Gift Guide!!!!

Etsy has gift guides where they feature different sellers' work as suggestions for gifts!

Guess What?! 

My custom couple is on the front page of the Personalized Gift Guide!!

http://www.etsy.com/gift-guides/personalized-gifts/256

I just took this picture yesterday. Its really encouraging because I have been working on taking pictures that stand out. I guess this one stood out enough that I landed in a gift guide. Which, for the non-etsians out there, is a big deal!

I am learning the value of having really good photographs on etsy. I read an interesting article from a seller who makes a full time living on etsy. She said that "on etsy, your photos are your items." In other words, that's all people have to go on, so you have to make them eye catching, interesting, vivid and unique.

It takes a lot of work for me to get a half way decent photo. I am not a natural photographer. In fact, I flat out failed two classes in college, as in f-a-i-l-e-d, F's: Goddess Traditions and Photography.

I think I have an pretty good eye. So my biggest challenge is getting good, consistent lighting that shows the colors of the dolls and allows me to get them in focus without a flash, which reflects of the shellac finish. I built a little light box in an effort to address this challenge.  Also,  I've been experimenting with different backgrounds to help them stand out from the crowd of other peg dolls for sale on etsy.

I've had very little success, but I think I am getting closer to understanding what I need to do and what I want, though.

All of this experimenting is good but makes my shop look a little schizophrenic. The goal is to develop a standard method of photographing my peeps so that all my pics match and appear to belong together.

I think I am coming up against the limitations of my cheap, old digital camera and my knowledge. I admit I've been day dreaming about one of these. ( Ha! Maybe after a few hundred more dolls:)

And maybe I should have made a little more effort in my photog course. Or a lot.