I am back today with another behind the scenes peek at my DIY blog world. I loved the response to the first behind the scenes post so much. Yes, my house is real…it is messy…it is lived in…and generally in a bit of chaos from all my projects, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I want to share more behind the scenes type posts, but only when I have something really good (er, bad) to show or a good tip. Today I have a good tip.
To successfully capture your amazing projects at home, you have to find the good light. Unfortunately, some rooms have poor light…or no light. Our basement playroom is a perfect example. I have struggled to get good photos in that room.
When I shared about my camera, I included one tip about how I deal with a dark room. It involves a tripod, cable release, and a really slow shutter speed. It also involves throwing my arms up at some point and saying good enough. Still the pictures aren’t ideal. This is as good as it gets:
One of the best tips I learned at Haven was in Kristen Duke’s photography class. She shared how she moves projects to the light. She will shoot smaller objects on her kitchen table near the window. She will stage something right in her foyer with the front door wide open to let the light in. She will photograph projects in the garage with the garage door up. Sometimes it is not possible to move a project to the light, but if you can it makes a huge difference.
Case in point, the DIY rolling toy storage crates. I managed to get a few decent photos in the playroom. But, to get really good shots of the crates, I knew I needed to move to the good light.
By moving the day bed and crates to the nearby family room, which is flooded with natural light, I was able to get beautiful pictures. I cropped creatively, so the reader doesn’t necessarily notice I photographed them in a different space. The only tell-tale sign is the wall color behind the day bed. Despite the slight inconsistencies in the photo, it was worth it to get great pictures and show off the crates in their best light.
Of course, in the pursuit of great pictures I had to mess up the family room a bit. The yellow chairs were casting shadows on the day bed set up, so I shoved them out of the way. I keep most of my furniture on sliders, so they can be easily moved.
I also got pretty darn creative with make-shift tripods. The shortest my tripod goes is about 18″. When I want to get down low, I have to get creative. In the playroom, I grabbed the nearest thing I could find. So, I used a Duplos rock structure to get the camera at just the right height. When I moved out to the family room, and left the Duplos behind, I grabbed the next best thing…the stack of books from the coffee table with a small tray turned upside down on top. The low shots allowed me to show off the teal wheels.
(Sorry for the grainy iPhone photo…I wasn’t kidding when I said it was rough shooting in this room)
As winter approaches, I have to be more creative finding the light to photograph my projects. When the days are short and the sky is are overcast for months on end finding the light is even harder. Maybe a space heater for the garage is necessary? We’ll see how I manage with my new camera toys.
Oh, and since the last behind the scenes, I have made some progress on the media cabinet. I guess posting the unfinished project lurking in the basement got me motivated to follow-through and get it done. My oldest helped me paint it yesterday. There are a few more steps to go, but I will be sharing this project soon.
Jackie,
You are so right, tripods are a home decor bloggers best friend. I love the creativity of using the Duplos rock structure! :-)
~Sarah
Haha-toys sure come in handy;)
I was reading a Swedish blog and she recommended using a product called a Light Scoop which goes over your flash and directs light upward so that the room is illuminated. It seemed to work well for her. Have you heard of it?
Yes, the light scoop was a hot topic at Haven. My camera does not have a pop up flash. It has a hot boot where I could attach an external flash and light scoop, but I am trying to make do without. The light scoop can help when necessary, but still shouldn’t be used all the time…natural light is still better. I say all that, but man once winter hits, I get antsy for all the lighting help I can get. The flash and light scoop might be on my Christmas list.
Totally off topic but I LOVE the black and white table/ottoman in your living room. It’s lovely.
Thanks, Roni. The rug ottoman is one of my favorite DIY projects!
Love this post, Jackie. We don’t get great natural light in our apartment (there’s basically one small area in the whole place!), and I struggle with this. I dread the short winter days when I don’t even get home from work until after dark and have to work on a project! Thanks for sharing your behind the scenes life :).
Chaney, I totally understand…I dealt with that for a few years. I will continue to share new tips as I learn them. Thanks so much for including this in your weekly links today!
May I ask where you found your daybed? I really love the frame of it.
Anne, The daybed is from Room & Board. We love the steel frame, too!
Thank you! I really enjoy your blog.
Really appreciate you opening your process up and showing what ‘behind the scenes’ looks like. Getting the lighting right can be such a struggle until you learn the best time of the day and angles within your home / shooting area. I use a couple of spotlights from Home Depot and organza to filter the light. The shadows are my pet peeve!
Kiri, you are right…the time of day is very important, too. A while back I mapped out the best time of day to photograph in each room in my house. It is a handy reference when I am planning to photograph a particular project. Great idea with the spotlights and fabric filter. I plan to experiment more with lighting this winter!
I do love seeing other folks’ processes to capturing light! I often am a fan of moving objects to the living room (which has the most light inside) or the dock (great light AND a rustic backdrop). However, the tripod and slow shutter-speed is KEY if you have to be in a low-lit area. Basically, I agree with you 100%! And I am head-over heels for that whale wall. It’s epically awesome…and you managed a pretty great shot of it, even in low light!
Great post! Love your tripod ;) I’m sharing on my FB page today ;)
Hugs,
Jamie @ somuchbetterwithage.com