Have you ever been scrolling through Instagram, staring at all the beautiful quilty photos and WISHING yours could look as great? Then I have good news! Improving your quilt photography can be learned! It’s a skill that other quilters have worked on, and you can too!
Just like learning any new skill, it will take some time and effort. Let’s look at the top five benefits of improving your quilt photography.
More engagement on social media
There’s no way around it – gorgeous photography is Queen on social media. If you want people to stop scrolling and notice your pictures, the best way to do so is with pretty pictures.
Think about it: how often do you stop to comment, save, or like a darkly-lit, uninspiring photo that you see on IG? I’m guessing not often (unless it’s from one of your close friends or your grandmother who has just set up an account).
But you don’t want the only people that are engaging with your content to be related to you… You want complete strangers to notice your pictures.
Just like you follow your quilty heroes on IG, you are someone else’s quilty hero, just waiting to be seen. Give them something beautiful to look at!
With brightly-lit, colourful, interestingly-composed photos, you’ll be guaranteed to attract the attention of more than just your neighbours.
Increased sales
Y’know what made the Meadowland quilt pattern so popular? First, it’s a beautiful design that is fat-quarter friendly and was made by a lady who has an eye for combining colours.
But more importantly? Meghan did an AMAZING job of showing it off on social media.
I STILL remember seeing this post for the first time and thinking: I am 100% going to make that quilt when the pattern comes out.
Yeah, me and about a million other quilters!! Years later, this pattern is still going strong and I’ve longarmed more of this pattern than any other quilt.
But this would not have happened if Meghan didn’t have beautiful pictures of it on social media.
I cringe to think of all the amazing quilt patterns out there that will never be seen, simply because the designer didn’t take the time to improve their quilt photography.
And this doesn’t only apply to quilt patterns. If you sell ANYTHING online (notions, longarm services, online courses, fabric bundles), you need beautiful photos of your product. Otherwise? People will keep on scrolling.
Document your body of work
Here’s the thing: if you learn to take beautiful pictures of your projects, you’ll be more likely to *actually* photograph your work. And do you know what that means? No more kicking yourself for having spent 79 hours making a project, then gifting it and realizing you have no photographic evidence that it ever existed. I CAN’T be the only one who has experienced this!
It’s also amazing to see how my quilts have evolved over time (as well as my photography skills). Now that I know how to take great photos of my quilts, I’m super grateful to have a PILE of quilty photos on my phone (that make me happy and proud when I look at them).
What can you do with these piles of photos? You can share them on social media or store them for future use (if you one day start a blog, you’ll thank your past self for taking so many photos!) I’ve also seen quilters turn their photos into annual memory books. Imagine having a library documenting your quilting journey? Priceless!
Show off to your family and friends
Of COURSE Auntie Merle wants to see pictures of your latest quilt!!!
But do you ever find yourself sharing a photo and then adding a disclaimer like: “I promise it’s much more stunning in real life!” or “This photo doesn’t quite capture the correct colour in the blocks – the red is actually much deeper than it looks here”??? That’s not only frustrating for you, but also your poor family member.
Imagine if you could learn to take beautiful photos that *accurately* show your quilt off in its best light??
Your family and friends would finally be able to see the TRUE beauty of your creations! You’d be able to show off the fine details in interesting ways (with beautiful lighting!) so that instead of your friends or relatives thinking “oh great, another quilt”, they’ll think “OH GREAT! ANOTHER QUILT!!” when you show them your photos. No disclaimers needed.
Learning a new skill
Aside from the benefits of having oodles of pretty pictures, there are many advantages to learning a new skill.
First, can we talk about the self-esteem bump you get when you try something new, practice, then have success? It’s such a great feeling to be reminded that you’re a capable, competent human who can learn new tricks!
Then there’s the fact that photography is a creative endeavour – kind of like quilting! It uses a certain part of your mind that might not get a lot of use in everyday life. There’s a difference between consuming and CREATING, and I think you know how great the latter feels. If you practice your quilt photography, you’ll be lighting up this part of your brain!
And speaking of your noggin, learning a new skill literally rewires your brain. This will help the overall performance of your brain – kind of like upgrading your Internet access from dial-up to fibre optic!
Learning a new skill will keep you young, engaged, adaptable, and flexible.
Plus, there’s the all-important boost in confidence when you master it. If you can accomplish this task, what ELSE can you do?? I think you can do anything you set your mind to – especially improving your quilt photography skills!
Improve your quilt photography with Beginner Quilt Photography
If you’d like to improve your quilt photography skills, you should check out Beginner Quilt Photography – the online course made just for you!
