To celebrate the release of Panasonic’s new range of next-generation digital 4K Wildlife & Sports Cameras (perfect for travel, blogging, and making memories) I thought I’d take a second to share a list of affordable prop ideas to help add more depth and even a pop of colour to your blog photos.
I’m under no illusion that my photography game still needs a hell of a lot of work but there’s no question it’s improved dramatically. I mean, check out this washed-out blurry mess from back in 2014 (here). Ouch. Sometimes I am lucky enough to receive a PR sample that’s so beautifully packaged that next to no effort is needed to ‘dress up’ my photos, but others require a little help to look more aesthetically pleasing.
Panasonic understands that photography is a huge part of a bloggers job and an incredibly challenging one at that. Having a collection of inexpensive props at hand is a great way to brighten up and add character to your photos without breaking the bank. It’s all about your personal style. I personally love pops of colour from an array of carefully placed clutter, however, some prefer the stripped down minimalistic approach. My top tip in a world of ‘how to’ posts currently flooding Twitter is just simply; you do you. There is NO wrong way to create and maintain a blog. Don’t sacrifice your own personal style to fit in with the latest blogging trend.
Here’s a list of what may appear to be random junk that may actually come in handy, especially if you have only 20 minutes of decent lightening to get as many photos as possible…
Blu-Tack – Finding the best light in my house is a nightmare. I often have to prop a small coffee table on top of a chair in order to benefit from the light in my little girl’s room. When I need to take a flatlay of lipstick, eyeliners and other uncooperative products that love to roll out of shot, Blu-Tack is a lifesaver! Wire hair clips come in handy too.
Paper & Gift Wrap – Buying a roll of pretty gift wrap from Paperchase or a pack of multi-coloured paper from Amazon is an affordable way to create a backdrop for your photos. You can also cut them up to make cute confetti. Packaging like shredded paper may also come in handy. If you’re wanting to invest in something more permanent and durable, PhotoBoard.org also comes highly recommended. You could even use wallpaper and flooring samples.
Books & Magazines – My favourites to use are Blogosphere and Oh Comely. They both have beautiful photography and artwork inside and are a great way to break up a boring plain background and create more depth
Fabric – Using different textiles is a good way to add texture to your photos. I especially like doing this in Autumn with knitted jumpers, tartan scarfs and fluffy blankets.
Makeup & Brushes – I often dot around brightly coloured pans of eyeshadow, makeup brushes (you will be seeing my new Spectrum Collection set a lot!) and my favourite rose gold Charlotte Tilbury lippies in beauty-related shots. Although I try to do it in a way that doesn’t overshadow the main focus of the post. Same goes for nail polishes and perfume bottles.
Ribbon & Buttons – I picked up a few reels of ribbon and packs of buttons from Amazon recently to brighten up my photos and I think it works really nicely. They are also perfect for more lifestyle themed posts. Any nice stationary like notebooks, washi tape and stickers are good to keep too.
Seasonal accessories – I like to keep a box of little knick-knacks from different seasons such as sunglasses and novelty straws to use at Summer, acorns and candles for Autumn and Christmas decorations.
Tiny Dishes, Trays, Wire Baskets & Home Accessories – Primark Home is my favourite place to find blog props, as well as ASDA, H&M, Paperchase and HomeSense. If you’re feeling spendy, online stores such as Oliver Bonas, Penny Rose and Habitat also sell lovely bits and bobs. Artificial (or real) flowers, tealights and pretty plates always come in handy.
Post Cards & Art Work – I have a small collection of postcards and artwork with adorable illustrations and quotes that I use regularly. I’ve received some free in Latest in Beauty boxes, picked some in paperchase and bought others on Etsy, just be sure to give the artist some credit and a shoutout; it’s nice to be nice. For example, Dorkface, Pastel Elixir and TreatBox have some beautiful designs available.
I think I’ve covered about everything that was crammed into my blogging drawer but really, the possibilities are endless. I hope this has provided you with some inspiration if it was needed. If you have any other ideas, tips or websites that you use please share them down below in the comments section.
Don’t forget to check out Panasonic’s next-generation digital cameras with up to 30k optical zoom, 4K photo and video all in a sleek compact design here.
*This is a sponsored post.
