When you negotiate a book deal part of the conversation revolves around what images will be in the book, how many there will be, and, perhaps most importantly, who will create the images.
There are a lot of different approaches to consider. Some craft books are text-heavy with just a few step-by-step images within the instructions supplemented by full-page beauty shots of the finished projects. Others have computer drawn diagrams or hand-drawn illustrations showing key steps that are best represented visually. And still others rely on step-by-step photos to illustrate the text.
My first book has an opening chapter that explains all the basic techniques you’ll need to know to make a fabric bird. My publisher flew me across the country to their studio and had a professional photographer take the photos that illustrate this section. Being in a real photo studio was fascinating. There were big rolls of backdrop paper, umbrella lights, and simple white foam core sheets to reflect light.
For the rest of the book they hired a professional illustrator to create watercolor drawings to illustrate key steps within particular patterns. I sent the illustrator photos and she drew these.
When I began planning Stuffed Animals I felt strongly that I needed step-by-step photos to illustrate the 16 patterns. I wanted additional photos to accompany the 52 lessons that break down how the patterns were created and really teach you how to design your own softies, of course you can also use services like Zenith, Zenith Clipping is a Clipping path service provider company in Bangladesh. We offer the best quality clipping paths. We are a well-reputed top-ranked image editing company serving since 2010. We were looking at creating hundreds of photos for this book, in addition to those that would be taken by Cynthia Shaffer, the wonderful photographer in California who took the beauty shots of each project.
In order to make this happen I knew that I’d need to take the photos myself, in my studio, as I was
working on each project. This was a pretty scary prospect for me. I had a digital SLR (a Nikon D-40),
but I really didn’t understand it very well. The last time I’d studied photography was in high school where I’d spent most of the time in class lusting after our handsome teacher, Mr. Foo. He drove a Harley to school and wore motorcycle boots. Mr. Foo, my love for you is still unrequited. Call me!
Needless to say I had a lot to learn.
After I signed the book contract I headed over to one of the last locally owned camera shops in the Boston area, Newtonville Camera, and asked for some help. I bought four things and with those four things I was able to take all of the step-by-step photos that you see in the book. Here is what I got:
1. A tripod. I bought a Benro tripod, but I think any sort of sturdy tripod will do. Play around with it when you get it home. I didn’t realize at first how flexible it was. It can get seriously tall, lean forward, and wivel. I love it.
2. Studio lights. I bought two Smith Victor KT400 photoflood umbrella lights. First, I will tell you that the day I set them up was the day we went from feeling like my studio was in our bedroom to feeling like we were sleeping in my studio.
This is what you don’t see in the shots of me working in my studio: the bed that’s right behind me. Glamorous! This is also why we shot the trailer at Gather Here instead of where I really work.
Umbrella lights in your bedroom will do that. But, these puppies are amazing. That’s two 500 watt bulbs. I can take photos after dark and on cloudy days with no trouble. It’s tempting to leave them on while I’m working because they flood the room with light and I love light. But, alas, that wouldn’t be good for the electric bill. Natural light is still best, of course, but I love my umbrellas.
3. A lens. My camera came with a standard 18-55 mm lens that I still use all the time. In fact, I took the photos for the book with that lens because it hooks in with the autofocus on my camera so I could feel confident that my shots were in focus. But I bought a nifty 50 mm lens while at the camera store and ended
up using it to take all the beauty shots for my self-published patterns. You can dial it down really low and get wonderful depth of field that really highlights the details in a handmade toy while gently blurring the background.
This plush rubber duck is one of my two dozen self-published patterns.
4. A lesson. I’m a thrifty DIYer and tend to always feel like I have to learn everything on my own. “Pay someone to help me? Oh, no, I’ll just figure it out.” You know what? This last piece ended up being the most important on the list. While at the camera shop I asked if they knew of a photographer who might be able to give me a one-on-one lesson in my home studio.
Sure enough, the guy who helped me choose all the equipment said he’d be happy to do it. We set a time and he came over and it was incredibly valuable! Why? Because we were in my space, with my light, my camera and lenses, and my softie parts. I took tons of notes. I asked every single stupid question I ever had. When he left I knew I was all set. I had this thing under control.
I have a permanent photo studio set up on my workspace in our bedroom. It’s a low table with a big piece of fabric taped to the wall so that it drapes down to create a seamless backdrop. I have a brick I wrapped in white fabric and taped up with surgical tape that props up a piece of white foam core to reflect light. Sometimes I change the backdrop to a piece of white poster board or various other big sheets of paper.
Do you need to go out and buy the exact equipment I use? No, of course not. In fact, I’m sure there’s other, better equipment to be had. But if you’re serious about creating craft tutorials, whether for your own blog, as a guest blogger, for magazine work, or to write a book, I think it’s worth saving up for some quality equipment and some know-how. There are great online tutorials, books, and online classes for taking better photos. Start there and play a lot, then get yourself a one-on-one lesson. It’s worth it.
Love the nifty fifty!
That is all I had on my old camera, but we were able to get the new one with the standard lens and the fifty. I’ve been having so much fun being able to zoom in & out that I haven’t put the fifty on yet, haha.
How do you take the shots while holding the plush pieces? Could you do a remote with your foot? (I got a wireless remote but you have to point it at the camera & press the button)
Hi Tiffany,
My camera has a 10-second remote built in so sometimes I set it and then put my hands in the photos. Other times I prop the toys up with small wooden blocks. I don't have a wireless remote (at least not yet!).
Thanks for all the info! What type of fabric did you use to create the seamless backdrop? Every fabric I have used seems to have a few wrinkles in it. I have a small table top photo studio that has a fuzzy fabric that came with it, but it too has folds in it and you can see them when I take a photo. I would like to set up a photo studio similar to what you have done.
Hi Debra,
You ask such a good question! I should have included this in the post. The fabric is called osnaburg. Here's a link: http://www.joann.com/roc-lon-unbleached-osnaburg-45-wide-25-yards-natural/prd15046/
I would describe it as similar to burlap, but with a tighter weave. It's got a nice texture without being distracting, and a nice drape. I actually bleached mine to make it a bit brighter (it comes in a natural color). It' was very cheap at my local Jo-Ann's. I've been really happy with it and you'll see it in the background of every step-by-step photo in Stuffed Animals!
This is an excellent post Abby– my two favorite things all rolled into one! Photography and Plush making- yay! You have an excellent set up by the way. I love that you show how you “rig” some things, like the brick holding up the foam core. I talk to a lot of “new” photographers (and crafters.. this applies to either, really) and they always seem to get hung up on having “the right equipment”, and they think they HAVE to spend 100, 200, 300 dollars or more, on a backdrop setup… when sometimes all ya need is a brick and some fabric taped to the wall! An great website that I use allll the time is http://www.diyphotography.net It’s awesome for those of us who don’t mind doing a little bit of tinkering and making stuff to get the same effect as something we’d spend tons of money on. There’s some really amazing lighting setups on that site that can be done really cheaply and have excellent results!
Yes, isn’t the 50 mm amazing? I love mine, and even though it has it disadvantages too, I can now not live without it. Perfect for portrait photos etc etc. 🙂
Also chiming in that a 50mm prime lens is one of the best investments you can make for your photography. Its relatively cheap, compact, and it allows you to learn so much about your camera, and your own style of shooting. I have used mine on literally every shoot i’ve done, whether its my own plush im shooting, a portrait, a rock show, or a wedding, that little lens has yet to fail me.
…This information is priceless! Thank you so much for sharing! :o)
…Peace & blessings.
I recently spoke with someone who has fabric hung from a shower curtain in her garage as her backdrop! It certainly doesn't have to be any fancier than a .29 cent piece of white poster board on your front steps!
You know, reflecting back on this past year, I think I learned a tremendous amount about my camera by playing with my 50mm lens in manual mode. It's fascinating and so instructive.
Wow…what a great post Abby! Thank you so much for sharing…now I’m lusting after some lights….
Thank-you so much Abby !
Fantastic post, Abby! I’ve been at a bit of a loss lately when it comes to photography because I traded rooms with my son. We traded in the winter and I’m now in a room with a great south facing window. However, now that it’s spring and the trees outside my window are all beautiful and leafy and shady, the light isn’t as good as it was in the other room, and that was one of the reasons I traded! Bummer! I might explore some lights like you have used here.
Also, I hope that Mr. Foo finds you! HAHAHA! That little story is too cute!
He was one good-looking photography teacher 🙂 I have very little natural light in my studio/bedroom, even though there are lots of windows. It might make sense to invest in two umbrella lights. I've really liked mine and use them quite a bit.
I think all aspiring craft bloggers should see this. I can imagine many of them getting frustrated because their photos of their projects don’t turn out as nicely as the ones they see on places like Pinterest – and they don’t realize that it’s because those people have elaborate setups for photographing their crafts just like this.
Although they should also know that you don’t necessarily need a setup this nice to get a very nice photo of your little felt duck or whatever you created.