How to Compose Appealing Photos of Your Etsy Merchandise

Just because you aren't Annie Leibovitz doesn't mean you can't compose some really swell photos of your own for your Etsy shop. The pointers in the following sections can help. As you shoot your pieces, keep these basic compositional points in mind:

• Angle the camera: Angling, or tilting, the camera puts the subject slightly off center and creates movement and flow. The result: a more dynamic, intriguing image.

  

  Credit: Photo courtesy of Colette Urquhart

• Shoot tight: Filling the frame with your subject not only adds visual impact, but enables potential buyers to see how well made your piece is.

  

  Credit: Photo courtesy of Kristen Timmers

• Blur the background: By using a shallow depth of field (read: a low f-stop setting), you can blur the background to dramatically highlight your piece.

  

  Credit: Photo courtesy of Betsy and Bess (Christopher and Adrienne Scott; www.betsyandbess.etsy.com)

  When the background is blurred, you can shoot in almost any setting; just make sure that the background colors don't clash with your subject.

• Remember that less is more: Don't crowd the scene with extraneous objects. Otherwise, potential buyers may not understand exactly which item in your photo is for sale.

• Frame your subject: One way to draw the viewer's eye to your piece is to frame it — that is, place some darker element in the perimeter. This technique helps prevent the viewer's eye from straying from your item.

• Group pieces: Especially if you make itsy-bitsy goodies, you can try grouping them, to catch a buyer's eye. Not only does this strategy make for a more eye-catching photograph, but it also shows potential buyers how pieces in your collection work together. Just be sure to note in your listing description which one of the items in the group is actually up for grabs. Also, avoid groups that are too large; using three to five pieces does the trick.

In addition to conveying a sense of tension and energy, the rule of thirds helps pique the viewer's interest. According to this rule, you want to do the following:

1. Use two horizontal lines and two vertical lines to divide the scene you're photographing into nine equal parts (think of a tic tac toe grid).

   

2. Place key elements at any of the four points where the vertical and horizontal lines intersect, or use the lines themselves as guides as you compose your image.

   

   Credit: Photo courtesy of Heather Torre (myselvagedlife.etsy.com)

With some digital cameras, you can display a grid on the LCD viewfinder, enabling you to organize your image around the lines and cross points.