emiko-o reware

emiko’s Top 5 Tips for Getting Your Business Out There!

Tip 1: Professional Quality Photography

This is THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP for getting exposure for your business, if you are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, focus on getting professional photography of your work. Less than professional photos will not bode well on how you as an artist are perceived by the industry/editors/curators. First impressions are everything so why not wow people’s socks off from the get go!

If you aren’t a skilled photographer (yet), best to hire a professional studio photographer and ask if you can observe the shoot. Some won’t mind if you quietly look on while they shoot your pieces, but it’s best to ask.  Do your homework before your appointment and look at magazines and books for the type of shots that you are attracted to and bring these to the attention of your photographer so they know how to style your shots. Also, if you have strong ideas for the composition of your shots or how the pieces should be oriented in the shots, do some quick mockup drawings or quickie photos to give to your photographer. ALWAYS GIVE PHOTO CREDIT TO YOUR PHOTOGRAPHERS for images that you use, for print and web.

Lark Books (Sterling Publishing) and their 500 series is a great place to start looking at photos. Just released this week is their “greatest hits” of the 500 series books, titled, 21st Century Jewelry: The Best of the 500 Series. I was one of the jurors for this compilation and you can read my quotes and see my work in this hardbound, gorgeous publication. Available now on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

photo by emiko

If you want to take your own photos, make sure you are using a camera that is not a point-and-shoot (or your smartphone), but more on the professional level. There are camera stores that will rent cameras, lenses and lighting by the day, and this a great way to test out equiptment before investing in your own. As I started taking more photos with work on a model, I needed a lens other than my usual 90mm macro, so I rented a great portrait lens (24-105mm) for a few shoots at $30 a day, which is a deal compared to how much it costs to buy that lens new ($1100). Now I own that lens, but it was worth it to test it out before making such a big investment. Make sure to use a TRIPOD so that your photos are as crystal clear as possible. You don’t need a fancy set-up or even lights; for years I shot in the bathroom over the tub using natural light since it was a diffused white and perfect for what I was shooting. Check out my current set up in my living room:

Shoot TONS of photos, more than you think you need. And shoot in RAW mode if possible. Shooting JPGs means that your losing information in your files as they are compressed.

After shooting your photos you will need to be well-versed in photo editing software like Photoshop. Taking a class at a community college is great for keeping up with the latest versions of software. Fortunately, software is getting easier to use, and what used to take an hour to digitally correct, can now be done in a few steps with programs like Adobe’s Lightroom and Camera Raw photo editors. Online tutorials like lynda.com are super informative, especially if you have specific tasks or tools you want to focus on learning. You will need to understand how to create files from your master image for print and web for magazine/book publishing, for juried show applications, and for online viewing.

One interesting thing I’ve noticed over the last few years is that editors are drawn to images of jewelry on models, rather than just jewelry by itself, even if the jewelry is not the focus of the image. Model shots tell a story, give a human element, plus add a reference to scale of the work in relation to the body. Much more editorial and eye-catching to grab a reader’s attention. I suggest shooting both the work on the model and by itself so you have options for different scenarios (online shopping sites vs. jewelry book vs. fashion blog). Practice really does make perfect, the more you shoot, the better trained your eye will be! Last, but not least, experiment and have fun!

Read more about Professional Quality Photography on this week’s ASK HARRIETE blog.

photo by emiko

photo by Aura O'Brien Photography

photo by Aryn Shelander

Well, well, I’ve been a bit slow on the uptake for jumping into the new year; all that sleep during Christmas and New Years is quite addictive and hard to give up so quickly. How did a month go by already (answer: many rainy nights cozy in bed ravishing the Twilight series….)?! Time to get back on the art train before laziness slips in. So many shows this past fall/winter, I’ve missed a few in these posts; catch-up time.

So, one of the most recent exhibitions happening now is Transmutations: Material Reborn at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (image above is from HCCC website). Curated by Susan Sloan, the artists were selected from the book she juried, 500 Plastic Jewelry Designs which was published this past fall by Lark Books. Lovely book and I only wish I could see the show in Houston. Luckily many other metalsmiths will get the chance to see it during the SNAG “going to Extremes” conference in March.

UPDATE:  the Houston Press posted this on Feb 5, 2010

eventful houston Transmutations

In the meantime, I’m enjoying seeing my LEGO necklaces images used as PR for the show. Too bad the red and white Cartier Blanc is not in the show after all (it sold during Sienna Gallery’s show So Fake They’ll Think It’s Real).

HCCC website

Here is the blurb about the show from HCCC’s site:
“Curated by celebrated jeweler, Susan Sloan, TRANSMUTATIONS:  Material Reborn showcases 28 international jewelry artists who transform materials, such as resin, latex, rubber, vinyl, and thermoplastics, into outrageous jewelry and wearable art.  The exhibition includes pieces meant for everyday adornment as well as those that make a larger-than-life statement—some of which are created in combination with more conventional materials, such as gold, silver, pearls, and gemstones.  Stop by the Artist Hall at HCCC to see this stunning array of wearables made from plastic Lego toy parts, precious materials, and found objects!”

Modern Luxury Houston

September must be The Hot Month for me artistically; not only am I creating a ton of exhibition pieces, but I am published in 3 new releases! Finally got my  Art Jewelry Today 2 comp book from Schiffer Publishing (see earlier post). Gorgeous spread of Lionize II and the glass Craft Tiara (the latter of which has been traveling around the world with the GlassWear exhibition ). The 3-page spread is too large to scan! They even printed my bio and individual artist statements.

Yesterday I got notice that my work is published in a U.K. publication titled, Adorn: New Jewellery, by Amanda Mansell, Laurence King Publishers.  Mostly European jewelers it looks like. Can’t wait to get that from ol’ Amazon.com….

And the cherry on top goes to the long awaited The Art of Jewelry: Plastic & Resin by Debra Adelson, Lark Books which arrived at my door last night.

Check this out: inside flap coverage, folks!!!

This is a how-to projects book, and my project is the Riveted brooch (which moonlights as my nametag at various events). Lark books are really improving their graphic design; more sophisticated layouts and superb photography. LOVE IT!