I’m here today to break through the perfect-photo myth – I just want to give you a glimpse into the big picture. The photos you see on my blog may look great, but the background is messy just like any other house – keeping it real.
Let’s start with my helper, Ironman, ever present in the background. Sometimes he’s morphed into other various super heros, but you get the jist. Here he is taking photos with the tablet (obviously a blogger’s kid) and you can tell that the photo set up is just a blanket on the floor:
But the picture looks awesome and professional:
So let’s go on a behind-the-scenes of photos tour…..you won’t want to miss this…
How about some of the step-by-step pictures – I painted my craft desk white on purpose so that I could use it as a photo background — so you get this basic photo:
But what you don’t see is what’s really going on – – can you find the pliers in their little cleaned-off area??
This may look like I spent time to get out a light box, but I was too lazy and just taped a piece of random posterboard to the chair – done and done. (Who can find the cat, watching my every move??)
The baby shoes pictures turned out awesome:
And to achieve that I just propped up a couple pieces of colored paper onto the corner of my kitchen table and pointed them at the natural light coming in the window – note the table isn’t even cleared off:
A slipper silhouette is really just her standing on a posterboard – you can even see the puppet show going on in the background:
How about the picture of my cake I’ll be blogging about tomorrow:
It’s just sitting on a green tshirt on the floor of my kitchen (cause that’s where the light was coming in)
So there you have it – – the insider’s information. The behind-the-scenes reveal. Enjoy π
And an unrelated behind-the-scenes note, if you are a blogger needing anything blog-design related, I HIGHLY recommend Kim at 733Designs – – she’s amazing and can fix all of my (blog) problems. You’ll love working with her.
angsays says
I love this behind the scenes! It’s pretty much what I do while trying to take photos with natural light.
I come to your link party every week and I would be so happy if you visited my blog sometime.
Have fabulous weekend,
Angela
Jessica says
You are one of my favorite bloggers. I’m always in awe of you and your blog. I just assumed that you must have an elaborate studio to do all your shots in. I’m so excited to see that are less costly ways to get the perfect shots. You are such an inspiration!
PJ @ Planned in Pencil says
Thanks for keeping it real Mandy!
Whit says
I love this!
Sam says
This is so great! I have been asking myself how I can make my pictures more appealing on my blog, and you have provided the answers for me!
Thank you, thank you!
xox Sam
DIY Huntress
Joanne Anastasiadis says
This is such a relief that there is some sort of mess going on behind the scenes.
Thanks for sharing!
Joanne @ Creative Mess
jmacreativemess.blogspot.com
pudding 'n lace says
great information! I find it often hard to photograph in an apartment that doesn’t always have great lighting. Or rather, it doesn’t have great lighting when I WANT to or HAVE THE TIME to photograph. But I like your creative ideas. My cat likes to watch everything I do, and is often inspired to become part of my shoot.
Thanks for sharing.
Jennifer @ gingerbugZ
[email protected]
pudding 'n lace says
looking for some ideas on photographing children’s clothing without a live model. Any suggestions? (I have a child’s dress form, but without arms, so the dresses sort of hang flat. Also looking for a way to photograph pants, since the dress form is just the torso and doesn’t have any legs.
feelincrafty says
too funny! I have these set all over the house too! I wonder what are kids think about the crazy mom taking pictures of EVERYTHING??? π I also have a bit set up on our covered porch since it’s so gloomy and dark and wet in Seattle most of the year! It’s the best place to get light. outside!
Karibean says
Awesome! Thanks for sharing– great tips! π
Lauren Lanker says
I loved this post! I, too, usually have huge messes going on behind the scenes during photo shoots. It’s nice to know I’m not alone…and also, I love the idea of using a blanket or t-shirt as a backdrop for photos. Brilliant!
Heidi @ Moms Crafty Space says
Love it! That’s pretty much just how I do it too. I love these kinds of keeping-it-real posts!
Kim and Gen says
What a fun post! Makes me feel a little better about the mess I have going over here. : ) now if I could just crop out the house when neighbors pop by like a photograph…
Gina @ MoneywiseMoms says
Ha! That’s exactly how I take my photos, and my husband always thinks it’s weird that I put food on the floor before we eat it, if that’s where the light is. Thanks for sharing your behind-the-scenes!!
Cranberry Morning says
Haha. Those antics look very familiar. π And it also looks like it would be a lot of fun to be a kid at your house. π
Kate Craig says
I really needed this!
Heather says
Great post! Kim IS the best!!! She does business cards too π
Jessica Anderson says
Haha. My craft/dining table is a mess all the time. Just shove everything out of the way to take a picture! Funny, I just took a photo of the mess yesterday. Maybe I will post it on my blog. π Love your blog! Jessica (cutesycrafts.com)
Melissa says
I love this! Also proves you are a awesome mom!!!
McKenzie @ Girl Loves Glam says
I can SO relate!
Laura Belleau says
I love it! Great to see what’s really going on. Looks like what happens her.
Kim says
I love this post because I always wonder if other people o the same crazy crap that I do… turns out that they do… or at least you do π
Kim @ seven thirty three says
Loving this post Mandy! My kids are always taking pics of random objects… and the minute we finish a project they automatically start to pose with it. Definitely blogger kids! haha.
AND THANK YOU for the shout out. You’re too sweet. π
Toni Barsi says
This is pretty much what I do, except we have practically no natural light in our apartment! Thank goodness for the 2 little tabletop daylight lamps my husband got me for Christmas. I absolutely love that I can use them at night once the kids have gone to bed!
Gloria Duy says
Ha ha. That’s a good one. I especially like the cake on the floor! I was moving recipes around on my blog and could see my glasses and cell phone in the corner of a pic! Hmm didn’t notice that before.
Design Originals by KC says
Thanks for a behind the scenes look at your perfect life with perfect light and expensive set ups… NOT! how cool! I can do some pics like yours if I want now π I also passed this on to a non blogging friend because she takes terrible pics of her work to share with me and when I see it I am amazed at what I missed out on cuz she can’t get the shots π Kathi
Jen @ Girl in the Garage says
Great post, thanks for the honesty! Sometimes I do wonder if other blogger’s homes are perfectly tidy- since mine is definitely not! I’m also learning to stage shots and just got a new camera… so this helps too. π
Stephanie says
I love the wAY YOUr daughter is smiling for the picture, of her feet. π
Shannah @ Just Us Four says
I love this post! The area around my pictures is always quite a mess. In fact, occasionally, a toe or something creeps in that I just can’t quite crop out π
The natural light is best in three places in our house {depending on what time of day} so you will find photo backdrops set up in those three almost constantly.
Jes says
This is what keeps me coming back, Mandy! You are so REAL and I love that! Keep up the great work!