[Laura Berlage]

Photography is going to be your best friend.  It doesn’t mean that you necessarily need a fancy camera:  I use my new cell phone for that.  But it does mean that you need a good place to take quality pictures.  This will help sell your class as well as your kits.

As with your virtual classroom, lighting for your photography is essential!  You can buy light booth kits, or you can make your own, which is what I did!  I have this set up all the time in my studio space, so it’s easy for me to pop over and shoot either a finished piece or a work-in-progress for a photo essay.

I used a square table, a short shelving unit, a roll of art paper (it ages and tears after awhile, so it’s easy to roll out more to refresh the space), a few clips to hold the paper to the front of the table, and wide Ottlites on either side.  It’s simple and effective, and it’s taken my product photography to a new level.

Here are some pictures to help represent the difference.  The first shows product photography where I was attempting to just use natural daylight and a wood background.

The next shows taking a picture of kits in my light booth.

Folks making up class catalogues and online promotions will also love the white background better because it pops in their printed and online materials too.

This setup doesn’t take up much space, and it’s well worth the investment!  What might you have around that you could adapt to make yourself a light booth?  Do it and notice the difference!

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