Friday, March 30, 2012

Taking eye catching pictures

Lately I've had a lot of questions asking me how I get my photos in my Etsy shop to be so good. Well, thanks for the compliments! Believe me, it's taken me three years to figure things out, and get to this point. Today's Etsy Success Symposium gave me the impetus to make changes in my own shop. Using my own items I'll share with you my before and after shots and what I think makes each item stand out more now.

1. Create more depth and interest

BEFORE (left)
While pretty, the druzy necklace is flat and might not be interesting enough to capture someone's interest enough to make them click on the picture.
AFTER (right) Using the Macro feature on my camera, I found an angle that draws the eye to the texture of the stone while keeping the chain as a 'minor' detail in the background.

2. Make sure you have enough natural light. If you don't  have enough light, your picture will end up looking dark and frankly, get ignored. Believe me when I say how exciting it is to create an item and you can't wait to take out pics and list it already! In the long run though, be patient. First impressions count, and if your pics aren't great you'll lose out on those initial clicks and hearts.


BEFORE (left) Dark and over exposed. Making it brighter using a photoediting tool only made the silver shinier and did nothing for the amethyst gemstones.

AFTER (right) Taken in natural light. The amethyst earrings now have sparkle! Go as close as you can to a window. Experiment with different times during the day. Seasons make a difference too! If you are north facing or have a lot of trees in your yard that obstruct light coming in through your window, create a lightbox. You will find lots of help creating on on etsy forums.


3. Play with different props. I've used my work table (laminate surface) that results in very boring pictures! So I try to use textured backgrounds. Find paper, wood, stone, tile, concrete, fabric... the options are endless.


http://www.etsy.com/listing/75632417/blue-multi-gemstone-bracelet-turquoise

http://www.etsy.com/listing/83501765/chrysocolla-necklace-geo-rock-emerald

http://www.etsy.com/listing/90703149/herkimer-diamond-earrings-sterling

http://www.etsy.com/listing/84221500/aaa-pyrite-necklace-metallic-sparkle


4. And lastly, get to know your camera. Play with the macro Button (it looks like a flower) on your camera. Play with the light adjustments and ISO settings, auto vx manual. And read the manual :)

Feel free to ask any questions, and to share any tips that you may have when taking your pics!




All pictures Copyright @Vitrine (2008-2012)

Friday, March 23, 2012

Fashion Friday: Sunny yellow Spring 2012




Some of Spring 2012's trends: bright yellow and lace eyelet fabric. So using my Citrine quartz earrings and a gorgeous eyelet dress, I've created two looks. You can dress it up or down - either way you'll stand out! Click on links below for more info on each item.

Dress up Look (think wedding or romantic date)
JUICY COUTURE Grapefruit Daisy Lace Guipure Dress
Stella Mccartney bags YELLOW
Forzieri Orange Gemstone and Diamond Yellow Gold Fashion Ring
Burberry Prorsum Embellished leather sandals

Dress down Look (meeting up with friends, picnic, shopping)
Burberry Textured-leather crossbody bag
Htc Straw Yellow Bandana Straw Hat With Twisted Band
K. Jacques pour Opening Ceremony Picon Patent



All pics courtesy Polyvore.com except Citrine quartz earrings by Vitrine.







Thursday, March 15, 2012

Fashion Friday - Pastel pink Spring 2012

We continue with the pastel palette and today's shade is pale pink. Pale pink aka blush is flattering to almost any skin tone and to me, is probably the most feminine color you can choose to wear. If pale pink is not your thing, then go for a more dusky rose pink instead. I've gathered some of my favorites here and included the Parisian perfume Miss Dior Cherie for a youthful elegant whiff of chic. You can buy the handmade pair of earrings here and view the full selection here.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Fashion Friday - Mint Green Spring 2012

One of Spring 2012's color trend is this lovely serene shade of mint green. Pastels are always a surefire hit, and this hue is particularly feminine. I've accessorised the look with these earrings and would also suggest this bracelet.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Exclusive Facebook offer!



I thought I'd let you know that you can now purchase my jewelry on Facebook now! Just go to my page VitrineDesigns and click on the tab that says EtsyShop. When you purchase an item, you get an instant discount coupon (I'm not telling you how much, you'll just have to find out!) Ofcourse, you can still buy my jewelry on Etsy as well.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Turquoise Tangerine Tango Spring 2012


So let me fill you in on the last few weeks... I was introduced to Pinterest and it's now become my new obsession. What a beautiful range of items! And while on there I came across Polyvore.com. You can create your own fashion boards, and I thought what better way to showcase the jewelry I make! So here's my first attempt at doing one of these. Tangerine is one of this year's IT colors so using my Tangerine Hammered Gold earrings as a springboard, here's the finished result. I'd love to hear what you think!