Back to picture taking...

Do you take pictures of your product, art, family, then look at them and there too dark...too light...the color is off? Happens more than we like, huh? So let's take a look at some pictures I took for my Etsy site.

A post or two back I showed you my set up but here it is again...

Wheeled cart set up for picture taking.

Even with all my lights and white box there is still room for improvement. Let me show you a picture of some of my charms for my supply shop straight from the camera and the photo box, taken inside.

Music Charms

Here's another taken with the photo box but at midday outside. (I like these and they need very little help but you can't always be outside)

Photo Charms

Different huh? Now the background for these is always the same. I have brown paper bag laid across the bottom of the box, a blue ruler for sizing (sometimes I also use a coin), and that's it.

Now I'm a Corel fan...my geeky husband picks on me about because he just cant understand why I don't use Photoshop but I've had Corel for a long time, I'm used to it, I like it and it likes me...that's all there is to it! And I think you should do the same! If you love Elements, use it! If you're a fan of PS then by all means use it. Find something that works for you and stick with it! It truly makes your time manipulating photos faster if you know and like your photo manipulation program. (that's my story...)

Lately I've been using Photogene on my Ipad (also comes for the Iphone)...also very easy and you can change up your photos in front of the TV, bonus! So here's the first charm photo after a tour through Photogene.

Resampled Music Charms

Can you see the difference? Here's what I did...first I cropped the image to get it to be more of a close up making sure I left the ruler to show size. Under adjustments I increased the brightness and sharpened the photo by about 10%. Then I added my company name which is as easy as pushing two buttons and typing the name. Because I can I put the torn paper edge down the side and voila! Better photo to post to my shop. It's similar in Corel Photo Paint in that you up the brightness and sharpen, you can also add text in a multitude of fonts, don't have the paper edge available as easily but I'm sure it can be done, and I would also reduce the image resolution. Remember if you are posting paintings or any kind of art that can be easily duplicated or copied to use 72 dpi (dots per inch) resolution and put some kind of watermark across the whole picture! Very important! (not so much for my purposes here because this is resale)  Okay one more...

Before...

After.

Huge difference. My only complaint when manipulating is that sometimes it changes the color, can you see it? The original is brown/tan, the after pic looks to me slightly peach/pink. I don't mind it enough to spend much time fixing it! Pink or not it still looks better than the first picture so...(and I missed the paper edge here! Whoops!)

Would love for you to share how you make your pictures better for your shop or website or shop? What program do you use? Pop in a link and show off your photo savvy!

Thanks and have a creative day!
Susan

OMGosh...did you miss me?

My daughter reflecting how I feel about being away from my blog for so long.

How I feel daily expressed by my son.

And I thought I was doing so well...so much for that! 

Keeping up with this blog thing, facebook, social media in general, teaching, shows, life, children....not to mention some sort of self care...sheesh! I need to be three people!

Well, I've made a list and I'm (once again) re-evaluating business life and all things attached to it. Be sure I will be back with something poignant to say (hopefully) and a project or two to inspire your creativity (with luck!).

Don't leave me! I'm ruminating but will write again soon...

Be always artful,

Susan

This Weeks Work

Can you say "complete studio overhaul?" I can.

A couple of weeks ago I began a journey of re-organization, a long, long journey. My inside studio has become, well, shall we say intrusive to my family. So, since we don't park our cars into the garage I have re- appropriated it for my studio. The only thing is, it was already mostly full and needed to be hauled out. Thankfully my friend and very organized second in command, Jeanne, offered to help me drag all my junk out and keep me on the straight and narrow to get rid of what was necessary. 

Jeanne and I being goofy!

Thank goodness...because it was a task and a half! After two days of cleaning, hauling, dusting, vacuuming, decisions, throw aways, packing, and other means of junking we found the floor! Which in the above photo is primed for painting. 

See? The beginnings of checkers! Isn't this exciting?

With any luck I'll be done before 2012 is over...!

Until next time,

Susan

Words to live by...2012

There's been an upheaval in thought around here. A research of the mind, a look inside. It's 2012 and things need to start anew. And be reflected upon. 

I'm not a resolution kind of gal. Seems like all of those things get lost pretty quickly. But words are powerful. 2010 was tumultuous for me, satisfying business wise, busy,  profitable, but big things were missing. So, for 2011 I chose a word, a little saying actually, to focus on and live by. It was "be present", take notice of the moment, live for the now, enjoy the here, don't miss any one thing! It worked and 2011 was much better, much more even, and I was able to concentrate on each day that went by.

For 2012 I want to take it further and have been contemplating three words. Each resonates with me on an emotional level or "speaks" to me in some way. About a week ago I wrote them down so I could read and look at them everyday to make sure those were the words. Here goes, I'm sending them out into the world....

Cognizant...

a hold over from 2011. I still need the focus of being aware, conscious, and attentive in the moment.

Intent...

(loosely translated from the dictionary) a sustained, unbroken commitment, to my business, myself, and my family. (not necessarily in that order)

Authentic....

no more skirting my intuition, no more lessening what I think, no more worrying about how my art manifests...just my authentic self. Written, painted, spoken, and acted!

Thanks for joining me to send my words into the universe. I'll keep you updated as to how I do!

Creatively Yours,

Susan