How Good Images can Sell Your Work – Ceramics by Jas

How Good Images can Sell Your Work

A picture coveys a thousand words.
Having good images is essential for any creative business because they can captivate, inspire, and emotionally connect with your audience.In today's fast-paced, visual world, where attention spans are short and competition is tough, using eye-catching and high-quality images is key to standing out and making a lasting impression.
 
Imagine scrolling through your social media feed or browsing a website. What grabs your attention? It's those beautiful images that instantly catch your eye, spark your curiosity, and make you want to see more. Good images can make people stop and draw them to your creative world.
 
In simple straight terms, good images sell your work.
 
Here's why good images are so important:
  1. Catch Attention: In the vast online world, good images act like magnets, drawing people in as they scroll through websites or social media. Eye-catching images can make them stop and want to learn more about your pottery.
  2. Showcase Quality: High-quality images showcase the craftsmanship and beauty of your pottery. When your images are clear, well-lit, and detailed, they give potential customers a sense of the quality and value of your pieces.
  3. Create Desire: Images can evoke emotions and create a desire to own your pottery. When people see stunning photos of your pieces, they can imagine how these items would brighten up their homes or bring them joy. Good images help to create that desire for your work.
  4. Build Trust: When potential customers see professional-looking images of your pottery, it builds trust in your brand. They can see that you take your business seriously and that you put effort into presenting your work in the best possible way.
  5. Tell Your Story: Images allow you to tell the story behind your pottery. They can show the process of creating your pieces, the inspiration behind them, and the person behind the craftsmanship. These visual stories connect with customers on a personal level, creating a sense of authenticity and connection.
  6. Differentiate you from Competitors: In the competitive online marketplace, good images set you apart from the crowd. When your images stand out with their quality and style, it helps you differentiate your pottery business from others. It creates a memorable impression and makes people more likely to choose your pottery over others.
Challenges in photographing pottery
Photographing pottery requires a different approach compared to capturing 2D objects. Here's what we need to consider:
 
Reflective Surfaces - Most pottery pieces have glossy and reflective surfaces, which can be tricky to photograph. Direct, harsh lighting can obscure details and distort colors, so it's important to find the right balance and avoid harsh lighting.
Color Accuracy - Accurately representing colors in photographs is vital, especially for online sales. However, different devices may display colors differently due to varying brightness settings. Including a small disclaimer can help set realistic expectations.
Managing Shadows - Managing shadows is another aspect to consider when photographing three-dimensional objects. While in some cases, we can use shadows to create a trendy and edgy effect, most of the time, we want to minimize them.
Size and Proportion - While product listings include dimensions, capturing the correct size and proportion in an image can sometimes be a challenge. Including commonly found objects for scale or holding the piece can give viewers a better sense of its size.
Detail and Texture - Since each piece we create is unique, it's important to include close-up shots that capture the intricate details, textures, and glaze variations. This, of course, adds a bit more time to the process of capturing those perfect shots, but it's well worth the effort.
Showcasing Functionality - Highlighting the functionality of pottery in images is important. Even if a piece is mostly decorative, showing it in use adds appeal and helps customers envision it in their daily lives.
In the next email, i'll share some simple tips to overcome these challenges and take good images so they sell your work.
 
In the next email, I'll share some simple tips to overcome these challenges and capture great images that help sell your pottery. These tips will cover various aspects, such as setting up the right lighting to minimize reflections, choosing the best angles to highlight textures and details, and using props effectively to convey size and functionality.
And with these tips you will be able to present your pottery beautifully, and hopefully attract your ideal audience to your work.

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