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Giving Shoppers A Sense Of Scale


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Less is more. I'd take out the tea bags and the spoons - the mug is enough. Smaller block of cheese and just 1-2 thin slices. One orange wedge or even less obtrusive, 2 kiwi slices or a very small stem of grapes. IMHO :)

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LeeU - I have the spoon, fruit and tea bag in there as scale indicators rather than using a coin or a ruler. 3 of something looks better than one, a single slice looks lonely sitting in the plate. Also, I don't eat Kiwi and the props are from my weeks grocery shopping. 😄 Don't forget this is the lifestyle image the listing will also have the pieces shot on white with no props. The purpose of this image is to show the items in a real world situation.

 

Okay 3rd and final attempt here! I'm fairly happy with attempt 2s images but tweaking them can always hopefully make them better and if not I like attempt 2s images enough to fall back and use them.

 

I put in a burlap placemat in lieu of a tablecloth.😠 I changed the silverware from my personal hand wrought pieces to some cheap generic Dollar Store ones that I use at festivals to show people the purpose of a spoonrest. I used orange sections rather than slices ðŸ˜... Not sure about this as I think the colors of the sliced orange are prettier and I like the round shapes better as well. 😜 I brought up another light and stand from the studio as well as another piece to use as a reflector to get some better fill light on the side of the mug. I switched out the plate to one that doesn't have as much glaze breaking as the other one. I'm using a pistachio shino glaze since I like the way is breaks and moves bringing up Browns to compliment the Temmoku glaze in the border as well as the laser transfer pattern. I am putting the place setting image here but will add it and another to the gallery as well.

 

It's been a process let me tell you! I've spent about 20 hours on it this week researching, tweaking, gathering, shopping, setting up, photographing, editing, etc but I am hoping now that I have done the leg work it will be quicker and maybe just maybe increase my sales and exposure online. I also hope that by sharing the process here that others that are thinking of trying online selling might be able to learn from my mistakes and get a leg up as well.

 

T

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Even though you worked hard and long on this, I think it will pay dividends. Having a good shot like this makes some people purchase it. If people only wanted to see the item in a photobooth then magazines wouldn't have stuff laid out. There is a reason they do, because it sells. I think your on the right track, having 20-30 hours into this setup will pay off because you can replicate it quickly for the next set of stuff you come up with. I would keep tweaking and improving, over time I bet you will change it many more times.

 

I accidentally deleted my other post, I meant to edit it, and was confused. 

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Thanks! Yes now that I have a formula I can replicate the images quite quickly. With the extra lighting it's even taking very little editing other than cropping to get the images online ready. I even took a picture of the whole set up so I can hopefully get the lights, reflectors and pottery positions back where the need to be.

 

T

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Okay, I'm probably way off base here but does anyone else think that a buyer might think they are getting a mug thats been used? I was thinking a new unused t-bag sitting in front of the empty mug. String and tag wrapped around t-bag, without the brand of tea showing, but would still be obvious what it is.  I like the orange segments but I'm wondering about an orange wedge with the peel on? Would look juicier and more inviting maybe? Somehow an orange wedge doesn't make me think the plate is used but tea in the mug kinda gives me the creeps thinking someone else drank out of it. 

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Pugaboo, I think your latest photos will work. Good job! Though I do share Mark's concern about making sure it's clear which is the ONE item they are purchasing. If the other four photos in the listing are solo shots, that should do it. But also in the listing for the plate, I would crop the photo down so we can't see the entire mug and bowl, but rather we only see slices of the mug/bowl/silverware on the edges. Just like how a sliver of bread plate appears in the background of the mug photo. The scale seems very clear to me, I think you solved that problem well.

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Min - Trying to think of a way of explaining a lifestyle image. Think of the the lifestyle picture as an advertising picture like you would see in a magazine. Do you think, when you see those photos, that you are getting a used item? Just trying to explain what the purpose of the image is. I am including a couple photos from other people of their LIFESTYLES shots and you will see how far off target mine are. I probably should have posted examples way earlier but don't like using other people's photos.

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Now My attempt at a LIFESTYLE image:

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Pretty bad in comparison right? I will need to keep working perfecting this over time but this image is far better than what I have had up to now. If you look around the Internet at sites selling upscale items you will see that this type of photo is fairly prevalent and I am trying to climb to that next rung on the ladder. These places are selling not just the item but the LIFESTYLE that goes with it.

 

I have also uploaded one of my standard studio shots to my gallery. The studio shot is just 1 of 5 images which include: studio shot, lifestyle, close up detail, scale, and another of these or some other angle like packaging of the item.

 

That's it. Time to get back to the studio since I have a festival next weekend to get ready for.

T

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This is just a matter of personal taste ... those other two lifestyle photos look professional, but are way too twee for me. I don't think they would impress my customers either. I prefer your more down-to-earth style. 

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  • 3 months later...

@Mark "I do have a few coffee makers and an expresso machine or three"

 

Obviously not a true coffee connoisseur, there is no X in ESPRESSO. Nor is it pronounced as Xpresso. :P I was a barista for 3 years and it drove me nuts! 

 

 

Hmmm, this thread reminds me of the "banana for scale" meme that had been circling around last year....

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Did you say Barista?

I'll take a 1/2 cafe double with low fat and extra cream with 3 extra shots and decafe on the side with no foam easy on the ice.

 

Now getting back to the serious question of scale 

If you had a Godzilla toy in every photo that would do the scale thing well.-It also a conversation thing more than a teabag or spoon.

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Did you say Barista?

I'll take a 1/2 cafe double with low fat and extra cream with 3 extra shots and decafe on the side with no foam easy on the ice.

 

Now getting back to the serious question of scale 

If you had a Godzilla toy in every photo that would do the scale thing well.-It also a conversation thing more than a teabag or spoon.

 

Ugh, foam on iced drinks.... why? Why not just get whipped cream like a normal person!? Also.... 1/2 caf*, decaf* ;)

 

 

Ok ok, for a universal scale it depends on the piece. A cup or mug, teabags are more or less the same size across the countries (I only assume this as I have friends from other countries bring me back tea when they visit...)

 

A vase/bottle; roses do vary in size, but many people recognize and understand the general size of a rose.

 

A bowl/plate/platter can have a banana tastefully incorporated. :rolleyes:

 

The biggest problem is there IS no universal scale, US has the imperial system so our coins, rulers, and measurements will not translate well, and organic items vary too much in size and shape. Whatever you think will get the point across; coins = usually very small. A ruler someone will just have to use a converter if it is metric/imperial differences.

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