photoboard shout-out.

Before I do a portrait photoshoot, I always like to peruse my favorite photographers to get inspiration from. How did they light the shot? Get the angle? De-saturate the color? Use props? Then I make a "photoboard" which is basically a collage of all of these inspirations. I try to think about the person I'm shooting, what their vibe would be, how they see themselves or perhaps how they'd like to be portrayed. The board then becomes a dialogue for us, making it easier to set up and compose shots.

I've branched out from perusing the portfolios of my fav photogs and found a plethora of emerging artists shooting for other artist's work on Etsy. Take a look at this incredible shot of a gorgeous flock sold at Makool:



And these photos of the lovely dresses at sarahseven:





Wow. Not only do they do a great job of showcasing the dresses, they are just incredible, mood-filled shots in general. They've become a mainstay on my boards these days.

Ooh, and I got a shout-out too today over at Her Library Adventure. She featured my Nest photo on her Saturday Shopping List. That made my day! She too is a fellow Etsian and makes adorable fabric brooches.

Gosh, isn't Etsy wonderful? If I could give it a giant bear hug, I would.