My Etsy Photos: Before and After

I began selling jewelry on Etsy in May of 2010. When I first opened my shop I owned a fairly decent point and shoot camera, but didn't know how to use it to my advantage. My shop was open for a few months before I actually made any sales, and I attribute my lack of sales to the pretty awful photos that I took. Don't get me wrong, I spent hours trying to find good places to take photos, arrange props, and "edit" my photos. They simply weren't good enough.

Yikes. Way too much yellow.

Very busy background.

As the years have passed, I have researched different photography tips and techniques. I learned to take advantage of natural light and the importance of simple backgrounds. I bought another point and shoot camera about a year ago that somewhat helped improve my photos, but they were still missing something.

A little better, but still not great.

This year for Christmas Sam got me a Panasonic FZ60. I have been playing around and doing lots of research and finally took some good photos today. I still haven't even scratched the surface, but I am really enjoying taking photos with this camera. It doesn't seem like such a chore anymore!

New pressed flower necklace

Squirrel necklace

I found the blog Click It Up A Notch when I was browsing photography tips on Pinterest a few days ago. She has a great post about shooting in manual mode. I read this a few times, took notes, and printed out a little cheat sheet to keep nearby when I am taking my photos. This helps a lot!

I'm still learning and am by no means a pro, but am really pleased with the photos that I took today. Please share any photography tips that you have picked up!

Oh, and big thanks to Sam for the best Christmas present ever! :)

Have a wonderful weekend!