How to Photograph Your Garment: Noise

First, I am by no means a photography expert.

So, please...consider that as you keep reading.

But, I do know how to take pics of garments I have made.

Photos sell products.
We know that in any situation.
It is really what sets the tone when you are looking to purchase.

Let's start off slowly, shall we?
First things first.
Keeping your eye on the garment & eliminating NOISE.

What the heck is noise?
Well, it is all that background junk that gets in the way of a nice photo.

You know, the row of houses or the door or a messy living room.

That is noise.
It detracts from what you are trying to feature!

And you want your customers to LOOK at your garment, not the crap around it.

Here is a perfect example of what I mean by noise.

Although my trio sure does look cute, there are lots of other things to see besides what they are wearing.

What do you see?

The French doors are a big no no.

It doesn't provide a neutral background (I will get in to that on another post).

You can also see through the window panes.

And if you know anything about having triplets, there are always toys EVERYWHERE.

You get to "see" all that through the panes of glass.

Definitely not nice if you want someone to see the cute skirts & shorts.

Look at the sign on the door.
Again, it catches the eye.

Takes the eye AWAY from what you should be looking at.

Worst of all, the photo is inside.

Not that taking photos inside can't be done but you really need to know how to do it right.
I try to avoid inside shots at all times.

Let's study this shot for a minute.

First, I used FLASH.

That is a big no-no.

I don't care if you have to wait to photograph it, don't use flash.

Flash produces horrible shadows.

Looks at the legs?
See the shadows, it makes them look weird.

Next, the baby gate, chair, and mirror are in the background.

There are several different walls as well.

Not a good shot.

And yeah, the pink shirt & swimming shoes, not so much.

Accessorizing is so, so important.

You want your piece to shine, not the extras to take away from it!

Let's check out some better shots now.

This photo really focuses on the garment.

It is set against a neutral background.

And although it is not a straight shot, there is something said for it being slightly tilted.

Also, the model isn't even looking at the camera.

You don't have to have a smiling model.

I find that shots like this are even better because smiles can feel forced.

The above shot does a great job of showing the whole outfit.

BUT, there are times that you want to feature a part of the garment.

Look below.

I absolutely love this shot of Delaney.

This pattern is the Poppy Maxi Dress.

I wanted to make sure to feature the tie in the back.

You will notice the background is blurred.

Something I have learned to do over time.

Your eye is automatically drawn to the back.

Well, I think I have covered enough for today.
I don't want to overwhelm you.

Try to really look at surroundings next time you photograph!

I promise, this first step will make a huge difference in your photography!

Much love!