Saturday, April 24, 2010

Photos for my Etsy Store and My Blog

I am constantly in need of photos for my Etsy store and for my blog.

I have a very low-end digital camera. Sometimes I can get wonderful photos; other times, I end up deleting them, taking more, deleting them, etc. Almost every one of them look good in the little display window at the back of the camera. However, when I download them, they show up blurry or dark.

I've tried indoors with all the lights on in the kitchen. I have FOUR lights in the kitchen - one over the stovetop, one on the ceiling over a dining area, one on the ceiling as part of the ceiling fan, and one almost on the ceiling but over by the window over the sink.

I've tried outdoors, placing a sheet over my trash can which is the right height without my stooping down to take the photo.

No matter how nice they look in the window, by the time I download them in PhotoTags Express, them come out dark.

Yesterday, I discovered a way around it. Instead of editing in PhotoTags, I just download them and save them to the intended folder. They immediately save as .jpg files.

I then go to Windows Explorer (I have XP, but hey, it works for me), click on the photo, and then click on Edit. With nary a tear shed, I can lighten, brighten, contrast, and more. They are just what I need.

Have you figured out yet that I am a slow learner? Not to worry - now that I've learned, there is not stopping me now!

1 comment:

Natalie J said...

It's terrific that you've found a way to edit your photos so they look like you need them to! The problem with the tiny screens on the digital cameras is that it's hard to tell what they truly look like until you can put them on the computer. I definitely suggest sticking with as much natural light as you can possibly get, mixed with your new found editing skills, and your pictures will keep improving.