Tips From A Pro – TangoKDesign

The Etsy.com forums are filled with sellers on the look out for how to enhance their item photos.  Because competition is everywhere, jewelry is often the items that need the most photography work.

We were happy to hear from an HandmadeMarketing.org reader with some simple and inexpensive ideas!  Tango Karnitz, from Etsy shop TangoKDesign, shared her Etsy jewelry photography tips with our “Photography on Etsy.com” team.

Below are the items you need before shooting your Etsy jewelry:

• Camera. “I use a Cannon Cool Pix 4800 camera,” Tango said, “but any camera with a macro setting and an adjustable white balance will work.  The camera seller would be able to direct you.”
• Background. “For background I use a piece of white foam core board (the $2 kind you can get anywhere),” Tango told us.  “To show earrings dangling down, I have used a clear wine glass hanging the hooks over the edge. Another method is to balance a paint brush or chop stick between two coffee mugs and have the earrings dangle from that prop. For rings, a little bit of poster tack on your white board will hold your ring upright and 3-D for an really clear shot of the focal point of the piece. I don’t use additional props, I want the focus of the picture to be the jewelry. Uncluttered pictures are the best.”

Now that you have your camera and proper background, it’s time to set you camera settings.  “Be sure to set your camera on the macro setting (flower icon) and turn off the flash!” suggests Tango.  “Then adjust your white balance to your lighting situation. I take my pictures on a sunny day on my dining room table (on the white board) next to a big picture window. I set the white balance to the appropriate setting (daylight, cloudy,incandescant bulb, flourescent bulb) and snap away.”

Tango’s biggest tip is to have stability when taking Etsy jewelry photos.  “I drink a lot of coffee, so I always make sure to have both hands resting on a table,” Tango said.  “If I need to shoot down on a piece (like a necklace) I will stack three thick books, and shoot off the edge, balancing my hands on the books. I will even rest the lens on the table or book in order to get a clear shot.”

Want a better shot at making the front page of Etsy?  Tango says look no further than the angle of your item photo.  “We have all seen the front page of Etsy and know what kind well detailed photos make the front page,” Tango told us.  “You may have to take 10 pictures of each piece in order to get your five best. A full on shot, a shot of the main focal piece, a detail shot of the gems-wrapping-detail.”

Now that you have your photos, pull the images up on your computer for editing.  “For photo editing, I use Picassa,” Tango said.  “Simple and easy. You can lighten the picture, adjust the balance, and crop your photo.  You can also tweek the color, but not too much – you want the picture to show the real color of the piece.”

Thank you for the awesome tips Tango.  With these background, lighting, and editing suggestions, our HandmadeMarketing.org team hopes sellers are able to take great jewelry photographs for their online shop!