Today I wanted to reveal some of the tips and tricks I use when I style and shoot a party vignette. I love to entertain and have been posting ideas for gatherings for years. In doing so, I have learned a ton. Mostly from trial and error . . . and lots of error. I cringe when I look back at some early posts. But life is all about learning and I want to share what I have learned with you. I get many emails from people just starting their blogs asking how to take photos or how to create pretty scenes. So here we go! And for those of you who are not bloggers, you may pick up some tips and tricks for when you snap photos of your own parties or simple ways to make a big impact with your next gathering.
So we need to be clear about one thing. This is a shoot that is meant to be posted on the blog. It is not the exact setup for when the party or gathering actually happens. With that being said, I do not change much when I do host. As a blogger, you may be asked to collaborate with a company to show a certain product or maybe you created a great cake and you want to showcase it. Or maybe you designed a DIY runner and you want to highlight that. Whatever the case may be, all of these tricks and tips can apply.
ONE | Define your story. My sweet and very talented friend, Lucy, of Craftberry Bush says that every photo should tell a story. I couldn’t agree more. I also feel that each party vignette you create needs a story. What are you hosting? Who is coming? Why are they coming? You want to keep things very very simple, but you need to be intentional. So for this gathering, I imagine having my girlfriends over to watch The Bachelor. Why not, right?! So we need a fun drink and something sweet to eat. It’s on late so no one needs a full spread of food. And because I am pretending to host my girlfriends, some pretty flowers are a must. Once you have defined your story, details fall into place such as needing forks, napkins and plates. You want to create a realistic vignette so your audience can relate to it.
TWO | Buy flowers and food at the store! When you are blogging to give people ideas or showing a sneak peak of an upcoming party, you don’t have time to be cooking from scratch. Find the store nearest you that creates the best cakes, cupcakes, donuts. You name it. I use a local grocery store and every small cake {delicious by the way} costs between $6-9. Not bad. And I don’t have to lift a finger. I scoop up a great looking cake and a bouquet of flowers. And only one bouquet. . . there are tips to making those look better, too. I’ll get to that.
THREE | Fudge on the floral arrangement. Everyone knows that when it comes to arranging flowers, the more flowers the better. However, when you are doing a shoot you want to keep costs down and get the biggest bang for your buck. I even use this trick when entertaining. Always use a vase within a vase. So for this shoot, I wanted to use a short, round vase to rest on the second cake stand. However, one bouquet of roses was not going to fill this vase. So instead, I used a tiny orange juice glass for the roses. That kept them full and close together. I placed a piece of wrapping paper {made to look like wood} around the inside of the larger vase to hide the juice glass. Sometimes I fill the gap with cranberries, candy, or rocks. You can really use anything. And of course if your larger vase isn’t clear you don’t have to add a darn thing!
By using that smaller glass within the larger vase, the flowers appear to fill the entire space as you can see in the photo above. Great way to cut down on costs, too.
FOUR | Employ pattern. You need to create interest in the shoot. If you always are snapping photos of a vignette on a plain table or a solid colored tablecloth, you won’t have enough visual interest. I am sort of obsessed with this gold speckled paper runner from Minted. It is gorgeous in person and has such a nice shimmer. You could make something like this yourself. I often use fabric on my table as well. Bold stripes or a great floral pattern can be really beautiful.
FIVE | Go the extra mile with the details. No, at 11:45 AM when I am shooting this vignette, none of my girlfriends are drinking white wine. But remember the story I have created? They are coming over to enjoy watching The Bachelor with a glass of wine and delicious chocolate cake. So pour the wine for the photos. It adds more life and interest. Empty glasses don’t read the same on camera. I happened to have leftover white wine in the fridge that we opened the last time we entertained {and forgot about} so I was able to use that and then toss it. You can also use colored water or juice. There is always something in the fridge that will work!
SIX | Vary the heights. Always elevate when you can. And try to have three or four levels of height. In this vignette I used two cake stands, a stack of plates, and the wine glasses to create a leveled effect. Do you see that in the photo above? And none of them are the same exact height. Just remember that anything you set down on the table will effect your photo. If this doesn’t come naturally to you, just think of the rule of three. Create three different heights and you will be in great shape.
Here is another shot in which you see the heights are varied. This allows you to see everything as well as fill up the visual field of your photo. The forks in this shot add another level and more interest and dimension.
I marked the various levels in this shot with black bars so you can better see what I am talking about. None of them are at the same level and that helps to create a more interesting and well balanced photo. If I did not have the plates and napkins on the right side of the table, the gap between the tall cake plate and runner would be far too great. There would be too much empty space.
SEVEN | Capture the styling with beautiful photos. This could be a very long post if I went into everything I have learned about photography over the last four years. I am going to try and give you the big tips I used in this shoot. By the way, I shoot with a Cannon DSLR camera in manual mode. I used my 50 mm lens for this shoot and use that lens most often. I think every blogger should have one of these lenses.
Open all doors and windows. I even had the back door open with the garage door up to allow for more light in the house. I was shooting at noon which is not the best time as the sun is directly above my house.Do not have any lights on at all. They change the photo entirely. If possible, always shoot when you have the most indirect natural light pouring in.
Stick to one location. When you find a location in your home that works for photo shoots, use it over and over. Why not. Don’t reinvent the wheel each time. You’ll be better off if you get to know how the light in a certain part of your home effects your photos.
Vary your perspective. The photos above and below were snapped standing on a chair over my table. Think outside the box when shooting to capture a shot that will be interesting. Get down at eye level as well. I often bend down and take shots using my tripod at the level of my table. Shooting down at a 45 degree angle is never a really great perspective.
Don’t stop snapping. I shot 107 photos for this. I spent 15 minutes shooting. I deleted many straight off the camera. I looked at about 83 on my computer to see which 14-15 I would use. If you are going to edit your photos ALWAYS save the original. If a publication comes to you wanting to use a photo, they will want the original.
Take your best photo. So not every blogger agrees with me on this. But I really try hard to edit very little. Yes, I definitely will lighten my photos, play with exposure and maybe sharpen them. But if I do, I do it very subtly. Maybe if I were a better photo editor, I wouldn’t be saying this. But if you snap a photo and immediately love it when you look, chances are it will be one you’ll use. I can take a ton of photos and as I am scrolling through I only end up using the ones that jump out at me because the lighting is spot on and they evoke some type of emotion. That’s the shot you want to use. As an example, the bottom three photos of this post are not edited at all. I only resized them. I wanted you to see that if the lighting is right, you can get a great shot.
Manual Settings | If you are not yet shooting in manual, all of the tips above still apply. There are lots of fantastic posts floating around that explain the triangle. In fact, my girl Carmel has a great post here. If you are shooting in manual and not using a tripod, your shutter speed should be 1/60 or lower. I shoot tight shots with my f-stop at 1.8 or 2.2. This creates the blurry background. For these shots I only played with my ISO as I moved around the table. I kept my ISO {remember the sun was on top of the house} at 600-1000 because I needed more light. If I use a tripod I set my shutter speed to 1/20 and can lower my ISO to 400. If your eyes are glazing over, don’t worry. The more you shoot, the more it becomes second nature. I promise. I am entirely self taught through snapping photos on a daily basis. And I still have a ton to learn.
Editing | If you are already using Photoshop than you won’t need this advice. If you are using PicMonkey my biggest tip is to use the “curves” function in the advanced settings. Moving the line in the curves function in a diagonal direction towards the upper left corner will lighten your photo. Adding a bit of contrast under exposure can also be an easy and effective tool. For many of these photos, the only editing I performed was resizing and lightening them a bit with the curve tool. When I find an extra ten hours in my day, I plan to teach myself Photoshop. Or so I say.
EIGHT | Alter the scene slightly. Don’t keep the scene stagnate. Especially if it’s a party or gathering. Here I cut and served a slice of cake. By moving the wine from the tray and changing the plates a bit, it adds more interest and helps to tell the story. Had there been another human in the house while I was doing this, I may have employed them as well!
I hope that this was helpful to you. I would love to know if you are able to use these tricks to help you style a blog shoot or host a simple and fun gathering. It does not have to be difficult. More than anything, have fun with it. I love nothing more than to turn on great music, style a scene and then spend 15-20 minutes shooting it. I can’t believe I get to spend my days doing this. It’s pure joy. Let me know if these tips help you in the future and if you would like more posts like this. Enjoy your day, all!
Great tips and gorgeous setup. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much. I hope it helped!
Great post and I love all the tips and tricks. I need more posts like this. I am still learning.
Oh, Marty, you're the sweetest. We are all learning every day. I need to teach myself photoshop now!
This was extremely helpful to me. We will be having a small gathering for my daughter's high school graduation this spring and I will definitely be using your ideas. Thank you!
Kathy, that makes me sooo happy! Enjoy every second of the graduation party. What a milestone.
Courtney, even as a non-blogger I found this information very interesting. Loved the tips on varying the heights of items on the table when entertaining. And what a great idea of using a vase inside a vase for flowers! I love that tip.
I'm so happy that it helped, Barbara. Sometimes those things are hard to explain but I am thrilled that you may have picked up a tip or two. Happy Tuesday to you!!!
really great tips! They've got me wanting to get more creative with my shots!
Do it! Do it! It's fun just to set something up and practice. Hope you're having a great week.
Great tips and wonderful photos!
Thank you so much, Deborah. I hope they helped.
These are great tips! Thanks for sharing.
-Erin @ DIY on the Cheap
You're so welcome. I have a lot to learn still! Hope you're having a great week.
Thanks for sharing! You are very creatives. I love taking pictures and even learned from your blog about your compostion in taking picture and photography tips.
Oh, that makes me so happy. It's fun to play around with it, isn't it. Thanks for letting me know the blog has helped.
This has helped me tremendously, you have NO idea! I love your blog and the photos you take! Thank you for sharing your pearls of wisdom with us newbie bloggers!
Nicole @She Does a Bunch
Nicole! That makes me sooo happy. Thank you. I hope you'll share with me what tips you put into practice once you do!
So helpful! It's easy to spot a beautiful photo but harder to determine what makes it's beautiful! Thanks for breaking that down for us!
You are so welcome, Kelly. So happy it helped to break it down.
Thank you! All your posts are so helpful!
Thanks, Maria!
Beautiful Pictures! I am definitely going to use your tip about the vase inside the vase and using only natural light in my photos. Thank you for the great tips.
You're welcome. Oh, good! I use that so often. . . you'll see a big difference!
Such an inspiration! Your eye for detail and passion really shows through your photographs. Thank you for all the advice, lots of food for thought!
What a nice compliment. Thank you, Holly!! Enjoy your week.
Oh my gosh such great information! As a new blogger I have a newfound appreciation for the beautiful photos that accompany each post. I definitely need to step up my game and will for sure reference back to your article. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Tiffany. It all takes a good amount of time but is so much fun, isn't it. Blogging has been such a blessing and I am always surprised how much I keep learning.
This post was incredibly helpful! I would love to read everything you've learned, even if it is a very long post!
Ha! Well brace yourself, than! Thank you for letting me know!
Great tips lady! Thanks for the shout out! You watch The Bachelor in style! 😉 I'm usually in my pj's with no make-up on drinking a cup of hot tea. ha!
Oh, girl. . it was a pretend get together! I'm i pajamas, too! Ha! Thanks for the great photo post to link to!
Wow — so much great info in this post! I learned so much from Lucy's class this Summer, too…and I know I've only skimmed the surface! You're lucky to have such a great spot with perfect light to cut down on your editing time. That's a big unknown in this new house…how and where the light happens, and finding that good spot!!
I wish I could just freeze time and take a few photography classes, too. Not enough time in the day! Fun to see the great spots in the new house.
Hello,
I have not yet translated the article, because I just got it it's only 7am here …).
But the cake caught my eye (although French expression which means it makes me want).
Can we have the recipe?
Thank you and good day.
Oh! I wish I had baked that! I picked it up at the store!!!!
yay! i loved this post! i realized i'm already doing a lot of these things which makes me feel more confident in my little blog. can't wait to try a few new ideas this week when i host a small toddler valentine party! of course i'll be shooting it the day before during optimal sun exposure. 😉
Yes! Shooting it the day before. I once waited and shot a party right before it happened {evening time} and the photos were so dark! You're already a pro! Enjoy the party.
Love the tips! I shoot a lot of recipes and definitely will be incorporating this advice next time I pull out my camera!
I am so glad to hear that, Melissa. Food is not always easy. Always admire those who do recipes often.
Love this shoot – so elegant and dreamy. Can I please come and watch the Bachelor now?
x
Come on over! Cake for everyone!!! xo
This is such a helpful post! I'm a new blogger, and I'm definitely lacking in photography skills. I've just started shooting in manual, so that's an improvement- right? I'm pinning this so I can reference it for my upcoming shoots. Thank you!
Oh, so proud of you for venturing into manual mode! That is fantastic. You'll learn so much so quickly. Try to practice on a vase of flowers or something simple when you have a free hour {do we ever?}.
Couldn't agree more about not reinventing the wheel when you find the right light in your home. Mine happens to be my daughters nursery and I am not complaining one bit!
Yes! I love that it's your daughter's nursery. That's so awesome. Hope you're having a great week!
I am not a blogger (though deep down I think I would like to be one), but these tips were so interesting and helpful. The voice in your writing is always genuine and caring, and I feel inspired to get put my camera again and perhaps invest in one if those 50 mm lenses! Thanks, Courtney!
That is the best compliment ever, Tamara. Thank you so much. I really do hope you pull out that camera. And maybe one day you should start that blog!! xo
I always love reading your blog….and getting a sneak peek into the process with which you post photos, etc is amazing! I keep telling myself that I should blog (different format, more health/fitness oriented), but I really value the beautiful photos you take and the time and effort this all takes :)))
You should blog! It's so much fun! Do it. Do it! Thank you for for the nice comment! I appreciate it so much. It's fun to dig deeper into the process. Hope you're having a great week! If you change your account so it's not a non reply blogger I can email you directly back!
I enjoyed your shots…. and I love chocolate cake. Thanks for the tips
Great tips, and lovely setting. I have limited natural light at my house, so it gets a bit frustrating, but after your inspiring photos and hints, I will keep at it! I just don't get the results in reality that I see in my 'mind's eye'….yet!
Thank you, Courtney. I constantly need to be reminded of photo styling do's and don'ts. I constantly work on my photography skills. This was very helpful!
Can you share where you got the gold polka dot paper you used 🙂 Thanks
Thanks for the tips girl….I just use my iPhoto editing…lazy 🙂 But I agree…more natural light is the best for great shots!
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing this!
The photos are gorgeous! Thanks for the great tips. My sister and I have been doing free-lance natural light portraiture for years, but taking photos for my blog inside my home is a whole different ballgame! I have a lot to learn. I usually shoot in Aperture Priority, but I’m going to start practicing in Manual like you suggested. Thanks again. Beautiful work.
Such a detailed explanation and fantastic tips about creating interest! Lots of textures and levels are the best way to make things interesting. I find it makes it a bit easier to get more shots as well because you can focus on all of those elements individually and fade in and out of details.
Thank you for taking the time to share!
Beautiful photos and thanks for the great tips! I’ll use the vase within a vase tip for sure
these are such great tips! As a new blogger, I am struggling with wanting my pics to be “perfect” but of course they aren’t. I really just need to practice some more and your tips on buying grocery store food & flowers are perfect. Thank you so much!