Whenever I go to a magazine photo shoot, I always say to myself, "In my next life, I want to be a photographer." I think it's just incredible all the details that go into making a great photo: the cameras and lenses, the lighting, the editing equipment . . .
But there's so much more to making a pretty picture, especially the stylist, the person who provides and arranges the props to create a beautiful shot. A great stylist can take a few ordinary objects, arrange them, and presto! Magic! It's a talent I've long admired, but don't even pretend to aspire to.
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Lately, when I look around at some of the amazing sewing and crafting blogs and stores out there, I am just blown away by the photography that sewists and other crafters have of their work. I mean, they are seriously good, both from a photography and styling angle. Now, I know that they all are not going out and hiring professional photographers. So what's their secret? Well, I am wondering no more, because I just got my hands on an advance copy of The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos by Heidi Adnum. The tagline is "The Best Techniques for Showcasing Your Handmade Creations." After giving a solid overview of photography and styling with a pleasing layout and easy-to-digest instructions, Heidi covers all the crafts and provides the tricks unique to each. In each chapter, she has a "Common Problems and FAQs,", focusing on that particular craft, and "Practitioner Spotlight," where she interviews featured crafters who are running businesses in that area. The last part of the book teaches about photo-editing, archiving and marketing. |
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This book takes the mystery out of taking pictures and makes it seem like even I could do it. So that's the secret. Get your own copy of The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos from the Sew Daily Shop. |