Have to use a 2 mega pixel camera.... need tips Please!

[michellegiordano]

I have recently re-opened my etsy store, and reconfigured my whole product (don't have alot of pictures up yet though) you can see two examples of the poor photo quality on www.mgcreations.ets y.com

My problem is, I never even thought about photo quality because I never had a problem before.  I had an awesome camera, I loved it.  Then one day this summer a little monkey of mine took it without permission to take pictures outside in the sandbox... Need I say more? 

Now I am down to my standby, its a 3 year old kodak 2 mega pixel with absolutley no options.  I can't get another camera yet.  I tried using lighting, photoshop, everything I could think of.  They look grainy and cheap. 

Does anyone have any ideas what I can do to make them look a little better?
(Maybe even something that would help for my personal pics of my kids would be great, so they don't ask in 20 years why the pics look so yucky)

Thanks in advance!

Michelle Giordano

[likespointysticks]

OK, you've probably tried some of these, but it bears repeating.

1. Natural light. Preferably, if you can get it, natural light around noon or so when you'll get fewer shadows. Plain, non-wrinkled, flattering backgrounds.

2. Get as close as you possibly can to your subject. Try to get it to fill the viewfinder so that you don't have to crop a lot.

3. Get Picasa or another photo-editing program to do touch-ups.

I know your pain . . . I was trying to do mine with an awful, awful 2 MP camera for a long time. Then my mom was nice to me and got me a decent camera for my birthday, but even that doesn't help when the weather's crap or it's late and I can't go outside for pics.

[SupernovaDesigns]

I think a note in the description is good. Also, if you can get any kind of clear picture, even if it's small, use it.

[michellegiordano]

I think a note in the description is good. Also, if you can get any kind of clear picture, even if it's small, use it.

a note about the bad photography? like this:

Please note that these photo's do not show off the product to full advantage.

Or something like that?

[licalee]

Since I have only a 2.1 Mp cam, I feel your pain. Getting pictures of jewelry has been really tough. Luckily I only started with jewelry and have been planning all along to make bags and accessories which are much easier to photograph. But the two things that really help are a steady hand and good light. Make sure you give your camera time to auto focus properly as well. I have to take about 20 shots to get one acceptable picture of something.

Dyno from the Etsy forums mentioned this site - here's the faq  http://www.tabletopstudio.com/documents/TTS_FAQ.htm

I think a note in the description is good. Also, if you can get any kind of clear picture, even if it's small, use it.

a note about the bad photography? like this:

Please note that these photo's do not show off the product to full advantage.

Or something like that?

That's a great idea!

I would think that would be nice - you may want to note the little story about the sandbox too.
 
Maybe something like:

Please note that these photos do not show off the product to full advantage due to a mishap involving a little monkey of mine, a nice camera, and an unauthorized trip to the sandbox.

hehe, I couldn't resist. But an explanation might help. It seems a lot of buyers are also Etsy sellers, who should know the woes of getting the "right" picture.

[michellegiordano]

Please note that these photo's do not show off the product to full advantage.

Or something like that?

That's a great idea!

I would think that would be nice - you may want to note the little story about the sandbox too.
 
Maybe something like:

Please note that these photos do not show off the product to full advantage due to a mishap involving a little monkey of mine, a nice camera, and an unauthorized trip to the sandbox.

hehe, I couldn't resist. But an explanation might help. It seems a lot of buyers are also Etsy sellers, who should know the woes of getting the "right" picture.

[/quote]

I absolutley love that.  would it be a problem if I just said that?  Its perfect!

[licalee]

Go ahead! That would be so funny!

That link I posted before - it's incredibly helpful! They recommend using a light box to soften shadows. I made one today out of a transparent storage bin, some white linen, tape and some freezer paper - and it works incredibly well with my 2.1 Mp! I'm going to make a "real" one with pvc and fabric. Hopefully this holiday season there will be an even better camera to try out some of these tricks.

here is a pic outside before I rigged up the lightbox - http://static.flickr.com/117/301552916_b6a71fcd2f.jpg?v=0

Which is mildly better than the ones I got indoors - http://static.flickr.com/101/301561221_871b2c6222.jpg

Those are the best samples after taking about 20 - 40 different pictures each time.

And here are my listing photos - done inside with the lightbox in a window when the sun was shining directly through. (though outside works well too, I just didn't want to look crazy - plus it was cold)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5017847

They still leave something to be desired but are so much better! I love the soft shadows! I could have played with them in the Gimp but I didn't think they needed any serious tweaking. Plus I had to take a lot fewer shots.

This shows the difference between hard and soft lighting - http://www.tabletopstudio.com/documents/TTS_Product_Photography_Tips.htm#hard%20light

Note how the guys hands in the first picture look like he's slapping his finger in the palm to make a point, angrily. The second picture looks like someone speaking(?) sign language in an all-white and softly lit room.

[michellegiordano]

I will definitley have to try that.  Maybe next week though.  The most awful thing has happened, my whole family is sick.  First Husband, then me, then baby.  My 7 y.o. daughter is yet to get sick, I hope she can be spared, it was the worst flu I have ever had.  When baby got it we took her straight to the doctor.  Well, she is almost 3, not really a baby, but she is "the baby". 

Thanks for the tips!

[licalee]

Ouch - sorry to hear that! Feel better soon!