Style Me.

Or... style my photos (and I will take that whole outfit, Thank You.)!  The more that I gear up to do something interesting with redneckChic.com (don't go look - it's horrible right now) the more I get interested in not just photographing my handbags and various assortment of other fun stuff... but have the WHOLE photo look as interesting as the featured item - photo styling. I am the worst about seeing a cool wall or door or window or pasture, hanging or setting my handbag then turning to my fav.o.rite photographer with a big cheesy grin and saying, "okay - shoot!"
"The point of styling a shot is not to obscure the qualities of an item, but to enhance them while opening the viewer’s mind to more possibilities. Try to show the item, but also to tell a story." A story... yes, this I can do... sometimes I can even tell a tall tale!  Everything IS bigger in Texas... that includes stories and fish... or would that be fish stories?  huh.

I love the idea of just linin' up my goods and gettin' to work!

Anthropologie for example.  I STALK my mail carrier when I know it's catalog time.  Seriously - stalk.  And, to be honest with you - it's not the items IN the catalog (though they are cool... they are just pricey enough to shock my fluffy pink socks off!) it really is the photos!  They make me tear them out and hang 'em all on my inspiration board! And yes... I do look through a magazine to peruse the photos... then I will go back to read the articles.  Or look at the photos again.

On the knack blog she is introducing a new piece of furniture... now how cool is the "hello"?!

Helpful Things To Keep in Mind... (these tips are from an Etsy article you can find here)

• Keep your eyes open. Props are everywhere! Sometimes, just walking through a new environment can give you some great ideas. Take a stroll through the dollar store and see what you come up with. What about that margarine tub of mismatched buttons hiding in the craft closet? They might make a great background...

 Here FaireHoure is displaying her clock that is for sale... though I would take the chair too!  LOL

• Look for examples. When you get a magazine and a photo pops out at you, take a closer look at how it was styled to learn technique.

 I am a sucka for Tine K Home... I could spend hours flipping through her on-line catalog... and she makes me want to set my cake stand on the floor - and be the owner of that chair.  ha!

• Incorporate more of your own items. Try putting other items from your shop into a shot without losing focus on the main item. This shows how well items in your collection work together!

I can see a "red.neck" handbag on a pile of vintage cases... I can also see myself in that suit...

• Last, and most importantly...be free. Sometimes, the best way to come up with an idea if you’re really stumped is just to play. Remember, you are the art director. Look beyond the typical use for your item, and just have fun with it.

Sew... I am on a mission. My goal is to make my photographs look as stylish as my handbags.  Please keep your fingers and eyes crossed for me and the surrounding neighborhood and my poor photographer... this should be nuthin' but interesting.

How do you do it?  Do you just shoot your photo as is or do you play around with display and pull in props and other fun things? Do you drive around the neighborhood and slam on your brakes when you see the perfect backdrop? I'm all eyes...

Friday Update:  This morning Decor 8 has this post about photo styling!  It has some great links!!!

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide (that could be gettin' re-styled)...hee-hee
;-)  robelyn