Blacksburg Belle

My Photography Set Up

- | by -

When I asked you guys what “big” mistakes you’re making when it comes to your creative biz, many of you said that your pictures are lackluster.

Today, I’m going to show you exactly how I take photos for Blacksburg Belle.

You’ll see my set up, exactly what I do during the photography process, and the prop that I use often. I hope it inspires you!

Comments

  1. Great tips! I know exactly what you mean about not shooting in direct sunlight–way too harsh! I love it that your dogs were photobombing you the whole time. 🙂

    Reply

  2. Thank you April.
    Will be using these tips to shoot product this weekend.
    My new website is coming along swimmingly 🙂
    You are amazingly inspiring.
    I was up at 5.30am again today.
    x

    Reply

  3. Hi April, Love your tips! It’s amazing to see how much you’ve progressed in so many ways. You are such an inspiration! Gorgeous work! Thanks so much, Andi

    Reply

  4. I think it was your husband in the background holding up a white circular lighting aid. What is that? Do you always use it when you are photographing outside? Where should it be positioned when you are shooting in the shade?

    Thanks. Your videos make me wish I were very young again…………so much to learn and so many fun things to do, and you do a super job.

    Reply

    • Yes, it’s a light reflector. I have one that’s white on one side and gold on the other. I also have another that’s silver on one side and black on the other. You can use a piece of white foam board instead.

      It reflects light onto an object. I use it when there are shadows or when I need the picture to be “cooler” or “warmer.” The silver cools down the photo and the gold warms up the photo.

      You should position it so that it lights up the shadows–play around with it! 🙂

      Reply

  6. Thanks for the tips! I really liked the format of this video too. I’m making pictures way too complicated; it’s time to just start taking them!

    Reply

    • Thanks Nicky! I take A TON of pictures. That way I have lots of choices when I upload them onto my computer. Try that and see how it works for you. 🙂

      Reply

  7. Do you have any suggestions for photographing shiny objects that reflect you and/or the camera and background in their surface? I make lampwork beads and have a terrible time esp. with black or solid colors.
    I, too, like to photograph with wood as a background and to work outside.

    Reply

    • Have you tried using a dark reflector–like black. I have a black light reflector, but I’ve never used it before. I’ve never run into that problem, so I don’t really have any other tips! Maybe someone else will read this comment and have a suggestion! 🙂

      Reply

  8. Hi,

    Just finished watching your photography session. I would think if you were photographing something more intricate than a pile of books, you would use a tripod. Walking around casually snapping handheld grab shots is not appropriate for jewelry shots, for example. Even for my paper note cards at etsy shop HudsonArtworks, I will always use a tripod. Just thought you might want to let your audience know about the value of using a tripod.

    Thanks,
    Brian

    Reply

    • Hey Brian! I know lots of people use tripods–I never do with photography. I like being able to move while I take pictures. I used to sell jewelry and took the pictures the same exact way. I have steady hands, so it’s not a problem for me. If you have any blur in your images, trying a tripod is a great idea! Thanks for adding that tip. But, I wanted to show how I take photos and this is exactly how I do it.

      And, I just used the pile of books as a reference that people could see easily in the video. 🙂

      Reply

  9. Hi April!

    What kind of camera are you using? I’m camera shopping at the moment and wanted to get some suggestions.

    Btw,I liked your video and loved the addition of the music 🙂

    Reply

    • Hey Tabassum! I’m using a Nikon D90. It’s my first DSLR and I love it. It was quite a learning curve to figure out how to use it but now that I do, I can’t imagine going back to a point and shoot.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *