Folksy Friday - Autumn Leaves

It's come. The time of year when we have to stop trying to kid ourselves that it's still the end of summer. It is now the start of autumn, and the leaves, just a few, are starting to turn and fall.

I chose this selection of jewellery, inspired by nature in general and autumn leaves in particular, in the hope that the bright autumn colours and wonderful textures make the lengthening evenings a little more tolerable.

1 - An embroidered pendant, by Love in Idleness

2 - Five sterling silver leaves necklace, by Magic in the Grass

3 - Etched glass and silver bracelet, by Luce Di Luna

4 - A pendant in resin containing a real leaf, made by Wishes on the Wind Jewelry

5 - Made from individual organza leaves, this free-machine embroidered wrist cuff is created by Sally

6 - Oak leaf earrings in sterling silver, made by Jewellery Designs by Sarah Birt

7 - Copper enamelled earrings, made by Maggie Jones Enamels

8 - Made from recycled silver, this tree pendant is created by Ali Bali Jewellery

9 - Images of autumn leaves set in glass make a pendant, by Emily Made Me

Hope you enjoy a bright, colourful autumn.

How to Photograph Handmade Jewellery - part 1

One of the biggest challenges involved in selling handmade goods online, especially for designer/makers, is photography. If a craftsperson cannot afford to employ a professional photographer (which is likely) and cannot find a photographer prepared to swap services (not impossible but certainly tricky), then they have to fall on their own resources and take their own photographs.

Like becoming skilful in a particular craft in the first place, gaining an understanding of photography can be a steep learning curve. Most people can use a point and click digital camera and take a decent photograph, but to take a detailed and quality image can be far harder. However, digital photography is the lifesaver here as you can take as many photos as you need until you have a collection that is good enough to publish. And a plethora of photo editing suites exist to refine and improve images.

It’s worth saying that I’m no photography expert but I do have a little experience, having taken shots of my own work for several years now, and (owing to a rather handy photography course I took a couple of years back) I do have a little insider knowledge when it comes to knowing my way around a camera. Having said that, while I’ve been reviewing some of my old photos as I’ve written these blog posts, it’s struck me how much I still have to learn, and that I need to apply what I do already know more keenly to my photographs. Hopefully the fruits of my labour will become evident in my next set of images.

Photographing Handmade Jewellery

First up, the importance of photos when selling online; the value of macro and close ups, along with that of the big picture; and how understanding jewellery will improve the photos you take.

A picture says a thousand words - explaining your jewellery without words 

Unlike in conventional shops, someone viewing your jewellery on the internet can’t examine how it looks from different angles, can’t pick it up and feel its weight, and can’t hold it up to themselves and see their reflection in a mirror. They’re dependent on the information you provide them with to make a decision whether or not to part with their money. The more information you offer the better, and providing that information in the form of good quality photographs is a wonderful form of shorthand that can convey the essence and quality of your work far more quickly than a wordy description can. Photographs, especially good quality ones, cut to the chase.

All you really need to take good jewellery photographs is... 

A camera with a macro button. Don’t become overwhelmed by the vast choice of cameras. Yes, a shiny new, top-of-the-range camera would be wonderful, thank you very much, but most modern digital cameras should possess the one essential you need to take decent quality jewellery photographs - a macro button. The button normally has a small flower icon on it, and when you press it the camera focuses far closer than it does for the average family or landscape shot. This means you can take sharp images of the detail on your jewellery.

My rather old and not-very-expensive (okay, cheap) camera has a neat trick which means if you press the macro button twice you get to super-macro, which focuses even closer and allows an extreme close-up image. Check your camera, and instruction booklet if you have one (it may well be in PDF form, or even only available online), to see if you have super-macro. If you do have it, you won’t regret searching it out, as it’s a super-handy facility.

Photo of rings taken on a macro setting

The same rings, photographed on super-macro

The big picture

Whilst macro close-ups are invaluable for displaying detail in jewellery it is also important that you pull back in some shots, to allow your item of jewellery to be fully shown. Provide a variety of images to give the viewer as much information and detail as possible. I aim to include one or two overall images of each piece along with several close-ups on macro and super-macro, using different angles to add interest and hopefully show the jewellery in interesting ways.

A picture of the whole piece of jewellery...

...a close-up of the same item of jewellery

Variety is the spice of life - angles and approaches

Jewellery is three dimensional but photographs aren’t. With careful use of angles and perspective however, you will be able to make your photos dynamic and give your jewellery a real feeling of movement and vigour. Experiment with taking photos from overheard, or low-down, close to the jewellery and from further away, as well as from the side and straight on. I’ve found moving the camera around to more extreme angles can increase how striking the jewellery looks, which can attract the eye of the casual browser. Using such images in amongst more traditional shots allows your jewellery to be seen clearly but also to create interest and excitement.

Hopefully still recognisable as a bangle...

In the next post on this topic I'll cover lighting and how it can be the most important element in your photo, alongside the jewellery.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to leave any comments, queries, or corrections on what I've written - I'd love to also increase my own knowledge into this fascinating and wide-reaching topic.

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Do check out my other posts with ideas and hints on how to photograph jewellery -
Part Two on focus and lighting
Part Three on location, themes and backgrounds
Part Four on styling and inspiration


Also, keep a look out for my forthcoming ebook covering in far more depth how to photograph handcrafted jewellery.

Jewellery you don't make for yourself

When I started making jewellery I also started making gifts of it to family and friends, for Christmas and for birthdays. Conversely, family and friends stopped buying me jewellery of any kind for any occasion. I bought into this for a while, and even refrained from buying myself anything that I thought I could possibly make for myself.

But eventually I started feeling a little denied. Since making jewellery tends to involve an investment of finances in materials, and time in learning skills, many of the pieces I saw and liked just weren't getting made. Since much of my jewellery is silver, then that was all the jewellery I was making, and so that was all I was getting to wear.

So this year, with a birthday on the horizon, I explicitly stated that I would be more than happy for people, who were buying me gifts anyway, to give me jewellery if they so wished.

And they did.

I received a total of three necklaces and a pair of earrings which isn't bad at all after a jewellery-gift-drought of several years.

First up I received a silver and coral necklace via a shop called Babalu in Forres, a fantastic treasure trove of a place to look around and full of locally sourced Scottish crafts.

I also received a silver and garnet necklace via Aviv Silver.

And a butterfly necklace and pair of earrings came via Kate Hamilton-Hunter, who makes much of her jewellery from recycled biscuit tins.

I also treated myself in the sales of a high street jewellery chain (tut tut) when I had some money left on a gift card...

All in all, I'm rather pleased I'm back in the market for jewellery gifts...

Silver by post

I ordered some silver and a few other items from Cookson Gold last week and they arrived as promptly (and as well packaged) as ever. I was struck, as I am every time I order precious metals, by how small the parcel is when it arrives. Sterling silver is still not getting any cheaper to purchase...

When I started working with silver, a little over ten years ago now, although silver wasn't cheap and I was soon taught to squirrel away all the offcuts (and even the dust) to reuse, refine and recycle, it was still possible to have some fun with it, to experiment with it, and to try out new ideas. Now that experimental medium has become copper, or aluminium, or even steel. Don't get too excited though, as the price of base metals has also increased dramatically over the last decade.

My silver purchases - jump rings and wire

Cookson has, amongst other gems on their website, a rather neat little page for checking metal prices, both current and up to 20 years in the past. You can chose from silver or gold or various other precious metals like platinum, and discover how the prices have altered over time. The hikes in the price in the last five years are quite frightening...

Back to my parcel. I've also invested in something a little new. A few years back I did a short course in silver clay (pmc), but thought I'd now try some copper clay. As I've not used this before, or indeed any metal clay for a while, I'm approaching this with some trepidation. I've yet to open the packet - must know what I'm going to make first! - but it's quite slim so I'll chose my project with care.

Anyone else used copper clay? I'd love some hints and tips, or links to any creations.

I also purchased some anti-tarnish pads but, trust me, they're not worth a photo...

Handmade by Edwina - I'm a winner!

I was very fortunate last week to win a blog giveaway by Handmade by Edwina. My parcel of exquisite goodies arrived with me today and I took my time opening it, with my camera to hand. Once the outer packaging was removed, I found this beautifully wrapped package...

...and once I'd carefully opened it I found...

Drawstring bag

Clutch bag

Notebook

Rear-view of notebook

The drawstring bag is made from the most wonderful material, very rich in colour and lovely to the touch. The finishing touches on the clutch bag are wonderful - the ribbon and lace, and the fab big button set it off a treat. And I love the fabric 'Handmade by Edwina' labels sewn inside both.

But I think my favourite is the notebook which has so much detailed work on it - each piece of fabric it's been covered with is carefully stitched together, layered and built up with a wonderful eye for pattern and colour. All the buttons on the front have been carefully stitched on as well, and the whole creation is just a delight. I like to keep picking it up and admiring it, although it may be too nice to write in!

Do check out Handmade by Edwina's pretty blog and her Folksy shop as well - if you're looking for handmade bags, purses, journals and notebooks then her beautiful products are really worth a good look.

I'm off to enjoy my goodies...