Etsy Photography on a Budget

How I create great product images without expensive equipment, diffused sunlight, or expensive software

When I first started my Etsy shop, I put tons of time and effort into my products, and little else. While I still put tons of time into ensuring that every piece of space jewelry we sent out is perfect, I now know that it takes so much more to create a successful Etsy shop. When we first started, with our first Solar System Necklace, my product images looked like this:

Yikes….

As you can imagine, that photography didn’t sell much. It looks dirty, has wonky shadows, doesn’t show the product well, and is just downright funky. I knew that I needed to improve my photography, but I didn’t know how. So, of course, I turned to the internet.

The Most Common Tips

There are tons of great articles out there about how to take photos for Etsy, but I didn’t find most of them helpful. Most share the same tips, and either they didn’t have the detail that I needed, required expensive equipment and software, or they offered tips that didn’t work for me. Don’t get me wrong, they’re good tips if you can make them work, but for those who find that the typical advice isn’t working, give my method a try.

Use Display Forms

I sell space and solar system themed jewelry, so I have a lot of options when it comes to display. Most major craft stores sell black velvet props made specifically for jewelry display. This is frequently the case for other small items as well. For my photography, I use almost none of them. Black velvet looks great in a display booth, but in photographs, it shows every single speck and dust particle possible. My current product photos were taken on a professional photo prop, see:

Ahh, much better.

Just kidding… that’s a 69 cent piece of textured cardstock from Joann. Rolled up into a cone, it made a great option for displaying this necklace. On a rounded form, the necklace actually hangs right and looks like something you might actually want to wear. Then I just tacked the chain across the back of the cardstock with a straight pin. On the rounded form, the necklace hangs correctly, looks like it would on a person, and doesn’t seem quite so funky shaped.

Carefully Craft Your Background

My product images all use a textured dark grey background because it’s easy and constantly available. It work for my products and fits my branding. I’m a big believer of keeping backgrounds simple and elegant, and I’ve never had much success in using extra items for display. That absolutely does not apply to everyone, however, and using extra items can be incredibly successful. Look at these Silver Art Deco Earrings, by TemporalFlux:

An excellent example of earring display

The earrings hung on the cup and with the flower slightly out of focus in the background make an absolutely fantastic display for these earrings. The product is clearly visible and detailed, and the rest of the image supports the product by continuing the right feel. The background is clean and neutral. It’s quietly beautiful on it’s own, while letting the product take the spotlight.

Put Your Item In It’s Natural Habitat

Ashley Lutz of Teething Treasures often photographs her products on props. This Silicone Teething Necklace is photographed on a pair of leather baby moccasins:

The booties help tell the story and add context to the image.

There’s no doubt that this is a baby item, meaning that Teething Treasures is immediately connecting with their target audience. The little shoes tell a story of a fashionable mom and baby rocking that teether, but it also tells more than that. All of the materials used in Teething Treasures are 100% non-toxic and free of nasty chemicals. That’s not information that you can reasonably stick in a cover image, but by using a natural material for her background, and by including the leather moccasins, Ashley has created in image that feels natural, clean, and eco-friendly, just like her product. By letting the background echo the colors of the beads and string, the image stays coherent and doesn’t get too busy.

Don’t Have Use Diffused Natural Lighting? Fake It.

Most articles will tell you that diffused natural lighting is the best for product photography, and in most cases, they’re right. Outdoor morning light on an overcast day is amazing for product photography. That also happens to be when I’m at work and not available for taking Etsy photos. I work full time, run my Etsy business on the side, and I have a little baby. I can’t always drop everything to take product photos just because the weather is right.

Believe it or not, all of my item photos are taken at night, once the baby’s gone to bed. The key here is diffused lighting. If you can’t count on clouds to diffuse for you, then you can count on modern technology. In my case, I used a photo tent specifically designed to diffuse lighting. This little pop up job is $15 at Amazon and works like a dream. I put one table lamp on either side of the tent, pop my jewelry inside, and rock that diffused light.

Editing is Important, but You Don’t Need Photoshop

Photoshop is fantastic. It’s an amazing tool that’s clearly the best at what it does. Adobe knows this, which is why it also costs a small fortune. If you’re working to keep an Etsy business profitable from the start, Photoshop’s not always an option.

an exceptional free program

Anyone familiar with Photoshop will no doubt feel right at home with Autodesk’s free web app, Pixlr Editor. While not as robust as Photoshop, Pixlr has more than enough tools for basic photo editing and for creating product photos. The main thing that every photo needs is levels correction. Learn how to use that tool, and you’ll improve your photos dramatically in about thirty seconds. Both Photoshop and Pixlr have a great levels tool, and you can play around with it to see exactly what each photo needs. Cropping is also extremely important. From start to finish, the photo below has had it’s levels corrected, cropped, sharpened, and a vignette and text applied. All of this can be easily done without Photoshop.

Cropping and Levels adjustment make all the difference.

You Don’t Need to Mortgage Your House for a Camera

Remember that really crumby picture from the start of this article? That one was taken with a very fancy professional grade camera. All of my current product photos were taken with my cell phone. Most modern phones are more than capable of taking excellent pictures and any point-and-shoot camera is absolutely up to the job. I don’t use a tripod for most of my images, but sometimes I find one useful. In that case, I use a little $5 eBay buy. You really don’t need anything fancy.

I use voice control to take the image so that I don’t get a shake from tapping the screen. Many phones have that function built in or available through an app. If your phone doesn’t have it, you can invest in a remote shutter button. This is just a little bluetooth clicker (don’t spend big bucks on this, under $10 on eBay) that will take the picture when you press it.

Get Creative

Creativity is the whole reason to start an Etsy business, right? Use that creativity and skill that goes into your items and focus it on your photos as well. Everything is a learning process, and every photo that you do will be a little better than the last. As you become more familiar with your tools and as you establish your brand, you’ll begin to know exactly what works for you and for your product. Don’t be afraid to experiment!


Mika Hutton is an owner of Interplanetary Designs, providing handcrafted space and solar system jewelry. An ameture astronomer and astrophotographer, Mika writes about space news, women in STEM fields, small business ownership, and craft business practices.

Interplanetary Designs

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Gemstone Jewelry Inspired by the Cosmos: Space and Solar System jewelry handcrafted with natural gemstones and Austrian crystal. Space-Jewelry.com

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