Sunday Prop Shop

Remember I mentioned I had this idea?

Well, hooray! An excuse to buy more bargains to use in beautiful blog posts!

It has been so lovely getting kind comments on my photography styling and as I am inspired by lots of others – I thought a fortnightly link up of all our creative ideas would be helpful!

The world is full of inspiration. I love magazines, Pinterest, photographers, other bloggers, foodie sites, books, and often an idea will come into my mind whilst I am rummaging in the charity shops. I will save my favourite sources of inspiration for another day.

I believe your blog photography should tell a story. Draw your reader in and make them want to tune in tomorrow in case you post something as lovely and engaging. 

I use props in almost all my photos. I think they add depth, texture, interest and sometimes mystery.

Great blog photos are not necessarily about a great camera. Composition, lighting, imagination and effort are all just as, if not more, important. 

Over the coming months I am going to post to #SundayPropShop a whole host of different articles. Some behind the scenes shots (like this one below – urgh so dark and dingy at tea time light – of a post I recently published, Mini Piñata Cakes), how I edited those photos to make the finished photograph, as well as people who inspire me and props I have discovered that fortnight. 

Props are all around you. My favourites to complement a blog post are flowers, greenery (I have some succulents to share next time), hands (queue the badge photo), bric-a-brac, papers, stationery and, most often, using some of the ingredients or materials I have used in a food or craft post.

On the first day of school Sammy held a sweet chalkboard with the memorable occasion on the front. It took a nice photo to a heart warming photo with a story. Even though it was obvious that it was a "first day of school" photo, the simple chalkboard adds history. I will take exactly the same photo on his last day!

You don't have to be a food blogger to use props. Craft and DIY posts can be made more appealing by leaving some of the excess materials left in shot, and family photos can be enhanced with a prop or two. One of my closest blog pals Katie shares my love of props, and recently posted some adorable pictures of her daughters in a tin bath! 

I would love to see how you style your photos or give you inspiration to try something new. It doesn't matter whether you blog about food, crafts, family, or anything else for that matter – I want to see your photo ideas!

I have amassed quite a collection of bits and bobs. Some I've had for donkeys' years and some I can't resist on a weekly basis. We have an amazing set of charity shops in Weston. Here is a peek into my cupboard on the patio and a few of my mis-matched glasses that live in the dining room. The linens you can see in the first shot are actually in the living room on the makeshift apple crate storage unit! They hold all my photo albums.

I keep most of my bits for food and drink posts in here as well as my DIY backdrops. The majority of these bits will stay outside all winter and I use them every week in normal life – this is not just a shrine to blog bits I can assure you (but wouldn't that be amazing!) You'll spot a few props that will feature on this blog over the next few months.

It's handy having it all in easy reach as I often take photos on the garden table where I get nice natural, even light. But I will be sharing a few tips of how you create atmospheric and different sorts of lighting indoors, especially as the Autumn weather is on its way! Most of the plates I have bought on average for 20p each and the big tin bath was actually hired out by a wedding stylist recently!

My aim of #SundayPropShop is to bring you a mini workshop online with helpful tips for different types of photography, food, family, newborn, wedding, craft, fashion and beauty. And, of course, share all your brilliant ideas! 

Link up a photo or a blog post – you don't have to be a blogger to link up, you can simply copy the URL in the browser window of a photo you have tweeted or uploaded to Facebook, for example. You can link up a recipe where you used props to enhance the photo, something you did a while ago or something especially for #SundayPropShop. Your props could be something brand new, a second hand bargain, or something from around the house!

Maybe one day we can all meet up and have a real life #SundayPropShop...  

Grab the badge and try to comment on any others linked up – it's always nice to know someone liked your efforts! 

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