Adding Product Photos to Your Website

There is a brand new knitting book called 10 Secrets of the Laidback Knitters, written by Vicki Stiefel and Lisz Souza. It is an excellent book for inspiration, and a great place to learn more about the joys of knitting with fiber fresh from the farm.


I would highly recommend it for the beginning and experienced knitter alike.

One of the subjects the authors talk about is how to photograph knitting, which can be quite difficult. It is hard to get the colors right. To make the yarn pop. To not wash out a black yarn while trying to show detail.

Suggestions offered were to take your yarn or finished item outdoors and use natural light. Early morning or late afternoon are the best times, when the light isn't so harsh. Avoid using your camera's flash.

Lee Ann King from Midwest Fiber Company did just that recently when her fall mums were in full bloom. Tobie, Lee Ann's faithful companion, got into the photography session and adds a nice personal touch to the shot of her top-of-the-line, hand-dyed llama and alpaca yarn. Lee Ann is currently working on new colorways for 2012 that are sure to be stunning.

Stiefel and Souza suggest looking around your home or fields for a simple background, something natural. Rocks, grass, a wood floor or even snow are great backgrounds.

If your camera is equipped with a maco setting, use it to get stitch definition or to show the texture of unspun fiber or skeined yarn.

The Network will soon offer a class in basic photography for knitters and fiber farmers, along with a more advanced class in product photography. Both classes will be taught by Sarah Karr of Roving Acres Farm and will be free for Fiber Network members and $10 each for non-members. Details will follow shortly.