Tips and Tricks for Blog Photography Staging

Today's blog photography tips and tricks involve blog photography staging. In this post I'll share some of my tips and tricks for setting up a shot for photographing a project I designed for my blog. These are great photography tips for creatives. Read through the process of how I set up, and photographed an entire project, and then make note of some changes/adjustments you might want to make to your own photography process. Pin your favorite images for inspiration later and share with a friend who might appreciate these tips and tricks as well.

How to Stage for Blog Photography: 

1. Select a backdrop (see this blog post HERE for some suggestions on choosing backdrops for your photography) and set it up for a straight shot or a flat lay shot. Test with the initial project. I was choosing between a white brick, vinyl backdrop and a grey wood piece from Ikea. I liked how the frame popped against the white backdrop so I went with that. Keeping my backdrops near my photo area makes this process quick and easy.

2. Determine if you would like to add props to the project. Play with placement. Add and remove things until you like the set up. I knew the frame on its own would look empty so I added a yellow shelf from Hobby Lobby. I added the white twine for texture and because I actually used it in the creation of this project. I found that the frame next to the twine wasn't as interesting as when I added the ruler for height. This created an awesome visual triangle for my project.

3. Set up and arrange the lights. Click HERE to read more about my favorite light set. You can also use natural light if you're more comfortable.

4. Dial in your camera settings. While I suggest you learn the settings on your camera, if you aren't yet comfortable with more customized settings, the above steps will help you get a pretty great shot even shooting in Automatic on your camera. I like shooting in either manual mode or aperture priority mode so I can get more bokeh in my photos (read more about that below).

6. Review your shots. Fix any staging, lighting, or set-up for additional shots.

Here's a look at how I set this same project up for a flat lay shoot:

1. Choosing a backdrop (here I chose white and a textured embroidery hoop:

2. Adding some props to the photo. I added clothespins because they reminded me of the texture and time period of the frame (farmhouse style), and the buttons are a homespun prop that coordinate with the yellow leaves in the project.

3. The final image with lighting, cropping, and camera settings dialed in:

Additional Blog Photography Staging Ideas:

Looking for additional ideas on how to stage blog photography. Here are some ideas for smaller projects.

* Use part of the project as your prop: If your project includes a set of items, place some closer to the camera. Then place the other items 4-6" back. Stagger their placement and then use a lower f-stop to create bokeh in the photo.

* Always include detail shots. Crop in for some great detail shots. Take a few photographs from different angles to make sure you show the details at their best. Make sure the photo makes sense. For instance, don't take a close up photo from upside down. No one would ever look at your project that way.

* Use sponsored tools as part of your props. When working on a sponsored post, try taking a shot where the company name from a tool or packaging is in part of your photo. Make it as organic as possible.

* Change up the height and width: Give the project some visual height. Place part of (or the entire) project on an object to raise it.

* Step-out Photos for Instructions. Include step-out photos where the tools are the focus. This is especially great for sponsored posts. People want to see a project come together. Focus on the steps they might have questions about. Use a lower f-stop for some bokeh or keep everything in focus. You can take shots with hands or without hands.

Staging photos for blog photography doesn't need to be complicated. Start with the tools and props you already have on hand: baking tools, crafting tools, sewing supplies. Determine your style of photography. Do you like a lot of props and things in your photos or are you more of a minimalist? Do you like to use specific colors on your projects or in your branding? Find props that work with that same styling approach. Find your favorite photo angles. I find that I like taking photos from the same angles. This shortens my photography time. I will mix it up, but knowing what works best for me makes things so much easier.

Practice makes perfect so try several different things. Consider using different options for bonus Instagram posts and additional Pinterest pins. Extra content is always a good thing.

If you have additional questions about staging for blog photography, leave me a comment below! I'm happy to answer any questions I can.

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(Click the product images for information. These are some helpful blogging photography lights and set ups. Affiliate links have been used where possible. A small portion of these sales are paid to me at no additional cost to you.)