Necessity is the mother of invention.

-English proverb

Late last year, I launched my Etsy store–and there is a lot to learn. It isn’t just about putting up products, you have to take pictures. And good ones.

I am working with my Samsung S8’s camera. Now, it takes good photos, but I needed to learn about lighting and composition. I’m still learning, but I realized that I needed a mini studio in order to light and capture my pieces properly.

No one’s buying if your products don’t look good. Point blank, period.

I went searching online and I saw a couple of mini studios or lightboxes. They ranged in price from $20 all the way up to well over $100 and they were of different qualities.

So, this week, while I pondered buying one, I was in the dollar store and I saw a tri-fold display board with a white interior for $1.25. Bells went off–why not try to construct a mini-studio? I bought some white bristol board (2 for $1) and came home to try it out.

The interior tri-fold board was white, but it had a strange striation, I guess from cardboard it’s made from. So, I taped my stark white bristol board up with green painters tape–it doesn’t have much tack, so when I removed it, nothing ripped. I propped a white canvas ($1.25) up with some small boxes to the height that worked for me.

I needed to light the studio, so I pulled out a trusty lamp that I bought from IKEA donkey years ago and lit the whole shebang up.

And voila!

Of course, I’ll have to do some editing and playing with levels, but I’m starting off so much better. I may get another lamp to light the opposite side, but I must say that I’m impressed with my quick, cheap studio.

So, my emerging Etsy counterparts, don’t spend a mint–until you have to. Head over to the local dollar store and hook yourself up!

Now to update the store.