I'm on Flickr!

I read the other day how one Etsian's best promotion vehicle is her Flickr account.  I'd used Flickr before to download photos for the yearbook committee at school, but I'd never considered signing up.  After reading this Etsian's post in the Etsy forums, I decided to take the leap.  Now, I need another thing to maintain like I need the proverbial hole in my head, but, in for a dime, in for a dozen, might as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb, and all that.  (Please excuse me, my name is Diana, and I'm a habitual proverb user.)  So I signed up and now I have a Flickr account of my own.  I haven't joined any groups yet, or created any galleries, (which from the FAQs seems to be similar to Etsy's treasuries,) because it's taken me three days to upload, name and describe all my photos.  I'm still not done.  I didn't go all out in describing, but I did put the Etsy listing number under each item, and I included lots of tags.  Have a look at my Flickr account!  The empire is growing! (insert evil laugh here.)

Best Backgrounds for Jewelery Photos

Experienced online jewellery sellers will tell you that the quality of your photos is the key to selling lots and lots of jewellery.  It's not necessary to have an expensive camera or to be a professional photog to get great pics of your work.  My photos really sucked when I first started out, but with a little research, and a LOT of trial and error, my photography skills have improved, and so have my photos.  Check out these before photos of my Trinkets bracelet.

Before

Before

        

These pictures are too dark.  The one on the left has uneven light that is unflattering, and there are too many things going on, which makes it distracting.  The background colour takes away from the colours in the bracelet.  Now here's the after photo.

This picture was taken outside, on an overcast day. I zoomed in, used the macro lens, and took several shots at different angles.  The background is a piece of driftwood that I found on the beach while camping last summer.  It doesn't distract from the bracelet, and it reflects the natural theme that I am trying to make part of my branding.

I Found Help!

I tried, I really tried to participate actively in the Etsy community.  I convo'd three different team leaders to try to join selling teams because more experienced Etsians said that joining teams was a good way to get your shop discovered by other sellers and buyers.  Not one of the three leaders I contacted answered my convo.  Fine!  I really didn't want to join anyway.  Some teams meet in person, and though I don't want you to think I'm anti-social, I kind of am.  Sorry, but I've got two jobs, besides running this new jewellery business, as well as trying to raise two kids, and I'm neglecting the friends I already have, so I really don't have time to meet.  Other teams have expectations about how often you will promote your teammates. I hate expectations, don't you?

I also tuned in to a few chats.  They were kind of interesting, but I found people asked the same questions over and over, or people asked questions that weren't relevant to me, and you have to listen to all the questions before they get to yours, if they do.

One area of the Etsy community that I do find useful is the Forums.  In the Forums, people ask other Etsians questions about many different topics.  The topics are divided into eleven categories:  Announcements, Site Help, Business Topics, International, Ideas, Bugs, Critiques, Techniques & Materials, Teams & Events, Promotions, and Etc. The headlines are listed, and you can pick the threads you want to read about.  I really like reading the questions and answers, and I've had so many queries answered that have been floating around in my head for weeks.  I posted a question yesterday, and got five helpful responses right away!  People ask questions that I want to ask, but am too embarrassed to.  I feel comfortable putting in my two cents' worth, too.  Participating in the Forums is addicting!

Well, time to wrangle Rampaige and Helliam into bed!  Good night, readers!