the art of styling

by | Oct 16, 2011 | Photography, Running a Business, Tutorials | 108 comments

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When I first started my business, I would paint a piece, pull out my camera and snap a picture of it…just right where it was.  Usually the lighting was poor, so I used a flash.  I would send the picture to my web designer and ask her to put it on my site.  I didn’t realize what a poor representation of my work it was.  I just didn’t think of the fact that I should take the time to stage the photo and light it properly.  I really had no excuse, either.  I had taken a photography class and knew how to take decent pictures, but I didn’t think I could achieve “magazine quality”, so I didn’t even try. 
Then, I stumbled upon the wonderful work of Shelter Blogs.  There were girls just like me, taking really great pictures of their home and their work.  I was immediately drawn to blogs with great photography and realized when I started my own that I would need to step things up.

It’s taken two years and thousands of photos to get where I am today and I know a year from now (probably even six months from now), I’ll improve even further.  I am not a professional photographer and I still have a lot to learn and a lot of room to grow, but I do all of my own photography and styling for Cottages and Bungalows and HGTV.com, so I wanted to share what I’ve learned.
Lighting is everything.
The way you, your camera, your room and your processing relates to the light is everything when it comes to photography.  This is a recent picture of my dining room…

…and here is one taken two years ago. 
Both are taken with digital SLRs, without a flash.  But in the recent photo, I am shooting in manual mode, with a tripod and then processed the picture in PSE.  I also learned that a runner and a lonely urn on a table top doesn’t make a pretty picture. 
I wish I had taken the first picture with a flash on, just to show the difference.  You can have a beautiful room, piece, arrangement, etc., but if the lighting is bad, the picture will not accurately show what you see in person.

Things look different in pictures than they do in person.
This can sometimes be an advantage or a disadvantage.  It’s an advantage when you can hide things.  For example, I hate my kitchen floor.  Hate might be too strong of a word when describing flooring, but let’s just say that I can’t wait to replace it.  If you’re in my kitchen, you can clearly see my floors.  In a photo, though, I can take pictures from an angle that will hide those hideous floors. 

Another thing that looks different are my counters.  They are green laminate, which I am also itching to replace, but when I show photos of my kitchen, people comment on how wonderful they look and want to know what they are.  The lighting and processing make them look much better in photos than they do in person. 
Now, the disadvantage.  You can see every imperfection in photos that you might not notice in person.  Dust on the floors, crooked pictures on the wall, wrinkles in fabric (my mom bought me a new iron because of that), wires cascading from an outlet, and your kid’s bright green backpack on the floor in the next room. 
Notice the big fat footprint under the chair?  Nice.  I’ve gotten through an entire photo shoot before only to realize a plastic storm trooper was under the table and visible in all of my pictures.  Detail is very important in photos, so make sure to upload your pictures onto your computer and look at them carefully before you “call it a wrap.” 
Tell a story.
I have seen (and created) vignettes that don’t make any sense.  It looks like I ran around my house, grabbed a few accessories and set them around.  Someone just came home from the beach and now they’re going eat raw celery, play cricket and then write a letter all on their coffee table?  That’s a bit of an extreme example, but I’ve seen some crazy staging. 
How about…someone is about to curl up in a chair, snuggle up in a blanket and read a book while enjoying a cup of tea (which is actually Diet Dr. Pepper.)  Now, most people aren’t going to have the blanket perfectly draped over the arm of the chair and they’re not going to read an antique book from 1902 and they’re not going to be drinking tea (Diet Dr. Pepper) out of their great-grandmother’s fragile monogrammed china, but that looks better than a nappy Redskins blanket, a Tom Clancy paperback and a Starbucks mug.  Who really wants to see a picture of that?    There is a bit of a stretch between the story and the reality, but the staging needs to make sense. 
Don’t use tricks for the sake of using tricks. 
I’m totally guilty of learning a new trick and then beating it to death and using it where it doesn’t belong.  I love bokeh (the blurry background in photos.)   I really like the picture below, but with the lens aperture as wide open as it is, you can only read the first two letters on the banner.  This is a case where I should have adjusted the settings, so all of the letters in the banner were in focus. 

This is an example where the bokeh effect makes sense.  The blurry lights of the Christmas tree in the background enhance the picture instead of taking away from it. 

Angles are another area where photography can go horribly wrong.  The photo below is sort of a silly extreme, but I have seen photos like this in the blog world.  It looks like the photographer was tipsy or the house was dislodged from its foundation, leaving the home at a 30 degree angle.  The angles just don’t make sense and they detract from the beauty of the subject.

This photo is taken from an angle, so you can see the desk top and the texture of the caning on the seat of the chair.  Angles can be a very cool photography tool, but use them wisely. 

Use cool props.
I almost always look for things that are photogenic when I’m shopping.  Maybe that’s strange, but I will buy things for the sole reason that they will look great in photographs.  I bought these fathered napkins rings for that very reason…   
…and I love the way they photograph.  That’s also a reason why I’m drawn to antique fans, scales, cameras and wire baskets.  They just look cool. 

(This is another example of me getting carried away with the bokeh effect.  Close up that aperture a bit, Marian.)

More is *usually* better. 
I say this carefully, knowing it’s easy to get carried away with accessories.  Hence the *usually*.  Sometimes more is just more, but *usually* pictures look better when they are full.  Here’s a photo of a tablescape I did for HGTV.com last year.  It looked great in person, but in the photos, it ended up looking a little sparse.  I was leaving space on the table for the “food” that would be served, knowing it would be totally impractical to have decor on every surface of the table.  What makes for good photos is not necessarily practical, though. 
For my rustic table setting (also for HGTV.com last year), the table is full.  I filled up visual space with a vintage wool car blanket as a table cloth and added lots of height and color with some evergreen branches.  It would be impossible to see someone sitting across from you, but it made for a great photo.  This is a great example how staging for real life and staging for photographs is very different. What looks great in person may need “more” to make a great picture.   

Try, try again. 
This is an art, not a science.  You have to practice and develop your eye.  I know I have come a long way and I cringe at some photos I posted even a year ago.  I know I have a lot to learn about lighting and my camera and lenses and how to get photos super sharp and balanced and exactly what I want them to be.   Photography is important in this business and, whether you like it or not, if you’re a shelter blogger, you’re a stylist and photographer.  So, be the best you can be and your readers (and editors, publishers, producers, etc.) will notice. 

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    108 Comments

    1. Vintage Home

      Thank you thank you thank you!
      Your willingness to share is one of the main reasons I keep blogging…people in blog land are creative & generous!
      You help is greatly appreciated!

    2. Pamela

      Thanx or all these lovely tips Marian! I am slowly getting better and becoming friends with my SLR and I have had her for two years now. I just do not know how you do all that you do! You must have a twin that helps you out!:)

    3. Sherry@ Ties2ThePast

      Thanks for your tips!
      I totally agree on the angle thing…it can make or break a photo.
      ♥'s
      Sherry

    4. Lisa@Pickles and Cheese

      Fabulous post today. So juicy with real information I can use! Especially since I have a new camera and I have so much to learn! Thanks for this today!

    5. Rose Petal Hollow

      Great post. Loved all the information you shared. Lighting is always the most important in photography.
      MaryAnn

    6. Sarah, Three Boys

      Hi Marian,

      What PSE program do you use and do you like it?

    7. Lesley

      Wonderfully written post. Enjoyed all the advice and the photo examples. I have just gotten to the place where I am not sure that I really ever want my blog to be seen by magazine though. Still sorting out what blogging means to me personally. Your blog is a great example of what a blog could be. Happy Sunday.

    8. Alice

      I struggle every time I take photos of my jewelry, though I have improved since 2007 when I first started.

      I take photos about once a month, and every month it is like starting all over again. What is the best light. Should I use props. What angle should I use to make my jewerly look its best. Ugh, the thought of taking photos just wears me out.

      Thanks for all the tips! Your photos are lovely and pull you in to look further.

    9. SueBee

      Cool…thanks Marian!

    10. Valley Art Project

      I really love the way you refinish old not-so-pretty furniture. I refinished several pieces based on some of your posts. I live not to far from you (a couple of hours) one day I will visit your store. I would like to see everything in person. If you ever want to replace your Green countertops just let me know, I work for a countertop manufacturer and we service your area.

    11. Anonymous

      Marian, this is so helpful! I have been wondering what the blurry background crisp foreground image is called. Now if I can just figure out how to achieve it! Thanks so much for sharing your tips!
      Ellery
      medusarossa@hotmail.com

    12. Susan

      This was a really interesting post, Marian. I don't write a blog, but I was still very interested in what you had to say – well thought-out and well-written.

    13. Kelley

      This was an incredibly enlightening post. Thank you so much for not being stingy with information, tips and advice. I'm not in any 'business' but I want to proud of my photos. This post enhances that desire for me. Appreciate x 18!

    14. Meg

      Thanks for sharing your tips and secrets! I LOVE your pics!

    15. NanaDiana

      Marian, I learned so much reading this. I think I knew some of it but I really need to bone up on my pictures (No Halloween reference meant in that bone up comment!;>) Anyway, you have certainly developed a wonderful eye for photos..and what is even greater is that you are willing to share what you have learned here with us! This is just an awesome tutorial of "tips". xo Diana

    16. COTTAG3

      Great post and great tips! Although my photos have improved a bit, I have so much too learn. I still take way too many blurry ones for every good one. I have to mention to that photos where they have tweaked it so much for an effect that it's so white and it's hard to see the details really bother me.

    17. Terri

      What a great post! Thank you!

    18. Amy @MaisonDecor

      Nice post, thanks for sharing your tips Marian. I loved the christmas table with the wool blanket!

    19. Starr @ The Kiefer Cottage

      Thank you for this post! My husband is the family photographer, and we just bought a tripod based on your recommendation. It cost us less than $10–we seriously had no excuse! Our home has severe lighting issues, so we've got some challenges I don't see covered here–like a windowless dining room that is nestled between two rooms as well as a large, dark kitchen with almost no natural light. But we'll continuing working to figure things out.

    20. TechnoBabe

      These are amazing suggestions and the photos you show are such a help. I learned more in reading this post than I could have on my own and I am a beginner photo person.

    21. Traci

      Thank you so much for all these great tips. I feel like I learn something new about how to have beautiful photos each time I visit your blog.
      Traci

    22. Carrie D.

      Thank you so much for sharing your trials and tribulations with us! As a blogging "newbie" I appreciate all the tips I can get.We do better when we know better;right? Thanks!

    23. Linden Townhouse

      Thank you for being so generous, as always, with your advice. I love the way you style your photos. I even loved them in the "old days" of your blog!

    24. An Urban Cottage

      Having just had the opportunity to work with a stylist, I agree that it's an art. Having had some art training myself, I've learned that forms, and materials and objects have a vocabulary. They all speak a nonverbal language that we perceive, not hear. In your desk vignette, the typewriter, the books, the trophy, the photo and the fan all speak the same language, or rather, two different languages that work together. They're all vintage and they're all essentially handsome. If you swapped out the trophy for your grandmother's teacup, it wouldn't work as well even though they're all vintage. The feminine teacup is speaking another language.

      When my house was styled by someone else, the stylist took my things and composed them in different ways. It was the same things, but the "artwork" that she created was different than what I would do.

      A very interesting subject that I think an entire blog could revolve around.

    25. Vicki K.

      What a great post – thank you, Marian! The first time I became aware of good-for-photography staging was years ago in a popular home magazine that had beautiful autumnal photos. I realized that no one would put huge and gorgeous bouquets of mums on the hearth of a fireplace with a Roaring Fire!!

    26. Linda Leyble

      HI Marian. Thanks for this wonderful post. I am taking a blogging class right now with Holly Becker of Decor8 and I am now starting to follow all photography tips and tutorials very intently, as I want to improve my photography and blogging skills. (I think you should do a class like this – you would have a lot of students taking it!).

      Anyway – I wasn't sure what PSE processing is. I will look up on the web – but would love an explanation.

      Thanks for all your help and inspiration.

      Linda

    27. Tammy...ClothandPatina

      Thank you so much for sharing all of your great tips! Pictures are something I struggle with, but reading and seeing posts like this always inspire me to learn new ways to improve. Your pictures, home and accessories are absolutely charming & beautiful!

    28. Linda Leyble

      OK – silly me. Now I know…it's Photo Shop Elements!!

      Linda

    29. Jeannine

      This was a great help. Number one: gotta get a tripod. That's what I've learned from several favorite blogs this week

    30. slipcovershelley

      I loved this post….thanks so much, I just started to realize alot of this and have been trying harder lately. It doesn't matter how beautiful my slipcover is when it's finished…it will always look better when I take pics where it's supposed to end up instead of in my garage, with cars and kid bikes strewn around.

    31. Lori's Glassworks

      This is a great post; I struggle with photography. Thank You for all your tips. Chrees!
      Lori

    32. Beach House Living

      Good table tips. I always think when I see a table too full where is the food going to go but, your right it makes a nicer photo.

    33. Jessica @ Nuchey's Mommy

      You're the BEST! What a difference between the 2 indoor shots with the one shot in manual. I see that little M on my camera but have no idea how to do the settings 🙁 I think I need to sign up for a beginner photography class 🙂 This was a great post & very well written! Nice job & thank you!

    34. White Ironstone Cottage

      Thank You for this wonderful and educational post I learned so much. I feel like you wrote it just for me I am guilty of almost everything you mentioned LOL Thanks for sharing your wisdom with all of us
      xxoo
      Pam

    35. Amanda @ Serenity Now

      This was a fabulous post! Although I'm not a shelter blogger, I learned a few things that are sure to help me take better photos for my own little blog. 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to put this post together!

    36. The Paupers Castle

      Great post! Very informative! Thanks!

    37. Candylei

      Artists helping Artists! I love everything you shared even the footprint. It's so true about the large photographs showing everything, but you are right, we are all drawn to those blogs where the pics are big and beautiful! I'm going to going to go through some batteries taking new digital pics! Thank you!

    38. JamieEvelyn

      Such a fan of all your work!!

    39. Janice@GypsyFarmGirl

      Thank you for all your helpful ideas! I'm trying to teach myself to shoot in manual mode and somedays feel like pulling my hair out.

    40. Taylor Greenwalt

      Great advise. I am also learning to take a lot of pictures. Its easier to edit later than go back after a shoot. Things look so different in the camera than in person. It is also helpful to sit down and shoot so you are at the same level as the furniture. Great post!

    41. Anonymous

      Marian, I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am for these tips. Your blog has become one of my absolute favorites! I've enjoyed seeing your blog grow into something beautiful! It's funny because even in the beginning I felt that your blog was great, but now it's just awesome!!!

      L.duncan

      Thanks again:)

    42. Karan

      Thank you for all the great tips here today. I learned a lot from them. I am just starting and have wondered about photography and your tips have really answered a lot of my questions.

      Karan

    43. Shaunna

      great, great post. i couldn't have said it any better and I have always been a huge fan of your (photography) work. even a year ago. 😉
      🙂
      shaunna

    44. Peggy

      Thanks Marian for all the great information. I'm a new blogger and taking good pics is my biggest problem.

    45. Lisa @ Lisa's Creative Designs

      Thanks for the tips. I am NO photographer either and am frequently unhappy with photos, especially with the ones of my home. I have the most difficulty with lighting. THings too bright or too dark when I upload them to my computer. I just have an average digital camera and will have to work with that until I can upgrade. I may consider taking a photography class at the local college.

    46. Pamela

      These are such wonderful tips. Thanks for being so generous with your blogging knowledge & know-how!

    47. nelda

      Thanks for sharing your tips with us. Maybe you can answer a question about how your photos look on the mobile version. I was wondering why the mobile version of your blog has photos that are sort of blurry, while the web, full version has beautifully clear images? Just have been wondering about this ever since you added the mobile version for us smart phone users.

    48. KaReN EiLeeN

      Loved this article. It is fun to see how far you have come because you are such an inspiration now. Give me hope too.
      Great info and a pleasure to read.

    49. Farmer's Wyfe

      Ahhh, your posts are like sweet tasting medicine to my craving-to-be-better blogging soul. 🙂 LOVE your blog. Truly. You just get better and better at this thing…and you share it with us. That rustic Christmas setting is just SUPERB!!!

    50. Cozy Little House

      One of my favorite and most relaxing things to do is to download 80-100 photos off my camera. Then turn the lights off and work on Photoshop. I enjoy cropping and seeing how many photos I can actually get out of one. You're right, photos are just part of our world in this realm.
      Brenda

    51. A-M

      So glad I stumbled upon your beautiful, beautiful blog. A-M from Australia xx

    52. KarenB

      This is all great information. It is so fun to see progress in my photos. And, so nice to hear that a fabulous blogger like you in progressing as well!

    53. Backwoods Cottage Pam

      I photograph rooms, pieces of furniture I am working on or my signs to find the flaws.

      Somehow I can see readily what is wrong in a photograph that I totally miss in person. So I have to totally agree that "the imperfections stand out in photographs".
      I am working on my photography and styling is completely foreign to me but it is worth learning.

    54. Liz

      thank you for all the pointers! At your recommendation I looked into FloraBella PSE actions. I purchased my first package last night, and OH MY GOSH do i LOVE it!!!! I can't get enough of it! I never would have found it without you, thanks so much!!!

    55. DebbieG

      Marian – Thank you so much for what you give. Your advice is really priceless even for someone like me trying to sell things on Ebay and having to take pictures of the item. You are just a superb communicator! Thanks again,

      Debbie

    56. Rusty Hinge

      I just found your blog from Melinda at Alabaster Rose Designs. You taught her how to upholster her vintage French chair. I want to learn how too!! 🙂 I am your newest follower and adding you to my blog roll. Thank-you for all the hard work you put in so we can all be inspired!
      Maria
      http://www.rustyhinge.blogspot.com

    57. June

      This is such a GREAT post Marian. Love it, so thank you for the awesome tips.

    58. MommaHen

      I remember when I starting taking "good" photos, I would really over use the different effects in my editing program. Now, I use my camera settings more and my editing programs less. It's funny to look back at photos I , once thought, were really good! I love your tips- following them faithfully !

    59. Dawn

      Thanks so much!!!!!

    60. Lori @ Katies Rose Cottage Designs

      Marian those are wonderful tips! I struggle alot sometimes with pictures because of lighting ~ I need to learn more and get out my tripod ~

    61. Deborah

      Awesome post!
      Thank you for these tips!

      Deborah xo

    62. Pamela

      Thank you for sharing these wonderful tips. I have so much to learn!!!!
      I love the tip about lots on the table for a photograph!!!

    63. the brown shed

      So so good! Not only is your blog a super fun read, but I learn something almost every time I am here. Love it.

      Thanks, Miss Mustard Seed!

      Christi

    64. Jennifer

      Storm troopers under the table make me happy….

    65. Anne Lorys - Fiona and Twig

      Co-sign on all of the above.
      And I am so guilty of buying stuff just to use as props, too. 😉

    66. Beth

      Boy, there sure is so much truth to what you say. The things you don't notice through the viewfinder of your camera seem to have a neon blinking arrow on them once downloaded!! Done that too many times. It's good to see your before photos compared to today! Great words of wisdom.

    67. Cassandra

      WOW! I love to visit your blog! I must say this was one of my favorite post! Thanks so much for the wonderful information! So informative!

    68. michele

      marian, what i love about your photos is when i see one, i know it's your work. ya know? we can deconstruct your hints and tips all day long, but a lot of people just don't have THE EYE. the je ne sais quoi. the mustard factor. ooh lala look at me classing up the place up in here.

      smiles.

      michele

    69. Cindy

      That was awesome… great advice… i soaked up every bit of it, Thanks!

      Cindy

    70. Si

      Thanks for the great tips! I photograph a lot of food, and can use your expertise in helping me to get better food shots as well. Love this blog 🙂

    71. Abbie

      What incredibly practical and helpful tips, Marian. Thank you! And what lovely photos! So fun/inspiring to see the progress you've made!

    72. Abbie

      Diet Dr. Pepper tea makes me smile.

    73. Ivy Clad

      I am so happy to have just found your lovely blog! These are really helpful tips; thank you so much!

      -Keri

    74. fixitfaerie

      Thanks for sharing all of this info. I found it really interesting and it will help when I take pictures. Take care.

    75. SueAnn

      Great feature!! I will take more time with my photos and setting them up. I haven't been real careful of late!!
      Thanks
      Hugs
      SueAnn

    76. sue

      oh…Miss Mustard Seed… Thank You for these tips. ! I am very guilty of being an "angle girl"… hmm… need to work on that. 🙂

    77. Lynne

      thank you so much for sharing what you have learned – that is so generous. I am a big fan of your photography and you definitely give me something to "shoot" for!

    78. subtle magnetism

      I love your good pictures so much… but I have to admit I get a HUGE affectionate kick out of the stormtrooper/footprint/wrinkle/lonely urn images simply because I relate to them, and it makes me feel like there's hope for us all to learn better technique and staging.

      I'm really new to this so I'm terrified to stage. I substitute angles and lots of sun and some brightening in PS instead. I know a year from now I'll cringe looking back, but it's wonderful to have some guides like you who aren't afraid to show 'behind the curtain'. Thanks so much Marian,

      ~Em

    79. Gail

      Wonderful wonderful tips!!! Thank you so much…such an encouragement!!!

      Hugs,
      Gail

    80. LuciRae

      Love this! I am SO guilty of bad photography. You are inspiring me to learn and be better… might take a while but it is a fun process! Thanks for this!

    81. Dina

      Thank you so much for great advice Marian!
      When I'm taking pictures, drape items or what ever may show up on my plan, I've got this Marian-Voice talking in my head 😀

    82. BirdRicer

      Your photo of curling up on the sofa with a cup of "tea" in one's fanciest china cup actually inspires me to do that! It is very good for the soul, requiring one to slow down and smell the roses (or tea….or Diet Dr. Pepper…). My 91 year old mother has always said in her thick, southern drawl, "they-eyhs nothin' in this wuld that a cup of hot tea won't make just a little bit bettah!" I concur.

    83. Claire

      Thanks for the great tips! I've just started a blog, so there is still a lot to learn for me. My 14-year old daughter will be the designated photographer with her semi-professional camera & tripod. SO I'll have to show her you article too. And I'm already a bit less tempted to get rid of possible beautiful props (I want space in my house! too much stuff).

    84. Dana @ Cooking At Cafe D

      That was so helpful. You provided the term bokeh – and I googled and You Tubed it. Now I have a new tool to use. So excited! Thanks.

    85. Pretty Unique Furniture

      Great tips, thanks so much! I have tons to learn 🙂
      Tina

    86. Stacy Norris

      Thank you for your help with the photography and staging. I am getting ready to sell a piece I just painted and glazed and trying to think of a place in the house with good lighting to stage it. Thanks! Maybe it will show up on your furniture friday thingie…sorry I am new to the blog world and don't know how to post a picture to show you on friday but would like to be included in the link party…any help would be appreciated 🙂

    87. Jennelise

      Hello! I discovered you through boogieboard cottage – your blog is wonderful! Thankyou for this post! I bought a DSLR camera this year and started a blog and it is definitely a learning process. 🙂
      Jennelise

    88. Denise at PinkPostcard.

      Thanks so much for this. I feel like I learn so much every time I come here. I only have a point and shoot camera, so I am limited, but it is amazing what I've learned since I first started too. It's nice to know we all grow And learn. I M so encouraged every time I cone here. You re a blessing to me.

    89. http://findingsecrettreasures.blogspot.com

      Wonderful tips, thank you so much for sharing your experience. I've just started bloging, and only have a few post, but I can see the difference in my photos already, learning from you and Donna @ Funky Junk. A big thank you to both of you!

    90. sheila from life @ #17

      since I take, honestly?, the worst photos in bloggie world, I really enjoyed this post :))

      not that my photos will get better 🙂 but I did enjoy it!

    91. reese_1966

      very useful info.

    92. reese_1966

      how do you get motivated? how do you start a blog and take care of the house and kids? how do you do the things you love without energy?

    93. janet

      I don't know where to begin..I love all of your posts and your eye for details is amazing..I love the desk well pretty much I love all of it..Have a great week..
      Janet

    94. Mary

      It's 6 in the morning, I'm sitting in bed and yet … I feel like I have been in class! This was incredibly informative and helpful. I may actually have to get out of bed and go print it out.

      Thanks so much!
      Mary

    95. Rebecca @ The Reluctant Housewife

      I loved this post. Thank you so much for all of your advice on photography! I'm by no means a decorator, and I use most of the tips you give with photography on my child…but they translate just the same…so thank!

    96. TwinJoys

      Wonderful article! I especially loved the last part about setting a table. Before becoming a SAHM, I worked for the Biltmore Estate as a visual merchandiser & your tip reminded me of those days. Especially Christmas time decorating! We always said: Fill the tree all the way, then add a lot more. (& that really went for everything we decorated during that season. It was always soooo tiring to keep the displays full!) Within a business, sometimes you have to be over the top to get the attention of your customers. It sometimes doesn't matter that you're being impractical, if you can do something that sparks their imagination & gets them thinking about how it can translate to their own home/decorating style.
      Your work is beautiful & inspiring. Thank you for sharing.

    97. Tammy

      I found your blog from a pin of this blue desk on Pinterest…and I have to say not only am I now a subscriber, but you made me smile! We moved from the area just west of Gettysburg this year and Lucketts was one of my FAVORITE daytrip spots when visiting friends in DC.

    98. Kristy Swain

      That was a great post! Thank you for sharing that. I need a ton of help in this department! I hope to slowly make progress so my pictures can be as amazing as yours.

    99. Babs

      Great photos and photography tips. Thanks so much.
      I’m a new follower.
      Babs

    100. Claudine

      GREAT post!
      I just started my blog and I am having problems with my photos…
      I will take the time and follow your tips.

      Praying for your surgery to be a success and a quick recovery!

    101. Dee

      Fabulous tips – I know just what you mean & I only take photos for my blog & my own pleasure …

      I set it all up nicely then look at the photos & there is some clutter I did not notice or dust. Lighting is my downfall too & so I am making a conscious effort to do it better. Thanks for the inspiration & tips

      Dee at the Carlton

    102. Kathy d

      I have just started my blog and am feeling impatient in learning the photography part. This was very helpful!

    103. Cheryl

      Great tips! I have been wondering why all your photos look so great! Painting the furniture is the easy part – capturing the art of what we do is the hard part. I appreciate you sharing!

    104. Beth

      Hello,

      I am trying to get a good look at the letters stenciled (painted?) on your dining room floor. I have looked all over your site and can’t find any mention of the floor! How is that possible?? Can you direct me to any information you have on your floor? It looks amazing.

      Thanks so much,
      Beth

    105. Dee

      Do you have an article detailing the painting of the blue/cream/walnut desk? I would really like to know the paint type and color of the blue – it is stunning!

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