Selecting Props for Product Photography

In my years as an Editor for Northridge Publishing and now as a Managing Editor for Echo Park Paper and Carta Bella Paper, I've watched some of the industry's finest set up and take photographs of layouts, cards, and altered projects for upcoming publications.

It is quite the production. I remember the first time I got a peek at the prop room at Northridge. Talk about drool worthy. Every prop imaginable from Christmas trees to real beach sand could be found on the shelves of the photography studio.

Taking cues from some of the leading photographers in the business, I started shopping for and gathering my own supplies for product photography.

Earlier this year I create a blog post for Two Peas in a Bucket about photographing scrapbook layouts for online viewing. You can find that post HERE.


In that post I discussed using natural lighting along with a few items to create a great photograph of your completed projects.

Photography Prop Ideas

But I wanted to chat today about items that make great photography props. Here's a list of items you might consider:

Download this FREE checklist HERE!

Here are some samples of how I used some of the listed items to photograph my projects:

Photo Frogs: These handy metal objects hold smaller items like cards in place for photography. Look for ones with spikes to hold your items.

Chalkboards: These darker backgrounds help the camera better gauge the colors in your project. Create your own by painting the back of a frame with chalkboard paint.

Frames: Look for frames that can have the glass removed from them. These make great textural backgrounds. Spray paint them to match your project or simply purchase neutral ones like the white circle frame pictured here.

Cameras: Look for these at vintage/antique stores.

Leftover Project Items: Anything that is part of the craft you are making makes a great prop. Here are a few examples:

Holiday Items: Shop the seasonal decor at your local store for props you can store and keep on hand for projects (include seasonal candy as well).

With just a few items that you can switch in and out of your project photos, you can make your project all that more beautiful.