Hope you have a fabulous weekend!
17 Sweet Comments:
I would love to own Photoshop too, but it looks like Photoscape would probably do what I need it to do. I need to check it out. Thanks for the tips, and for stopping by my blog!
Yeah for photoscape! I love it, too! I figure there's no need to pay boo-coo bucks when this great tool is FREE!
Hi Melanie,
What kind of camera do you use? I always wonder what people buy and like.
Thanks for the PhotoScape tip, I've been looking for something like that and will certainly check it out!
-Jessica
I had never even heard of PhotoScape, but thanks for turning me on to it! :) I too would love to own Photoshop, but it is oh so expensive... ugh. Love the photo of your daughter, too! :)
I too had never heard of Photoscape...I am downloading it now! Your pics are always fantastic and are the kinds of pictures I strive to take. Now I need to figure out how to rearrange the cabinets in my craft area to open a window up to be able to take pics indoors...although I don't have many options...Must try to come up with a sturdier version to take pics out on my back porch. Hmmm pondering pondering. Thanks so much for sharing your set-up...looking forward to playing with Photoscape!
WOW you are so generous to share all this info Big Thanks!!
I love me my Photoshop, but Photoscape looks wonderful, as do your pictures!
Thanks again for the explanation Melanie, and for the sweet shout out too! I always assumed from the quality of your photos that you were using a sophisticated light box. The frugalist in me is thrilled with your low cost solution! :)
thanks for following my blog! your blog is great! Good to know about photoscape!
GREAT info!! I have a Canon Rebel digital....use photoshop....and my pictures STILL don't look as good as yours!!! :) Maybe I should start taking pictures in the morning instead of the dead of NIGHT!!! :D
I need to put together something for taking pictures too. Im always wishing I had something and never think of it until I need it right then!
I LOVe your halloween tree btw!
hugs
vivian
Wow! Awesome! Thanks for sharing.
I've never heard of PhotoScape before. Is it a large program to download? {My computer is already slower than molasses!}
Looks like an awesome program to have!!
What great info Melanie! I've never heard of PhotoScape before. I just take my photo's by my window, and I take a ton of them each time, so I can hopefully get a good one! :o)
I use PhotoShop Elements (MUCH cheaper and not nearly as many confusing bells and whistles as regular PhotoShop) and I couldn't do a thing without some sort of photo editing software. I just do NOT have mad photo skills like some people!
I use a similar set up of white cardboard - Mine is a semi circle wall attached to a white base. And I sit it next to a window in the morning light. But yes, photo editing is absolutely necessary to get it to the real life colours.
thank you SO much for sharing this...i'm about to try some indoor photography and thought i would try white cloth, but i had tried this kind of lighting exactly and it seems to have worked. off to download photoscape now!
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