Trying something different

Selling your jewelry designs online can be much more difficult than one might think. It's very difficult to convey all the qualities of your design in photographs ... especially if you're not a skilled photographer! It's a challenge to make people comfortable enough with what they see online, to go ahead and make the purchase. So many people who have looked at my jewelry online tell me, "Your jewelry is beautiful online, but it's GORGEOUS in person! You can't pass them up once you've seen them!". While it's very complimentary, it's also frustrating. What's the magic formula, to make my specific jewelry style work online??!!

I have always known that I want to convey the style & feel of my jewelry in the photos I post online. I've been using a natural wood for my background since opening my shop, as it gives a touch of the "Coldwater Creek, JJill, Chico's, Silpada" style that I've always loved. I think my designs have a touch of this style, and so I felt the background was well-suited for presenting and conveying my pieces. While fans of my designs tell me they like the presentation, I still have been dissatisfied with the blandness and lack of color and crispness, in my photos. It was just missing something. While I was very appreciative of a very successful holiday sales season overall, I couldn't help but have the feeling that people struggled with knowing whether my jewelry was "very nice", or "nice enough" from my online photos. I started designing jewelry from a budget-friendly perspective, and am still at the point in my career where I need to sell, sell, sell! So the price doesn't always indicate the quality.

I've been searching and searching to find what it is my photos have been missing; what it might take to "upgrade" them, to more appropriately convey the quality of my designs. I think I've come to the conclusion that the wood must go, and something that provides a little more sophistication, without being too stark or shiny, must replace it. 

I had just finished a few new pieces of jewelry that I love, love, love! Not only are they TOTALLY "me" ... but they're crafted with unique, artisan, quality elements. After packaging and shipping the designs I was sending with my lampwork glass artist friend to this weekend's show, I turned to the new earrings and necklace and decided now was the time to try the change. So this is what I've come up with. I like that it's still neutral, but has a bit of warmth - like my designs - but is not too distracting. I like the stones, and that I could use other items as subtle hints of the feel or theme of the piece, without distracting or vastly changing the look of my photos, keeping them cohesive. I think the photos in this setting give the designs some prominence, and set them apart a bit ... letting you know they're special, and [hopefully] conveying handcrafted, artisan quality. 

... but I'm not sure ... !!!

I thought I'd try these and let them "sit" for a while. Feel free to let me know what you think, if you have an opinion! You're welcome to leave a comment, or email me at: MyHappyThingsHi@aol.com

So glad you stopped by, thank you very much!