quilting

Improving My Photography Skills

One of my goals for this year is to improve my photos on my blog, as well as my photography skills. Today I thought I’d share a little about what I’m learning.

One of my biggest struggles with writing blog posts is taking the time to take good photos. There are far too many times when I quickly snap a photo, indoors or out, just to get it done and in my post. I’m still working on figuring out how to schedule my posts ahead of time, as well as time for my photography.

If you’ve followed me long enough, you already know that my photography is a work in progress. Some days it looks better than others. So understand that what I share with you is also a work in progress, a learning curve.

So, with my goal in mind, here are a few things I am learning to do.

  • Follow good photographers. There are a few bloggers and friends I follow whose work I admire. I pay attention to how they stage their photos. I read what they write about photography. Then I try to use one thing in my photos that I’ve learned from them.
  • Get comfortable with my camera. This doesn’t only mean understanding how to use it. It also means getting comfortable to being out and about with it. It means taking it along wherever I go. I switch between the camera on my phone and my DSLR. I’m much more comfortable with my phone, but I like the quality of the photos from my DSLR, so I need to get comfortable with having it out and about with me. I’m still working on this one.
  • Plan ahead. This is still a huge learning curve for me. I need to think through my calendar and schedule time with my camera. If you have tips to share on this, I’d love to hear them.
  • Gather my equipment. Camera and bag, tripod, quilt. What else might I need? Outdoors I might need an assistant to hold the quilt, or if that isn’t possible, tape or clamps to hold the quilt. Indoors I might want a backdrop, tripod, tape, props. I’ll show you what I’ve used later in this post.
  • Take Advantage of Location. I live in a quaint college town. There are two beautiful college campuses, numerous parks and trails, and a beautiful river. My home sits on a beautiful wooded lot with a creek in the backyard. One of the things I plan to do in the next few weeks is explore some good settings for taking photos and note them in my planner.
  • Shop my house for props. Part of my planning ahead means thinking about what objects I have around the house that might work well as props for the quilts. Sometimes that means pulling out Christmas items in July.

I’ll be the first to admit that taking the time to go to a location (even my backyard) to shoot pictures overwhelms me a bit. So I’m starting small and working on ideas inside my home (and also because we’re still in snow and cold temps). Let me show you what is currently working for me. The photos I’m sharing today are taken with my phone.

Keeping It Simple

When you’re a beginner, equipment doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. This is what I use when I’m going to stage a photo for a small quilt.

Improving my Photography Skills - white boards and props - piecefulthoughts.com

I have counter stools that are about 24″ high. I put two of them together close to my patio door. Our house is very dark, even during the day, and our lot is heavily wooded, so I use foam board to help capture some light when I can. I bought a 3-pack of 18 x 24″ foam board at Target. They are actually a bit too small, but I make them work. I use the third board down in my quilt room when I need to take a quick photo.

Improving my Photography Skills - another view of whiteboards and props - piecefulthoughts.com

Sometimes I put one foam board off to the side, facing the window. I prop it up using cans from my cupboard. No one sees that, so whatever works! If I take a photo and the gap where the two boards meet is showing, often I can edit that out. Learning how to use the edit feature on my camera and my computer or phone has been so helpful.

Try a Few Props

I think about what props might go well with the quilt. The first quilt I’m showing is one I made years ago, when I first began quilting.

Improving my Photography Skills - staging a photo - piecefulthoughts.com

See how the cups pick up a bit of the color in the quilt? The candy adds a little pop of color and novelty. I try different angles too — close, down even with the quilt, off to the side. You get the idea.

Then I tried another photo with a different prop.

Improving my Photography Skills - staged photo before cropping - piecefulthoughts.com

I left the background and foreground in the photo to show how a photo might look before I crop it. Once cropped, I would get rid of most of the foreground and bring the background closer to the quilt. The photo is a bit dark, so I might brighten it a bit too.

I thought the pitcher was too big for the mini quilt, so I tried this.

Improving my Photography Skills - staged photo after cropping - piecefulthoughts.com

This shows the photo after I’ve cropped it. Once again, note how I used a prop that has colors similar to what’s in the quilt. Sometimes, too, I can get away with showing part of the foam board. Other times I need to find something to cover it. A piece of fabric, neatly pressed, works well.

I’m always surprised at how many photos I take before I find one I’m happy with. Thanks to living in our digital age, we can do that. When I took my photography course at a local camera shop, the instructor told us he was going on a photo shoot for a ski event that coming weekend. He anticipated taking around 30,000 photos, but would only use a few of them. 30,000 boggles the mind, doesn’t it?!

Learning about Light

I switched to a different quilt and found a couple more pieces of pottery. I like pottery, especially if it has rough texture and cool colors. These two pieces were snagged at a thrift shop for about two bucks.

Improving my Photography Skills - using natural light - piecefulthoughts.com

This is a photo with one of the foam boards facing the window. Notice how bright it is. This shows the colors of the quilt and the pottery well.

I backed a little bit away and took another shot, then cropped it. Notice the difference in the lighting, how much darker this photo looks. Sometimes just moving changes the light in the photo.

Improving my Photography Skills - learning about light - piecefulthoughts.com

When I’m working in my quilt room, which is downstairs and very dark, I use an OTT light on my sewing table. I’ve found that snapping a quick photo under that light works really well during the daytime hours.

Improving my Photography Skills - different sources of light - piecefulthoughts.com

Under any other light in my quilt room, this photo would look darker and yellow. I’m continually learning things about light and photos.

I hope this is helpful if you are like me and still learning how to photograph quilts.

Do you have tips to share? I’d love to hear them!

Wendy

34 Comments

  • Lisa

    This is helpful. I know I have a long way to go in taking good photos and I’m sure everyone is sick of my backyard but for me for sure the hardest part is finding time.

  • Vicki in MN

    OMG, what a wealth of info!! I use the foam core boards too for small things and by a window. I am guilty of quick shots and not very good editing, there is just not enough time for me to do all I would like. I should use props more, thanks for the nugde!!

  • rl2b2017

    Hi Wendy,
    Well, this is the best post I’ve read in a while. How helpful your tips are! Your pottery collection is wonderful – and what great finds!! You gave me plenty of thought for fodder. This is an area I really need to improve upon. ~smile~ Roseanne

  • Kathleen McCormick

    Wendy, I feel your pain. Sometimes I am in just too much of a rush and sometimes the light is just awful. I am starting to use the whiteboard approach too and that helps. There’s a lot of good information here and more that I need to follow up on! You are making great strides – kuddos for pursuing this. I’d love a post on some of the tools/sites you are finding helpful – when you are looking for things to do – just kidding.

  • Sherry @ PoweredByQuilting

    This is what I struggle with too! Baby steps for me for sure… One thing with my house, I don’t have a ton of natural light and with all the snow outside, I ended up buying Daylight bulbs to help my photos turn out better… I do need to learn how to stage them better for sure!

  • Facetfully

    Nice poat, Wendy! I struggle with this, for sure, and have no excuses! I have so much camera gear, have had tons of training, and have even done photography semi-professionally. Still I use my phone and quick snaps. Editing does help, but just quickly. I seem to use Photoshop only to prep things to print on fabric or play with patterns. Shame on me! Thanks for the reminder of how much it improves a blog to have good photos! TIME…where can I find more? Younhave spurred me on here…thanks!
    BTW, I love quilts in snow, but I don’t do it either!

  • Barbara

    It’s a worthy goal, working on photography. Looks like you’ve already incorporated some great ideas. There are some really good books on the subject, and there are some good classes via Ed2go.com which is usually carried as an online course through your local community college. I learned quite a bit about digital photography and photo editing via their courses, and I liked that I could take them without leaving home while sitting in my PJ’s drinking coffee.

  • Preeti

    I take a 100 pictures and use four. That is my secret. There is also a class on Craftsy. Amanda Jean (crazymomquilts) Melanie (http://www.mell-meyer.de/) and Jayne (twiggyandopal) take the best pictures, in my opinion. You know something? That last picture with colorful slivers is technically called quilt porn.

    • piecefulwendy

      Thanks, Preeti! I’ll check those classes out. That slivers pic is a favorite of mine, I’ll admit.

  • Louise Hornor

    Good tips, Wendy! Right now I’m struggling with how blue the light is here in the Bahamas. That gorgeous water reflects on everything! Even the undersides of the clouds are turquoise. Plus, it is windy every day, so my standard shots of quilts being held up by DH out on the deck are laughable. Oh well, I’m not REALLY complaining 🙂

  • Sandra Walker

    Wow Wendy this is such an informative post, both in text and in photo! I totally know about the light making such a difference, just with moving you body physically! My aunt’s blue and yellow quilt pics (which we drove all over hell’s I mean Essex county’s half acre, and then some to get) amazed me, and I didn’t see it until a couple of people commented on liking both quilts! BOTH? No…one? Then I went back and looked at the post, Holy Heck Hermione as our friend and new blogger Velda said in her DrEAMi post, (and my daughter says too, ha). I always enhance the photos too; if you’re on an iPhone it’s the little wand icon in the top right. Ott-Lite is also great, which I use too if I want a quick in-process shot.

    • piecefulwendy

      Thanks, Sandra! You have me chuckling as I’m reading once again! I use the enhance too, more often on the dreary dark days.

  • Bernie

    Great post. I think you are doing the right thing and it shows. I enjoy taking the pictures but if I am feeling rushed, I will also just take a shot with my phone and call it good. Our house has lots of windows so I do get some good light. I agree with Preeti about Jayne ad Amanda Jean. They take great pictures. So does Sharon Holland.

  • Gina

    Great post. I’m afraid I’m in the just throw the quilt over the sofa and hope for the best type of photographer. I really need to up my game I think xx

  • Cocoa Quilts

    Wendy nice post. Your photos are looking good. This is something I really need to find some time to work on.

  • Rebecca Grace

    Your photos look beautiful, but I think you have to be careful with the props so that they don’t overpower or detract from the quilt. I assume that you’re bringing in the props to make the photos of your quilts more engaging or inviting, but some of those photos look like the pottery or the candles are the primary focus and the quilts are just there as a backdrop. For the miniature quilts, have you thought about picking up a few vintage/antique dolls from a thrift or consignment shop, or even an old wooden doll bed or cradle? Larger quilts look great draped over rocking chairs, fences, etc. Another thing that would look great with the mini quilt would be to drape it over the bed of a vintage sewing machine (like a Featherweight), even holding it in place by tucking it under the presser foot. I think any kind of interesting sewing tools or notions make good props for quilt photos, actually — vintage or handmade pincushions, scissors with interesting handles, wooden spools of thread…

    Your camera is awesome and you’re getting fantastic light at that window. Even the first photo that just shows your setup is gorgeous — the detail in the wood grain and all of the different surface textures is exquisite, like a still life painting by an old master. :-).

    I recently upgraded my iPhone to the new iPhone 11 Pro Max, and my primary reason for that was because I’ve come to value my phone as a camera first and foremost — all of the communication and apps and Internet are all just gravy. I know that a camera like yours is capable of much more, but like Preeti said — and like the professional ski photographer said — sometimes it all comes down to the quantity of shots you have to choose from. I see things ALL the time that I want to photograph, not only when I thought to bring the big camera with me, and it’s so easy to grab my phone that is already sitting next to me playing music and use that to snap a few pictures. I’ve found that, if I have 50 photos to choose from for a blog post, I can generally find enough good ones that I can tweak slightly if needed in software to do things like lighten up shadows, correct a color cast, etc. But then I am not taking art photographs, just photographing my quilting process to document my process. The biggest thing that bugs me about my photographs is when the colors don’t look accurate, but I love the little eyedropper tool where I click on something that should be white or gray and all of the other colors are adjusted automatically. Sometimes I click around on a few different spots to get it just right. And I’m always lightening the shadows if I’ve taken a photo in my studio at night — the only exception is if I’m taking a photo of a quilt that is still on the frame. Then I’ll turn one of the overhead lights on and leave the other one off so I can deliberately get shadows from the quilting texture, enabling the quilting design to be easily seen in the photos even if the thread matches the background fabric.

    Photography is an entirely separate craft; so much to learn! Thanks for the tip about keeping a notebook of ideas for photo shoots around town. I do tend to draw a blank and revert to the familiar once something is finally finished and ready to photograph!

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