Product Photography

Hello from a seriously soggy North Yorkshire - perfect weather for making headway on To Do lists!

Taking priority on the list for me, was setting up a place where I can do my product photography, without having to take down all the equipment after every session.

my new product photography set up is as near to the roof window as possible

We recently had most of our loft boarded out for storage - oh my word, how much do I love that loft?!?! Complete tangent here - but knowing that we now have somewhere to store...Winter clothes and coats in Summer & vice versa; Ditsy Bird materials and supplies that I don't use regularly; bags; spare bedding; all the stuff that is currently under all the beds due lack of storage; sentimental keepsakes - what a difference this is going to make!

Okay, back to it - I decided that, as there won't be a lot of traffic up there (it will basically just be me, moving things from house to loft and back again), it is the perfect place to set up my lighting, tripod and backdrops.

With this setup, as and when I finish a product, I can whizz up the ladder and take the pics I need, and get straight on to editing and listing - rather than continuing with my current method, of waiting until I've got loads to photo, in order to justify the time spent setting up all the equipment.

Lots of trips up the ladder, lugging gear upstairs; lots of crawling on knees to get things into place (W trusses..ugh!); lots of getting hot and bothered (so warm up there!) later, and it's all set up. Hurrah!

I feel hugely satisfied for having actually got off my bum and done it - plus the exercise I've had climbing those ladders, and lifting kit up there - and for trimming down my current 'to photograph' pile.

Oh yes, very satisfying indeed.

Have you tackled something that's been nattering away at the back of your head for a while, or is there something that you could do, right now, to get a big fat tick on your to do list?

Right then, what's next on that there list...

Sarah

x

UPDATE:
Just in case anyone is interested, THIS is the lighting set I bought in 2014, after taking THIS course by Alisa Burke. I can highly recommend both the lights, and the course! Best of all, there is currently $10 off the course, in Alisa's Summer sale. 

New Shops!!!

Hello there! and how goes the Summer for you? We're having lots of rain but also lots of fun and fresh air - which is so very welcome!

the view from the old railway line out of Carleton-in-Craven

It's pretty tricky to find time to get on with work during school holidays, mainly due to a lack of time - going for walks and picnics is way more fun (who's spent too much time with a 7 yr old?? like dude!) than sitting at a pc uploading photos for listings; and going to parks and the seaside gobbles up any painting or sewing time that may have been eeked out of a day.

Fountains Abbey

However, I have put my DBD (Ditsy Bird Designs) hat (beak? hahaha) on this week and got plenty done! George has been an absolute star on this matter too - happily entertaining himself with his new loves - Phineas & Ferb on the box whilst Fimo-ing. Happy creative days all round actually, and made more so by the torrential rain we had at the beginning of the week...it was very conducive to hunkering down indoors & 'getting on'.

bright cards from Ditsy Bird Draws

I am pleased to say that I have ticked off at least one of my Summer goals: Separate my Etsy Ditsy Bird shop into three...
1. for paintings
2. for cards and other stationery type thingies
3. for all things stitched

handpainted & stitched handbag - destined to adorn glossy tresses in the near future

So I now have three Etsy stores:
Ditsy Bird ( the original has been kept for my canvases coz, well, that's where it all started)
Ditsy Bird Draws (for my cards)
Ditsy Bird Sews (well, that one's a bit Ronseal really ;) )

heavily beaded Peacock Eye brooch AND hair clip...oh yeah!

It's been a welcome break from the endless butty making and packing up raincoats AND sunscreen...coz you just never know do you!?!?

there were so many of these on our railway walk

Each shop has been shown a little love too, including new canvas designs for Ditsy Bird

Little Brown Bear

Moth

a Wol in a Wooly

So there it is - a big fat TICK for the "sort out Etsy shop - too crammed!!!" to do :)

How's your Summer to do list fairing? Is it a little like mine where I'm having to add things not originally on it, just so I may tick them off? ;)

Hope you are having fun, whatever the weather and whatever you are up to

x

Things to do this Summer…

[apart from entertaining George and thoroughly enjoying his company]

* Sort the filing drawer (shred or file – those are the ONLY options – no ‘undecideds’ allowed)

* Delete the hard drive of the old pc and take it to the tip

* Tidy and clean studio

* Sort the shoe/coat situation in the study – it is beyond irritating now…can shoes breed????

* Scan old photos to send to be printed for my brother’s bday pressie (Sep 2 – which seems aways away but it’s a big ole box of photographs!)

* EXERCISE – specifically, Mission Bingo Wing Destruction!!!

...and that doesn't include my DBD to do's!

What are you up to - other than finding ways to keep children entertained whilst the British Summer behaves badly?