This giveaway is now Closed
If you're looking for giveaway no.1 (a pretty little pouch) then head over here
This giveaway falls into a different category which I why I have done a separate post for it.
It has a bit of selvedge action going on
A hint of Lu Summers hand screen printed fabric
Some Japanese prints and some hand quilting
So here it is, a cushion or as its called in the States, a pillow
This giveaway is open to international entries and all you have to do to enter is leave me a comment telling me a good photography tip (I think my new years resolution is going to be to work on my photography skills to improve the photos on my blog)
My lovely followers will get an extra chance so leave a separate comment
The winning comment will be drawn randomly and the winner will be notified by email. The cushion will come without an inner to make it easier to post. Good luck and hope to see you back here in the future, now head over to Sew Mama Sew for all of those giveaways!
312 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 1 – 200 of 312 Newer› Newest»oooooooooh that is very pretty !!!!
I shake when taking photo's so i have to take a deep breath in and breath out to steady myself so i don't shake :)
HI! You need a good camera with an on camera flesh, you need to paractice a lot, and to use photoshop! But your photos on the blog are ok!
suzy
and I'm a follower
Cute pillow! My best photography tip (because I am a shocking photographer) is to keep your fingers away from the lens. ;)
Of course I'm a follower. :)
Man... I'm super bad at photography and use my phone to take pictures. So I don't really think I can give you a very useful tip, besides don't use a cell phone's camera.
Love your work.
I always try and take pictures outside, and also to prop the camera on something so it doesn't move. I use picnik to edit photos. Having said that I have a lot to learn..lol! Absolutely adore this cushion!!!
Following!
It's beautiful! I don't take good pictures...poor lighting.
Thanks for a chance to win.
I'm a follower too!
Totally with you on blog photos! Augh...can only use poor light and weather as excuses for so long...I may eventually invest in a better camera, but will it help?
Very cute cover!
I have tons of tips, but mostly for film and not sure how they translate to digital. First of all, do not use the flash on your camera, unless you happen to have a diffuser for it. Use natural light either outside or using a window indoors. And slightly overcase days are better for outdoor shots because the clouds act as a diffuser. Just remember that your camera sees differently than you do. It exaggerates contrasts that your eye may not pick up.
I'm a follower!
Beautiful pillow! Photography tip...set your ISO as low as it will go to avoid grainy photos.
I'm definitely not an expert on photography, as my latest blog post shows! If I don't have a tripod (ie most of the time!) I try to use something steady to lean on such as a gate or wall so that the camera doesn't shake too much.
And I'm following!
Cute pillow. I don't have an photog tips either. My camera is super old and does not take great pictures.
Holly
sunnysky223 @ embarqmail.com
You can use a large sheet of white foam-core (used in picture framing)to help direct light on dreary days. It also stores flat.
I also use adobe photoshop and/or Canon Zoombrowser to trim and/or work with the brightness/contrasts settings.
Can't say I would have any good tips. I like to take milestone pictures of my kids, rather than pay to have someone else do it. My best shots are always outside when it isn't too sunny. And I take a whole lot of pictures so that hopefully a get at least a couple that turn out well. Thanks so much for the chance to win your beautiful cushion!
Another great blog to follow.
I definitely find that it if the light inside isn't good, photos outside always turn out better! Thanks for the chance to win!
I'm a follower. :)
Thanks for the fab giveaway!
The best photography tip I can give you is to use natural light. If not available, lots of diffused light using daylight bulbs. A light box can be your best photo friend.
I´m a follower...
Thanks for giveaway...
kisses
I recently made a "light box" for taking indoor pictures using aluminum foil and wax paper. Works well if it's nice and sunny outside.
That is such a gorgeous pillow -- how generous! I'm still working on my photography as well...looking forward to what your other readers have for tips! My biggest discovery this year has been trying to fix up photos using editing tools in either Flickr or iPhoto -- while you can never truly make up for bad light, you can push a photo a long way!
Beautiful pillow. If find it difficult to photograph larger quilts. But natural lighting, if you can direct it and a good zoom lens work well.
Love the selvage action on that pillow! My photo tip: Find the exact right spot to set up your subject. a plain hardwood floor, a leather chair, a large piece of white beadboard.
My one and only photography trick is take photo's on a plain background in natural light. And learn to use Picknik for the rest. It's all I do and most days my photo's turn out decent enough.
Wonderful cushion!
Lovely pillow! Thanks for participating in the give-away!
My photo tip is to make sure your lens is clean for a sharper picture! :)
wow-beautiful pillow. take photos outside or with natural lighting. i love photos that are not 'set up' and catch people how they are.
mcintoshsusan at hotmail dot com
became a follower a few moments ago!
I'm not a specialist in photography. Sorry I can not give advice! Great giveaway!
A tip from my husband who does most of our photography,have more than one object (or person) in your picture.
I am a new follower.
Your photos are definitely better than mine! So, I shouldn't be the one to give any advice! Love the pillow! arkgina@hotmail.com
Very cute pillow!
Not so good with the photography myself so no advice!
Amy
abcsemartin(at)yahoo(dot)com
My tip is take lots of photos at different angles. I always come up with one that is better than I thought it would be.
I follow you. Thanks for the sweet giveaway!
Love this! My best tip is to use natural light whenever possible. Take photos outside in the afternoon when the light is softer.
I love your pillow! As a viewer, I like it when there are both detail shots and shots of the entire object (which you have done). Sometimes you're left not knowing what the entire thing looks like.
I wish I had some great photography tips! I'll be looking through your comments to pick some up myself!
I don't know much about photography, but I find that in point and shoot cameras, if you turn off your flash and find as bright a spot you can, it turns out better.
Beyond that, I have nothing! Lovely pillow though :-)
playing with the aperture setting is the best tip anyone has ever given me.
My photo tip: pay a pro! :) Beautiful pillow!
Lovely pillow case !
Please count me in !
and I'm now a follower !
Natural lighting might help make the photos pop. I wish I had more tips but I need to work on my photos as well. Good luck!
Turn off the flash and use natural lighting or attach a separate flash and bounce it off the ceiling or a wall behind you (rather than using the little pop-up flash on your camera). Good luck!
This pillow (sorry, statesider here) is absolutely adorable. Thanks for the giveaway. My only photo tip is use a tripod! That makes everything so much stiller.
I do more photographs outside because I don't have great lighting inside. There are some great tutorials out there for light boxes which might be worth some time!
natural light is always best, i think that's the most important thing i've learned. lovely cushion!
I always find the light really hard to get right - but I am planning to make a light box to help - http://www.aspoonfulofsugardesigns.com/2010/08/let-there-be-light.html has a great tutorial (sorry I still can't work out how to insert a hyperlink into a comment!)
So that's my tip - a light box.
hmmm, Make sure that your camera is switched on & not on some random setting like "fireworks". I fail everytime lol
and I am now a follower
Lovely pillow!
I think my best tip is about light too. Avoid built in flashes and use natural light as much as you can. A white back helps a lot when shooting colored stuff.
I've built a very simple lightbox, that way I don't depend on the weather to shoot my photos.
here is a link:
http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent
this is a good site to get some hints too.
Mine,I used a wooden structure instead of a cardboard box. I hope it's a helpful hint :)
Thanks for the giveaway!
oh.. and now i'm a follower too! :)
Very nice pillow!
If you want to take pictures of people, always take another picture after the "official" one. People will relax when they think that the picture taking is over. And always kneel down when you take pictures of children. Cute pillow!
The pillow is lovely! My tip, don't drop the camera, I have broken one or two due to this!
Swoon! That is one lovely cushion! Tip: always use natural light when you can and never center your subject in your lens.
gorgeous! I say always try for natural light. I'm not much of a photographer myself though
White foam board makes a great lightbox!
I'm a new GFC follower- kylie c.
I always like to turn my head the other way and then click the camera -- to get "action" shots of people. Probably not the best photos, but they sure are fun!
My photos are rubbish, but the best tip I have is that even a bad digital can be improved with cropping. Just a small part can be very nice.
I was hoping YOU could give ME some tips!! LOL
I just keep snapping away and hope one of the pictures is a winner!
Justine - rivervujc@comcast.net
My best tip is to Get Closer. Easy when it is a pillow, or something you have made, but kids, too, or other things. Get right up in their faces. I also like to zoom in to help the background blur. You need a good lens to do it properly, but if the background is far away, and you are zoomed in close, you will get clarity in the front and less in the back. Makes your subject of your pictures pop.
The pillow is very cute! I think the best tip is to take photos with natural light outside but in the shade. Morning or late afternoon I find is the best time since the light is not too harsh. Also it helps to use props to keep things interesting.
I like natural light and old weathered boards (our broken-dock dock makes a great backdrop).
I love this pillow, thank you for a wonderful giveaway. I am not very good at taking pictures but natural light seems very important
Hmm, best tip, use a plain background and plenty of even light when photographing things to sell (and perhaps not like the green cutting mat I often use for blog photos as I can't be bothered to get the white background out ;o) ) Great cushion, thanks for the chance to win :o)
I guess play around with different settings like light balance and exposure to get different effects!
I love the pillow!
put the item your taking a photo of in the window where the morning light is coming in!
What an adorable pillow!
My photography tip: before you snap the photo, allow your eye to look at the TOTAL picture in your viewfinder. Too often we are so focused on the focal point, we forget to pay attention to the background!
caribousmom (at) gmail (dot) com
I have a terrible camera--I can't adjust shutter speed or anything else :( My advice--spend the $$and get a good camera!
I'm a point and shoot type of photographer, so I guess my only tip would be that some of my best shots are the least posed!
I'm still not very good at taking nice pictures, but my advice is to crank up the ISO if you have to take pictures indoors. :)
Absolutely gorgeous pillows. My photo tip: It's okay to use a tripod.
oh... I'm not a greg photographer, but my best revelation was to use natural light as much as possible instead of flash...
I'm your follower, thanks for the chance!
I feel your photo pain - I'm not very good. One thing I learned to use on my camera was the 'soft' option on my flash. It doesn't wash out the colours as much. Thanks so much for the give away :)
Sweet little pillow/cushion!
Photography tip: use natural light.
I'm not very good at photography so i'll have to read through some of the other comments to learn some tips myself.
lisa.otis6 at gmail dot com
I'm a new gfc follower.
Lisa Otis
lisa.otis6 at gmail dot com
when phtographing agaisnt the sun use some cardboard (or somethign similar) to screen off the camera lense - make sure it's out of the picture! - that way it is possible without that suddenly all white background
great pillow! I try to take candids at family functions to capture what's going on- a lot don't turn out great, but when you take enough you get some classics!
and I'm now a follower, looking forward to future posts!
My photo tip is the old stand by, try to use diffuse natural light, when ever possible.
Darling!!! I love the hint of selvages too.
Love the pillow. How wonderful to have 2 giveaways! I'm attempting to get better at photography as well, and it seems lighting is everything!!
My best tip is to use natural lighting. Also use nature as a background. It'd neutral and not distracting to the eye, but still provides textural interest.
also a follower!
love your cushion! My photography tip is to keep an eye on what's in the background of your photo - some things can distract from the main object - that's my problem!!
Oh my, what a beautiful pillow cover. Love it! I'm not much of a photography expert, but I do remember one tip that I've used with little kids & that is to get down on the floor/ground level with them instead of always shooting down on them.
I'm a new follower, too!
I need the photography tips myself LOL. But my only advice is get close! Love the pillow and the fabric choices
Beautiful pillow. I think the best photography tip is good lighting. Natural light is best.
stephspitzer at gmail dot com
Natural light is almost always preferable to flash, especially if you don't have one of those fancy removable flashs.
Adorable pillow!
My tip is that if you're using any form of lightning, even if it's supposed to be "natural" spectrum, play around with the white balance on your camera anyway. It's amazing the difference that little setting can have!
I adore that pillow cover - thanks so much for the chance to win it. My tip is to always frame your shot using the thirds rule, so divide the view into thirds and frame your subject on one of the thirds lines - it will make the resulting image more interesting than the subject being square in the middle. Good luck - I love photography!
I`m a follower!
Photographer I am not, but I would say to capture the moments that make you smile, but are not necessarily staged photos. I love black and white and also black and white photos with a color accent. Thank you for the opportunity to win, Merry Christmas.
I think your photos are fine - but I always watch what KIND of light I am shooting under, don't always use a flash...but then you have to open the lens farther, which means holding very still. I use a tripod when I can.
My tip is to take several shots with different flash settings to see what works best. Thanks for the giveaway!
I think your photos look great, but I'm not even close to being good at it..so take it with a grain of salt! LOL!
I'm not a good photographer, but my aprons looked great when pictures were taken outside ... in the wood shed! Lovely items and thanks for the giveaway
I personally like natural light as opposed to flash. So near a window during the day! Thanks for the chance!
I am now following!
My tip would be become good friends with a professional photographer (because I know nothing about photography!) Thanks for the giveaway! robyn(dot)geddes(at)gmail(dot)com
My hint is don't let you hair get in the way of the lens.
What a sweet pillow! I also need to work on my photography skills, so I don't have much to add, but I'd say use natural light and keep a clean background without a lot of distraction. Not that your photos need this advice, it's just what I always think first to myself. ;)
What a gorgeous pillow! I love the colors :) I think the key to good photos is good light most of all... Other than that, it's all little tweaks and experience!
Pretty pillow. Looks good on camera too. I like the details you've showed here. The first pic, showing the detail of a part of your pillow, it's nice. IMHO, it's better to add some more light on it. You can put your object surrounded by something white to make it looks brighter. OR you can add some more effect to make the other part become a bit blurry (macro photography would do, I guess :p). It could create a dramatic effect to your photo, and make sure that the important part of the object looks clear and sharp.
Always use natural light when taking your photos.
Thank you so much for your lovely giveaway!
Use more than one flash, and make sure they have defusers. Thanks!
indirect light is always better than direct light. :)
Photoshop is your friend...
Mary
iammaryburke(at)gmail(dot)com
I'm a follower
Mary
iammaryburke(at)gmail(dot)com
Very pretty!
My tip is to take a lot of photos and see what works best for you. Also...angles. My quilts always seem to look best when I take them from the lower left or right.
Take picture later in the day. The low light level makes everything look better.
Too cute pillow! As for your photos - keep on taking pictures watching whatever you do until you find what looks best. It's like sewing - the more you do the better it becomes. Thanks. KatheGTN at aol dot com
And I am followng - and will see your improvement in photography. Thanks KatheGTN at aol dot com
If you need to zoom in for a shot but don't have a tripod, use a sock filled with rice to rest the camera on.
My pics improved a hundredfold when I started using a better camera...so get the best camera you can :)
Gorgeous pillow!
Since Any picture I take is of my own finger or people without heads I am really the wrong person to ask.How about keep your camera lint free. Love the pillow!
That's a lovely little cushion! Such pretty colors. I'm not great at photography, but I just keep trying until it's good enough. Daylight is the best.
New follower! Thanks for the chance to win!
Natural light is the best.
Cute pillow!
visit stuckincustoms.com. (that's my tip)
my tip is quantity... if you take 1000 pictures, theres bound to be one or 2 good ones!
find a spot in your house with good natural light but remember the light changes at the time of day/year, so if you have some pictures that come out really well make a note of when you took them
I don't have any photography advice except take pictures of people.
sntobsch@msn.com
Go to the art store & buy a big sheet of white paper & use that as a background - works every time!! Good luck with it!
When taking a photo outside, overcast days often are the easiest days as you don't have to worry about placement of the sun light/shadows.
I am a follower of your blog!
If you have to use your built in flash, hold a white piece of paper over it to diffuse it. Especially for close up pictures. It gives it the light in needs without being super harsh.
Thanks so much for the chance to win this wonderful pillow!! Merry Christmas to YOU and yours!
paulette
What a lovely pillow! I enjoyed reading your blog! thanks for the giveaway!
i am a new follower!
Use the Rule of Thirds to help plan the composition of your photograph. Avoid center positioning for dynamic photos. If you plan your composition, you want have to crop it in photoshop.
The pillow is very sweet.
Natural light almost always turns out better than a flash.
You can always use a piece of white foam core to relect flash lighting & make your picture brighter like in a studio. Good luck!
Awesome giveaway!
I don't know if you should be taking photography tips from me - I'm a terrible photographer. But common sense tells me that if you're trying to photograph a puppy, it should probably be sleeping ;)
I am a follower of your lovely blog!
I am a follower :)
barzi10091(at)aol.com
Having good lighting is always key for good photos.
If your camera has a Micro setting, practice with that until you are very comfortable. There is something about those micro shots that just draw me in every time, and it is great when you have detail to show off!
barzi10091(at)aol.com
I'm a follower :)
So so so pretty! And if I win, I will call it a cushion in your honor!
love the pillow!
my best photography tip is to have fun! if the photographer was having a good time it shows!
I wish I had a good photography tip to give but I stink at taking pictures, I think I should be reading your comments on here and maybe I'll learn a few things, lol! Thanks for the chance to win!
okiedokiemama at yahoo dot com
so cute! my tip is to always shoot in manual mode. You will start to get a much better feel for your camera. Thanks!
What a pretty "cushion!". I have no photography tips whatsoever! My photos are pitiful. I only have a point and shoot so I think investing in a nice camera is a must.
i am a follower now as well!
The best photography tip I was given by my father was "make sure there is film in the camera" hahaha.... don't really need to worry so much now.
xo Steph
I'm certainly no expert, but early morning natural light works best for me. Thank you!!
Lots of cool props!
photograph outside. in green grass.
i love this.
imisswaylon@Hotmail.com
following you now.. because you used selvedge.
imisswaylon@Hotmail.com
Good lighting and I really like using the macro function
Lovely pillow! My camera tip: Setting is EVERYTHING! Back up your wonderful crafts with simple and subtle settings with 1 or 2 colors at the most and no complicated textures/patterns. You want the spotlight on your craft -- not the background. It should compliment the item rather than take the attention away. Good luck! I am hoping for a DSLR camera from Santa :)
I am a follower, too :)
I think you should use a good camera. (Sadly I took a photography class in college and that's the best I've got. Lol.)
I'm not the right person to be giving suggestions, because sometimes I leave the lens cap on and wonder why its black !! Hope that's not too basic a suggestion as I would love to win your pillow.
So lovely! I wish I had great suggestions for photography, but I'm not much of a photographer myself. I know natural light is best, but I live in a dark corner of the world and that's just not always possible! I'm thinking about building myself a cheap light box (http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2010/11/how-to-build-light-box-photography.html) because that would definitely help out at least with small projects!
(clumsy.chord(at)gmail.com)
I wish I could give you a tip but I need all the help I can get! Amy @ gasudimack@sbcglobal.net
Natural lighting! It really helps almost any photo be better.
What a lovely pillow. Thank you for providing this give-away.
I am not a great photographer by any means but I have learned that one very important aspect is in the lighting -- must have good lighting.
rosebudscott1(at)yahoo(dot)com
I am reading your comments to pick up some good tips for myself!! Need all the help I can get. I have problems with too much light and reflections.
thanks for your beautiful cushion/pillow!
I am a follower from now on!
Light, light and lots of light. Thank you for the lovely give away chance.
My is try and take them during the day. Better lighting
Follower
Natural light is the best!
I'm a follower!
It's beautiful!
I really don't have much photography knowledge. All I can say is have good natural (but not direct sun) lighting.
Adorable cushion!
My tips is to never delete photos you aren't sure about (aside fro bad focus/lighting/composition) until you've converted them to B&W.
I shoot (almost) exclusively in color but get my best B&W from shots that I don't quite love in color.
I'm a follower!
I don't know any! But it really helps a blog, so good luck!
Ce coussin est si joli! May I play to win this cute pillow ? Merry Christmas from FRANCE.
michelle-rouxel @orange.fr
Your cushion/pillow is wonderful! And its so generous of you to offer two lovely giveaways. Photo tips: if you're using flash, always be at least 4 feet away from your subject. Also, when I am editing my photos (I use iPhoto), I usually "adjust" the "exposure" level, which makes the image lighter and brighter (which is esp. helpful if you've taken an inside shot and/or the light conditions are poor).
I signed on as a follower yesterday, when I ready your first giveaway post and viewed your blog.
my best photography tip would have to be to stress the importance of steady natural light - I always forget about the dappled effect I get from under my big gum tree!
Do not center the photos, use the rule of thirds
http://www.dpreview.com/challenges/Challenge.aspx?ID=1898
I love your pillow and i am so sorry, have no tips for you. I am only a click-clack photo maker!!!!
natural lighting is what i try to use-my pictures turn out best this way :)
My tip is to always use a tripod or something else to steady the camera-- even a tiny bit of handshake blurs the lovely details like stitches. akmajor (at) gmail (dot) com
LOVE the pillow! My hubby edits my photos for me, but I don't loan him out, sorry. lol Vicki avablondie(at)aol (dot) com
I love how you used the fabric seam labels. How gorgeous! My photography tip, not very professional but... here goes. Use natural light and take duplicates. You can always not use the bad ones and keep only the good ones. That way you look like a photography genius!
I love this! I'm not the best photographer but I always try to use natural light if I can...it makes photos look so much better! :)
I am now a follower! Look forward to reading your blog!
Boy, your picture didn't have to holler at me twice to come on over--it just sings to me! I, too, am not a very good photographer but my daughter told me to set up objects in a 'v' shape-does that make sense -and take lots of pictures so it is easier to choose the one you like best.
You now have a new follower--looking forward to exploring!
I guess good lighting is my tip but I strive to make my photos better too!
Love the cushion!
Clunsford at gmail dot com
I think that framing is the most important tip I have. I think that creative and proper framing is what I have found to be most important in photography. I use a simple digital camera and get great shots! I worked on this last year and think I have been getting great shots! Good luck!
I am an excited follower!
I take the best photos when I steady my arms on something - even if it is a tree branch!
beth(dot)sebastian(at)gmail(dot)com
The best photography tip I can give is to learn how to work in different light. Embrace light!! I used to be scared of sunlight and always had people stand in the shadows. My work is so much better now that I have learned to work with light.
(my birthday is Saturday, and this would be such a great birthday present!)
I'm a new follower!
2 photo tips: Always use a tripod when it's possible to and try to use indirect sunlight whenever possible!
pickme(at)efinnegan.com
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