Name: Cynthia Toy 
Bio: I am a cloth doll artist, mother of three young men, avid reader, crazy cat lady, wife, corgi owner, believer in fairies, organic gardener, and compulsive fiber collector.
How long you have been selling on the internet? I've been actively selling online for just a little over a year. Before that I only sold through galleries and shows.
What camera do you use to photograph your product? What do you like about this camera? I have a Canon Powershot A520 that I got in 2006. I had never owned a digital camera before so I was really starting from scratch and learning by doing! I love that I can plug it in and load my pictures on to the computer so easily.
Describe your process for taking pictures of your product. What photo set up do you use?
(Okay here's where I show you how little I know about cameras, so try not to laugh!) I try to shoot outside in natural light as much as possible. So here's my fancy setup. I have a sheet of white posterboard that I use for a back drop. I place it on a table in a bright spot but NOT in direct sunlight and lean it up against the house. I usually do this on the front porch of my house, which faces west, at about 11:00 in the morning (although I have been known to use the dining room table, a pillow, and a sunny window inside if it's frigid out! ) I then set my camera on macro, make sure the flash is off and zoom in to where the doll is close but still in focus.Then I take LOTS of pictures from all different angles! That way I'm sure to get a few decent shots.
What is the photo editing software you use most often? I use Picasa2 and I have to say that besides being free, which for a starving artist is really cool, it does what I need. I can crop, adjust light and color, sharpen, and straighten up those shots where I seem to be leaning into the wind...how Does that happen?
What do you like best about this software? Did I mention it's free?! Seriously!
What are some of your struggles with product photography/editing? I wish I had a camera with picture stabilzation, fewer blurry shots in less optimal lighting situations.
What is your favorite thing about product photography/editing? I love being able to take an okay shot and turn it into something that really shows off my product. I've also recently gotten into more staging of my shots, adding a prop or shooting in a natural settting, and that can add some fun to the process.
What are some of your struggles with product photography/editing? I wish I had a camera with picture stabilzation, fewer blurry shots in less optimal lighting situations.
What is your favorite thing about product photography/editing? I love being able to take an okay shot and turn it into something that really shows off my product. I've also recently gotten into more staging of my shots, adding a prop or shooting in a natural settting, and that can add some fun to the process.
Do you have any product presentation tips you'd like to share? A problem I see a lot of people make is trying to get too close to their object. I use cropping when I edit to get more of a close up and that allows me to keep my dolls in focus. Blurry pictures are one of the biggest photo no nos I see on Etsy.
Thank you, Cynthia, for sharing with the OIS blog your experience! I asked Cynthia to send along a before and after shot so we could see what comes out of the camera, to what ends up being the final product photo. I think she has a good thing going!
Be sure to visit Cynthia's website and etsy shop to see more of her beautiful fairie folk.
~Kirsten
Thank you, Cynthia, for sharing with the OIS blog your experience! I asked Cynthia to send along a before and after shot so we could see what comes out of the camera, to what ends up being the final product photo. I think she has a good thing going!
Be sure to visit Cynthia's website and etsy shop to see more of her beautiful fairie folk.~Kirsten
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