Instagram is one of the best social media platforms to show off your photography skills. It’s also a valuable tool for promoting your business, so why not combine them?
Crochet is such a fun and beautiful art form, but taking photos of the projects can be challenging. I also love photography, and one thing that always held me back—before I became a master—was understanding the technical strategies involved. So I’m going to bless you with this short guide on how to stage photos of your crochet projects on Instagram.
Soft, Indirect Lighting
Guys, don’t underestimate the power of lighting. So often, we subconsciously use harsh lighting on our projects because we want to “spotlight” the intricate designs. But that’s a big no-no! I used to do this a lot, and it made my work look pretty bad. Harsh lighting can cast dark shadows in awkward places or wash out your item entirely.
When it comes to crochet, you want to use natural lighting to show off your designs—that way, they’re more Insta-worthy. You might consider taking the photos outside to let the sunshine in just the right places to really make those designs pop.
Use Editing Skills
Editing. Is. Everything. I’m a firm believer in no-filter selfies, but that goes out the window when it comes to crochet and creating attractive photos of my projects.
Editing the photos after your session can really make the lighting or colors stand out. The best part? You can use free editing apps like Colorcinch, Canva, Snapseed, and more!
Include Different Props
When people look at photos on Instagram, they want to see “lifestyle” pictures of products—they want to imagine how they’ll use the items in their own lives.
For example, I love placing a warm glass of tea and some extra crochet material next to my projects as a makeshift “backdrop” when taking my crochet photos. Creating different crochet ideas that emulate “warmth” and “relaxation” is a great way to make your photos more appealing.
When you understand the fundamentals that go into staging photos of your crochet projects on Instagram, that’s when you begin to shine as a crochet artist and photographer!
Dianne Pajo is a writer based out of the Chicagoland area with a passion for music, combat sports, and animals. She enjoys competing in amateur boxing and kickboxing, but in her other leisure time, you can find her performing music around the city. She is also a dog mom of 2.
