# Pictures of your soaps for websites



## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

OK I really need to get a website up and running but haven't a clue as how to take good pictures of the different soaps. Do you use a light box ? so helpful info would be great.


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## tmfinley (Feb 21, 2008)

I made a light box and did not like my pictures at all. I used a cardboard box and white tissue paper. I think one of my problems was not having a bright enough light source. I think using sunlight gives the best pictures. I don't like the pics I have on my site now but I liked the ones I had before when I took them inside by a sunny window. I wanted all the backgrounds to be the same in all of the photos so I re took them on what happened to be a cloudy day and they stink. I'm waiting for a nice sunny day to redo my pictures yet again.

Tiffany


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Well, it really depends on what style you want to portray. I'm still trying to figure mine out. :LOL For a clean, uncluttered picture, I'll use a light box. I set it on a table on my porch (faces south) while the sun is shining so that is my light source. If I'm wanting props and such then I'll still use my porch when the sun is shining but not when it's directly hitting the window. I'll just add a table cloth, use the rustic wood wall as a background, and add some props. And then there's times when I just take it all outside. The soap pics on my website were a rush job and I snapped them all in one day outside.

I like uncluttered with minimal props. But the clean, all white backgrounds I got from my lightbox, while very nice, just aren't 'me'. You want a good, in focus, closeup. Any prop should blend in or complement, and not take center stage. I try to vary positions so every photo isn't identical. 

Peruse some soap websites and look at their photos to get an idea of what you like and what you don't like. Then take it from there.


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## MiaBella Farm (Jul 22, 2008)

No light box here, I just spread a tablecloth out on my table or countertop and positioned the soap and my props, flowers, etc. then snapped a few different photos on my digital camera, the downloaded them to my computer.

If you are interested in having professional photos done, one of my puppy customers has a photography business up in the Dallas area... you can contact him at: www.weselphotography.com
His name is Bryan Wesel, you can tell him I sent you.


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

No light box and I feel that my pictures are adequate. I change them so often it would be foolish to spend too much time trying to get something perfect in my opinion. Plus as long as the product is recognizable, in focus and easy to see, I am happy. 
As a customer I don't really pay that much attention to the difference in professional pictures and photos taken with good light by the creator of the product. In fact, about the only thing that annoys me is all of the props in some photos which in my opinion takes away from the product.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Thanks 
No way would I have them done by a professional not made of money, retirement doesn't leave ya much.


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## Sheryl (Oct 27, 2007)

I made a light box by cutting the sides and top and back out of a cardboard box, and taped butcher paper over the holes. I then placed one of those flood lights like you buy at wally world, on top,and on one of the sides. You are actually supposed to put lights back sides and top, but I don't have that many. But I find as long as a put a light on top and one on the side, I get the right amount oflight. I think it takes excellent picutres, and actually need to redo some of my sewitall product pics. I think it takes a better picture of the soap, but that's me.

Sheryl


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I took a green microfleace lap blanket and drapped it over a coffee table and up over a foot board on my daughters bed, so it's one color in the background and bottom of the photo. Then just started grabbing stuff to put into each photo...we did it all in less than an hour  Although I would like better photos, it hasn't hurt sales at all. Vicki


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Thank you all now I need to make some soap


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## winestonefarm (Oct 6, 2008)

I have done some nice ones on my stovetop (glass) its black so makes a nice backround.


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

I'm experimenting with different formats. I like those real clean uncluttered shots some of you use. But my soap is so boring to look at so I think I need a little something extra sometimes. I buy photos from istockphoto for $1 each to fill in on my Etsy shop. I like my goat pix the best & get great feed back from them. 

Most of the time I try to set up out side on good sunny day & use a white cloth for a background on our patio table. Or use the blue sky for a background. 

I set up a flickr account & download to it. It is super easy to edit & re-size your photos there.

Jenny


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