Beginning to Blog: Week 1 - Setting up a Home Photo Studio

Before: This is an image taken without a photo studio. Basically, I am holding a small lamp between my legs as I hover above my subject and snap the photo. :) Don't laugh.

After: This is an image taken with my first attempt at a photo studio. Cute, eh? It looks a lot better, however I still think it needs work - suggestions, please.

I am learning. Blogging requires a lot of effort and a diverse set of skills. There, I said it. To have a professional looking blog (in my opinion) I need to know how to write, how to create a web site, how to make the web site look good, how to promote my blog, and how to take good photographs. I am at the very beginning stages of my blog. Some professional bloggers suggest taking time to get all of these steps down pat before publishing a blog, but I am impatient. I want to blog now. I have decided to blog about all the steps I take to teach myself the techniques I need to make my blog a success.

The first step I will tackle is to get my photographs to look pretty. I do not know much about photography. I have a decent camera. I have been told I have a good eye for composition. I need to know how to create the images I want. Apparently, it is all about lighting and to get good lighting takes a photo studio. I plan to learn more about my camera and I am kind of working on that at the same time. I will document them both. But first, let's talk about how to set up a home photo studio for good lighting.

Problem: No natural light. The enviable bloggers who are kind enough to offer advice on how to create a home studio often like to use natural light to capture their fabulous images. Unfortunately, I work full-time outside of the home and I do not have much daylight during the week. 

Solution: Create a Home Photo Studio with Tripod Lights. I am combining suggestions from research on the web to create a home photo studio. It is still very much a work in progress.

Tools:

I spent about $40 at Home Depot on the following tools:

• 2 tripod lights (do yourself a favor and buy the ones actually on a tripod)
• White backdrop (Use a cheap white sheet. You have to iron it, do not whine about it like I did)
• Aluminum Foil
• Cardboard
• 2 Spring Clamps

Steps:

• Place the tripod lights above the subject and point them down onto the subject creating minimal shadows. 
• Move the subject around to get the best lighting. 
• Use the aluminum foil to bounce the light back onto the image. 

The result is a crisp, bright image.

For great lighting and DIY studio information, check out the tutorials on these two sites:

Handmadeology

and

ClickinMoms

Verdict:

I think I can do better. Next, I will make a light box to compare. I came across some nice tutorials that are inexpensive, easy and seem to give the result I am seeking.

Stay tuned for more experiments: Creating a Light Box, Camera settings, Fluorescent Lighting, Natural Lighting, Butcher Paper, Tracing Paper. 

How to Remove Tarnish from Silver with No Chemicals!

Before and After

It is so easy to remove tarnish from silver jewelry without harsh chemicals,and it is fun! Who knew? All you need are a few simple household ingredients and a little bit of time and your tarnished jewelry will look like new.

Household Items  (Notice my cat's tail in the upper left). 

Household Items:

• Baking Soda
• Washcloth
• Old Toothbrush
• Iodized Salt
• Aluminum Foil
• Water
• Bowl
• Cat's Tail (optional) - :)

Steps:

There are two methods you can try and both work, however method one with baking soda is my favorite.

Method One - Baking Soda:

1. Scoop a couple tablespoons of baking soda onto a washcloth.
2. Pour a little bit of water onto the baking soda to make a paste. 
3. Place your tarnished piece of jewelry onto the baking soda paste. 
4. Use the paste and cloth to rub the tarnish off the jewelry. 
5. Repeat until all the tarnish is removed. 
6. Use and old toothbrush with the baking soda paste for hard to reach spots. 

Method Two - Water, Salt, and Aluminum Foil:

1. Place small piece (about 5 inches) of aluminum foil into the bottom of a bowl.
2. Pour about 2 tablespoons of salt on top of the aluminum foil.
3. Pour water over the salt and aluminum foil to cover it. 
4. Place the jewelry in the bowl.
5. Let stand for an hour. 
6. A chemical reaction between the ingredients will cause the tarnish to dissolve. 

Make your man take you out so you can wear your new shiny jewelry!

I HEART Myself

I am digging the necklaces I keep seeing on Pinterest that are words written with wire such as "love"and "ohm". Every time I see one I say to myself, "I need to make that!" So, I am getting off my butt and making one. If it was not for this blog I would still be scrolling through Pinterest envious of all the things others are doing while I sit on my ass admiring those things and drinking wine.

I already have the gear.

Gear:

• 26 Gauge Copper Wire
• 18 '' Sterling Silver Chain Link
• Sterling Silver Clasp
• Sterling Silver Jump Rings
• Wire Cutters
• Needle-Nose Pliers
• Round-Nose Pliers
• Hammer
• Block
• Measuring Tape
• YouTube Iron and Wine's Flightless Bird, American Mouth - my nice made me watch Twighlight Breaking Dawn this past weekend. :)

Choose a Word:

The word I am using for my necklace is "heart". The reason I have chosen "heart" is because my intent for the winter season is to follow my heart, hence the title of this post, "I HEART Myself". You will need to pick a word to represent yourself. I like to think of Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love when she finds her word - "Attraversiamo" - meaning "Let's cross over" in Italian. Beware, you may want to choose a word with fewer letters or the necklace will spread from shoulder to shoulder. I like dainty jewelry and the word "heart" is a bit large to me, but I am sticking with it because I need a constant reminder to follow my heart. I intend to find myself this winter - like Iron and Wine and Liz Gilbert. I better not make my spring intent "responsibility" or "compassion" or I will end up looking like the New Age Flava-Flav!

How to Write Your Word Using Wire:

Bending wire to create a word is not as easy as it looks - for me anyway. Here are some tutorials I have followed to help me figure it out. It has taken me several tries to get to a point where I am satisfied with the result. Some of the examples are very beautiful and I think with practice are attainable.

Video:



On Paper:

1. Write down the word in cursive on a piece of paper to create a template.
2. Begin shaping the wire over the word you have written down.
3. Bend the wire with your fingers or with your pliers.
4. Tape the beginning end of the wire to the paper if you want to hold it in place.
5. Feel free to pick up the wire and bend it if it is not co-operating. Do not be afraid to man-handle it to get it to do what you want!
6. When the word is complete, harden the wire.

• 
  

How to Construct the Necklace:

1. Measure your sterling silver chain link and cut it in half with the wire cutters.
2. Add a jump ring to both ends of one of the chain links.
3. Repeat step 2 on the other chain link.
4. Connect a jump ring on one of the chain links to the "h" in the word heart.
5. Connect a jump ring on the other chain link to the "t" in the word heart.
6. Connect the clasp to one of the remaining jump rings.
7. Make sure that the way you attach the clasp will allow you to easily put on the necklace.

Yay! I HEART my new necklace!