I’m not even gonna try to list off all the possible hobbies that exist, and not all of them will fit inside a SHOTBOX, but I hope this list will inspire you to think about what you enjoy and how you can capture the moments.
If you’ve read Unboxing Your SHOTBOX, you know I’m all about the arts and crafts, so - shocker - that’s the first hobby arena that I’d suggest be digitized. This includes anything from sketches to paintings; to cross-stitched, crocheted, knitted and embroidered projects; and from clay figurines to pottery, woodworking, metalworking, glass-blowing and any other number of artistic projects. This can even include stop motion animation where the SHOTBOX becomes your stage.
Another arena is collectibles. Grandpa’s coin collection, a stamp collection, your own POP collectibles - everyone collects something. I grew up collecting miniature souvenirs on family vacations around the world. I think it goes without saying that I HAVE to get those digitized. Depending on the size and kind of collectibles, many pieces can be placed in the SHOTBOX at once, or be digitized individually. Make it creative by setting the scene to give the image a specific vibe, have your collectibles interact with each other to tell a story.
The last arena I’ll mention is tabletop games and figurines. Generally, these figurines are small enough to be photographed in bunches, perhaps even depicting a scene from your tabletop game. Some people are even creating 3D-printed versions of their characters and/or are personalizing them.
If you visit the Miniac channel on YouTube you’ll find great tutorials on how to paint and take care of your tabletop figurines.
Also, in last month’s newsletter, Christina Moseley Pinckard was nominated SHOTBOX superhero of the month. After her husband’s passing in 2015, leaving her to care for their two sons who have
autism, Christi began a startup company that sells different class dice for tabletop games. This gives her the opportunity to support her boys while being with them. After two long years she had her prototypes in place and needed quality photos that would capture the essence of her products. That’s when she was introduced to SHOTBOX. Support Christi by checking out her website!
Contact Amy, our Chief Experience Officer, at customerservice@shotbox.me or call 800-537-3314 if you know any other outstanding superheroes SHOTBOX should spotlight!
Other articles you may be interested in:
]]>Glare Reduction Tips
TIP #1
The Glare Shields are used primarily for reducing light spots while digitizing photographs and scrapbooks. These can be digitized in their protective album sleeves or taken out and placed inside the SHOTBOX. Keeping the photos and pages inside the album sleeves may cause glare in spite of the use of Glare Shields.
TIP #2
Another glare reduction technique is to place the SideShot Arm in either the far left or front holes on top of the SHOTBOX. Once the lights are on, turn the dimmer switch to the left until the lights inside the SHOTBOX are off while the SideShot Arm remains illuminated.
TIP #3
With smaller than 12x12” album or scrapbook pages, place them to one side and use the toggle switch to turn off the lights directly above the page. Or, the SideShot Arm can be placed in the hole across from the page to accomplish the same purpose.
Additional Tips
TIP #4
Using the SideShot Arm can crisp the colors in photographs.
TIP #5
Use a weight or household object, such as a butter knife, to hold down the curling corners of old photographs.
TIP #6
Place multiple loose photographs inside the SHOTBOX at a time.
TIP #7
Remove the SideShot Arm to avoid shadows cast by loose photographs in the SHOTBOX.
TIP #8
For scrapbook assembly videos, the SideShot can be brought all the way out so that your phone rests on it parallel to the group which offers you a workspace to assemble your scrapbook page.
The 21 Day Family Connections Experiment - a family history community project built by the community for the community - shares 2020 results and reveals new 2021 features.
Results
Two 21-day experiments were held in 2020 - in May and in October. The May event alone saw 5,500 participants from 77 different countries. The website had 86,000 views which lasted on average two minutes, suggesting that people were getting involved with the experiment, and the experiment has more than 3,400 followers on social media.
Surveys are included in the experiment to collect data on its psychological effects. “We have mood improvements when we connect with family more and are deliberate about that, so we want to share that,” says Olivia Jewell, the experiment’s founder.
The following results were pulled from the surveys:
Reveals
More opportunities to contribute
The 21 Day Family Connections Experiment team releases four ‘How To’ videos a month. Community members can suggest ideas or create the videos themselves. These are to last five minutes or less. Individuals can also join the team to create the monthly experiment plans. Contact Camille Mecham, the perspective director, for more information.
The experiment’s social media platforms host multiple monthly events:
Instagram - Instagram takeovers, an activity where the community can share how it’s connecting. Simply tag the experiment in your story so the Family Connections team can reshare it to theirs. Takeovers follow the monthly themes.
Twitter - Twitter Plan Reveal parties are held on the Friday after the 21st of each month at 7PM MT. Individuals can sign up to be co-hosts. Join the party to win prizes, hear about the upcoming months theme, and contribute your own ideas.
Facebook - The Family Connections team posts questions on Facebook for experts to answer. Also daily featured plan prompts, and loads of other fun ways to connect.
Monthly challenges - The team generates their own challenges. Family history challenges from other influencers and individuals can be shared on the experiment’s social media pages as well.
Interviews - Interviews with influencers and experts are also needed shared via Youtube and other social channels.
TIP #1
To get wrinkles out of the faux leather, iron with medium heat either on the back side of the faux leather or with a thin sheet between the iron and the front side. Ensure your iron surface is clean before use.
TIP #2
Dust can be visible on the black backdrop. Wipe it down with a damp soft cloth. Visibility of dust can also be reduced through photo editing on your device.
TIP #3
The backdrops may try to roll up during use. Heavy, small objects such as butter knives and weights can be placed on the faux leather to keep it in place. Or, the end of the backdrops can be tucked under the SHOTBOX.
TIP #4
Once placed in the SHOTBOX, the depth of the back infinity corner can be adjusted by pulling the Backdrop’s lower end out of the front end of the SHOTBOX and inch or two when taking a photo.
TIP #5
The black backdrop can be turned around for use as a fifth, gray canvas backdrop.
TIP #6
The green backdrop can double as a greenscreen for photo and video editing.
TIP #7
Attach Glare Shields and plug in the SideShot Arm to make the black backdrop appear blacker on your device.
TIP #8
Remove Glare Shields, but keep SideShot Arm plugged in to make the white backdrop appear whiter on your device.
]]>
Other posts to check out:
Family Fun Holiday Activities You Don’t Want to Miss Out On!
]]>A USB cord is provided to plug into the SideShot Arm and attach to the Shotbox. LED light strips on the back of the SideShot will turn on with the SHOTBOX, but they will not dim when the dimmer switch is in use.
The SideShot Arm fits comfortably in the holes on top of the SHOTBOX - the middle hole is the one individuals typically use as it provides a full view inside the SHOTBOX.
Below are tips on ways to use the SideShot Arm for best results:
TIP #1
If the device you are using to take your pictures is large, support feet can be lowered on the SideShot to give your device more stability.
TIP #2
To modify the angle of your picture-taking, the SideShot Arm’s hinge can be moved into the desired position. A knob on the SideShot, when turned, loosens the two parts of the Arm so that it can be raised or lowered as another method to find your desired angle.
TIP #3
When taking pictures of objects such as boxes, which have patterns on both the top and the sides, the SideShot Arm can be placed in the back hole. This will prop the Arm up so that it is angled to take an effective picture of both the top and front side of the object.
TIP #4
When you need extra lighting, but don’t particularly need the SideShot Arm to place your device on, it can be put in any of the holes simply for that purpose. Placing it in either the right or left hole can act as shadow control, similar and in addition to the toggle switch.
TIP #5
The SideShot Arm can be laid beside the SHOTBOX, with its LED light strips angling inward, to reduce shadows caused by the SHOTBOX lights.
TIP #6
Using one of the lighting suggestions in TIPS #4 and #5, you can take your device into the SHOTBOX for close-up pictures of small items. It is better to get close to the item you are digitizing rather than to zoom in or crop the picture afterwards as the image would then become pixelated.
Other articles to check out:
Need to Get Closer to Your Pictures?
5 Huge Problems With Your Scrapbooks and What to Do About It
]]>Amy Baty, Chief Experience Officer at SHOTBOX, takes care of customer service and satisfaction as well as customer outreach. She has been with the company a year now while also working at the Lexington Law Firm in credit repair and taking care of her five children with her husband, Jeff.
While reflecting on when SHOTBOX creator Aaron Johnson had first reached out to Amy with the job offer, she says, “From the minute I came over and he showed me a demonstration, I was hooked. I was absolutely thrilled to be a part of the company. I think the vision is fantastic.”
An eye opening introduction
Before being introduced to the SHOTBOX, Amy had never considered family history and its importance before. Communication with her family back east is sparse however, so learning about SHOTBOX instilled in her the desire to create a history now to pass down to her kids and their kids. She has chosen to start by capturing memories of her children through their artwork.
“Anything that they give me, I want to keep forever,” Amy says. “Though, obviously I can’t keep every piece of paper forever, so I take pictures of every project they bring back from school. It’s fantastic.”
Snapping a photo vs capturing a shot
To take a photo you only need to know which button to push, but as Amy points out, simply taking a picture will not necessarily capture the essence of what the object is. She explains that the light never seemed right - or when it came to photos, papers and documents she could never read them on the screen afterwards. Eventually Amy stopped taking pictures of such objects altogether.
But once Amy saw what the SHOTBOX can do, it revamped the way she thinks about the possibility of digitizing. Now, anything she thinks is of any value, goes inside her SHOTBOX so she can pass it on.
“I absolutely love the idea of making digital memories so that we can pass them on to our future generations and keep everything forever, just in case something should happen to the actual memory or heirloom itself,” says Amy.
If you have questions about SHOTBOX and its products,feel free to contact Amy at customerservice@shotbox.me or call 800-537-3314.
Other articles you might be interested in:
6 Quick and Simple Ways to Save Your Children's Artwork
5 Reasons To Do Family History & Document Important Life Moments
Top 10 Photo Editing Tools & Apps to Make Your Pictures Gorgeous
]]>The SHOTBOX and its accessories are currently available in continental America and Canada through the SHOTBOX website and the Michaels store chain. SHOTBOX holds an agreement with American Crafts, who supplies Michaels with SHOTBOX products.
This week American Crafts’ We R Memory Keepers posted on Instagram about the SideShot SHOTBOX accessory - which has since received over 1,220 likes - and was amazingly replied to with a flood of requests to make the SHOTBOX available in other countries, from Europe to South America.
One instagrammer commented: “This ShotBox is absolutely AMAZING! Except, I don’t live in the USA😢 Will this ShotBox be available in Europe soon? I need it 😍”
Growing interest is also coming from Australia, with emails coming into customer service asking: “Is the ShotBox available for purchase in Australia? If not, are there plans for it to be available in Australia? I really hope so!”
Efforts are being made to grow SHOTBOX’s accessibility around the world. Keep your eyes peeled for more news in the future!
Check out these other articles:
-Family Fun Christmas Activities You Don’t Want to Miss Out On!
-5 Lesser Known Tips on How To Become a Top Food Instagrammer
-5 Ways Food Bloggers Can Increase Their Social Media Traffic & The Tools to Help
]]>1. Paper Snowflakes
Who said decorations had to be shiny plastic out of a store-bought box? Get your family together and make paper snowflakes to decorate your home or door-dash decorate for that neighbor you know might be feeling a little alone this year.
Personalize your snowflake with your name. Or for other pattern ideas and an easy tutorial go to EzyCraft’s “Paper snowflake tutorial - learn how to make snowflakes in 5 minutes” on YouTube.
2. Handmade Holiday Cards
Store-bought cards can be pretty nice and funny, but they can also be great inspiration. Handmade gifts often mean the most to the ones receiving them because of the time and effort which goes into making them.
This year, gather up those spare ribbons, colored paper and stickers, and find a great pattern you’d like to emulate to make your own cards. You can visit Shot With SHOTBOX's Cards/Paper page for some ideas and tutorials.
3. Photo Ornaments
Preserving our family history starts with preserving the life we are living, and people tend to do this unknowingly by decorating their tree with photo ornaments. Take some time to sit down with your kids and have each make a photo ornament to commemorate their year.
Common designs are to simply frame them, or make the ornament look like a present or a wreath. To make glass photo ornaments, visit ClutterBug’s YouTube tutorial “DIY: How to make Christmas Photo Ornaments”. You can also follow these instructions to make playing card photo ornaments.
4. Holiday-themed Animation Productions
Let your kids’ creativity go wild with animation and stop-animation mini productions. Perhaps make popsicle nativities and play out the story of Jesus’s birth, or tell Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer’s tale. Check out examples from Shotwithshotbox.com.
5. Holiday Goodies
Cookies, fudge, caramels - this time of year is full of delicious homemade goodies. Digitize your recipes by taking a video of the process using the SideShot Arm and make a festive setup inside the SHOTBOX to take a picture of the finished treats.
Other articles to check out:
]]>Taralyn: How have you seen families thinking outside of the box with their SHOTBOX?
Aaron: It can be used as an ice-breaker at family activities, or an accessory to activities like with cooking - you take pictures and then those family recipes become heritage items.
Taralyn: On your website, I also saw someone mentioned one of their kids was doing stop-animation inside the SHOTBOX. And my cousin has an etsy crochet business so I feel I should get her one for that. How can we use the SHOTBOX to preserve our current memories?
Aaron: We have two SHOTBOX set up in my home. My daughter uses it for her artwork which she is constantly drawing. When she wants a quick photo to send off to her friends on different platforms she just uses a SHOTBOX. My wife uses it to take pictures of food. We also use it for business. If I need a fax, a document in my office, etc. I go to my SHOTBOX.
Taralyn: How has preserving your memories strengthened and helped your own family?
Aaron: I often use the experience of my mom’s journal in 1945. She was 16. She wrote every single day in pencil, so it’s fading. It’s priceless to us. She passed away from colon cancer in 2000. Now, I have nieces who have read that journal, as well as my kids. It has been preserved and uploaded onto FamilySearch so it’s available.
A good friend of mine uses the SHOTBOX to take pictures of his scriptures because he has so many notes and wants his kids to know what he was thinking when he read scripture.
Taralyn: How have you been connecting with your family during 2020?
Aaron: We’ve been really active with our grandkids. They are constantly looking for paper and pens. They throw their drawings all over the table and I gather it all up. So, it kinda goes back to 'don’t miss the moment'. It’s also a time to talk with our family. We spend more time together. My relationship with each and every one of them and my wife has improved.
Taralyn: What else do you think we should know?
Aaron: A saying that I like is “knowledge of the past brings understanding to the present and hope to the future.” Knowing how something happened gives us a perspective that maybe is more forgiving. And knowing what your ancestors went through and how they overcame it does nothing but good for us. They are speaking from the grave and urging us on and I think that is the power of understanding and knowing our past.
Click here to view the entire interview on YouTube!
Check out the following related articles:
]]>TIP #1
Taking a photo of an item inside the SHOTBOX gives a sheen and crispness to the food.
The SideShot Arm lights can be used to enhance these effects.
TIP #2
An appetizing picture does not have to include the whole item. Zoomed-out pictures can be effective but so can close-up shots where part of the image is cropped out. This can give the impression of there being a greater quantity of food or simply help the delicious details of the food be visible in your image.
TIP #3
The focus of your camera can also be on a part of the food instead of the whole. For example, instead of simply taking a picture of a bowl of soup, the focus can be a spoonful of the soup to show the contents better.
TIP #4
When it comes to food, a plain white background can make the food feel like it was made in a lab or simply seem unattractive. Backdrops like the SBPrints along with props and decorations can make it feel like the image was taken either in grandma’s kitchen or a restaurant. The décor can also be used to give the image a seasonal setting or a specific mood.
TIP #5
Placing extra ingredients such as fruits next to the food item being digitized can also lure people to your image.
TIP #6
With simple recipes, all the ingredients can be placed in the SHOTBOX to encourage people to replicate a recipe put on a food blog.
TIP #7
Videos can be taken inside the SHOTBOX of parts of the cooking processes - such as mixing ingredients, final touches and decorating desserts - using the top holes, or SideShot Arm, or both.
Visit shotwithshotbox to view examples of these food blogger tips!
Other articles you may be interested in:
]]>I interviewed SHOTBOX creator, Aaron Johnson, who has long been in the crafts and memory preservation industry starting with scrapbooking. He later co-created Cricut, a versatile cutting machine for home crafters.
His latest invention, the SHOTBOX, may not be a homemade book of memories, or a cutting machine to put the scrapbook together, but it preserves memories nonetheless.
The SHOTBOX's Role in Memory Preservation
The SHOTBOX is a portable light studio designed for smartphones to capture beautiful. professional pictures of anything you can fit in the box - scaled large enough specifically to fit 12" x 12" scrapbooks. This replaces the long and inconvenient process of scanning.
“All the history, all the heritage that’s in the nooks and crannies of our homes, we need to get a record of,” says Aaron. “We start getting the ball rolling, obviously for ourselves but also for those we pass it down to - our children and grandchildren.”
SHOTBOX can digitize documents and photographs, but it can do so much more as well. 3-Dimensional objects, such as heirlooms can also be photographed. In digitizing such objects, you are creating a record of your ancestors’ and your stories to be shared with the entire family. Hence Aaron’s tagline: “Every home, every history, every one.” It’s about every family member.
The Memories Preservation System
Shotbox is the physical tool that leads to the overall goal, which is preserving that digitized information and sharing it with family. Aaron says that services and products will be released in order to achieve that goal. Or if the company does not provide those products, they will partner with those who do.
“The Someday Syndrome”
As for right now, Aaron says the most important aspect is getting started now. This tends to get put off, especially when there is a lot that needs to be digitized. Aaron calls it “the Someday Syndrome.” We plan on getting around to it, but when? With SHOTBOX, months of work are reduced to weeks. Aaron’s mother’s journal that took 5 hours to scan, took one hour to digitize in a SHOTBOX.
The “Someday Syndrome” is very often associated with family history. People tend to get turned off by the terms ‘family history’ and ‘genealogy’ due to their implications of research and data. But scrapbooking, journaling, taking photos...these are all ways to preserve your family history.
Aaron concludes, "Everybody should be into family history, whether it’s called family history or not.” Our families' stories are important. Don't let them get lost and forgotten in a closet.
]]>
Seeing as the quality of an image is better when the distance between the device and object is minimalized...
...you may need your 2D object closer to the camera holes in the top of the box.
Depending on the size of the object, you can place books or shoeboxes below the Reversible Floor Panel to lift your object to get the right distance from your device.
]]>
The package arrived.
Inside, I found a black SHOTBOX case and welcome sheet floating in packing peanuts.
The sheet provided instructions on proper care methods, a link to video demonstrations, customer support and Johnson’s personal contact information.
Beneath the SHOTBOX case was a sleeve of the backdrop SBPrints. My curious self decided to open the 4 outer pockets of the black case first. Their contents were:
-and glare shields.
The largest compartment held, of course, the SHOTBOX,
as well as a reversible floor panel and the instructions.
The setup instructions fit on a page and a half and each step was easy to follow
- only it took me a minute to realize that the Support Legs were laid down next to the base of the SHOTBOX.
Because of my delay, it took me approximately 2 minutes to finish setup.
The instructions explained that the power cord in pocket 1 hooks into the middle port on the back of the SHOTBOX
and the USB cable plugs into the SideShot to power its key lights while the other end of the cable goes into the far left port, next to the power cord.
The glare shields attached below the LED lights on the inside via magnets. Easy to put in, easy to take out.
The third port on the back of the SHOTBOX is for customer convenience as a way for smartphone users to charge their devices while taking their pictures.
Saving “best for last”, I got out the colorful patterned prints and set up my first photoshoot.
I’m a painter who dabbles in wood burning, clay figurines and most recently, cross-stitching. I have a website for my work, but my biggest problem has always been taking pictures of my artwork to post.
I hate picture-taking. It always looks so bad when I take pictures. Give me a paintbrush, charcoal, a wood burner, crotchet hooks,anyart form that I can do with my hands, but a camera?
So, my hope was that SHOTBOX could maybe make my pictures look a little less nasty and I was not disappointed.
I used the holes at the top of the box for pictures of my cross-stitch.
To have the best controlled lighting, I turned off the lights in the room I was working in to remove any cast shadows.
From there, I experimented with backdrops, the toggle switch and the dimmer.
I found that I really liked the grass backdrop with the cross-stitch as that item would be light enough to lay on top of real grass without bending it, so the image looked like it could have been done outside.
The next item I took pictures of was a jewelry box that I had wood burned a castle and key slot into.
The SideShot arm came in very useful here. After trying the other holes on top of the SHOTBOX, I found that the back hole was best for the jewelry box.
It propped the SideShot up so that I saw more of the lid in comparison to the side of the box.
And with the SideShot’s extra light, the subtle colors in the wood grain and in the backdrops were emphasized.
The hardest objects to photograph however, were my miniature clay nativities. I didn’t want patterned backdrops to take away from the swirl pattern in the nativities, so I selected the plain black backdrop. But the white characters looked washed out.
So, I tried the blue backdrop, but then the colored swirls looked dimmer.
It comes back to what is called Simultaneous Contrast. Colors placed side by side will appear lighter or darker than they actually are depending on what color is next to them.
For example, the black backdrop made the white characters look too bright, and the blue backdrop was so vibrant that less vibrant colors looked dim.
Halfway through the experience I also found out that I can change the lighting on my phone screen as well, and its combined use with the Shotbox lights minimized the issues that Simultaneous Contrast created.
A couple other big tips I learned concerned the placement of my camera and simply using glare shields.
The nativities were very small, so the camera should have been closer to them. So, I took the phone off the SideShot, moved the SideShot arm to the side of the SHOTBOX - still shining in - and took my pictures with phone and hands inside the box.
Adjusting the brightness and color contrasts was much easier from that point on.
Disassembling the SHOTBOX was as easy as the setup was,
and I could fit the SBPrints backdrops inside the black case as well. I hope this has been useful for both Johnson and our SHOTBOX users. Get creative and light it right.
]]>The Family Connections Experiment is a 21 day experiment for individuals to engage in daily family history activities to show that there is a connection between family history work and personal wellbeing.
The Experiment held its first live ‘How To’ which centered around the experiment’s sponsors and their products. Each product, of course, focuses on the topic of families and how to capture and preserve our family heirlooms, stories, and cultures.
SHOTBOX
The first sponsor introduced is our own Aaron Johnson with SHOTBOX - the portable light studio designed to capture quality photos using whatever photo-taking device an individual has on them. The SHOTBOX is made specifically to fit items as big as 12x12 scrapbook pages.
This tool has been created to replace the long and complicated hassle of scanning documents and books.
Aaron shares his experience of scanning his mother’s pencil-written journal from 1945 - a process which took him five and a half hours. Taking the pictures with his iPhone 5 inside a SHOTBOX however, only took an hour and the process did not require overextending the journal’s binding. Now the journal is preserved digitally and shared with Aaron’s siblings.
“Memories are in the heirlooms of our lives,” Aaron says. “If we can’t have a more effective way of scanning, collecting, and preserving our family culture and history, it’ll be lost.”
narrativo
India Young, founder of narrativo, presents the company’s purpose to help individuals make video interviews of their relatives’ lives and stories to benefit the entire family.
narrativo delivers the equipment necessary, instructions, and a list of interview questions structured to last 45 minutes to an hour. So, all the customer needs to provide is their phone’s camera and the family member to interview. Once the video has been taken, the footage is sent to narrativo who then fixes up the sound, lighting, edits, and color then returns the finished video to the customer.
“Essentially, it’s a list of interview questions that give a nice overview of a life,” says India. “They are open-ended questions to give the opportunity to tell stories and at the end is my favorite part - the person doing the interview is asked to leave the room so the interviewee has the opportunity to give a message to their posterity.”
Collectionaire
Next is Stanley Kinsey with Collectionaire. This product is similar in setup to FamilySearch, only it is geared towards the current family. The website includes a family tree where stories, photos, and videos can be saved under individuals’ profiles - including joint profiles for couples or entire families.
“You can index everything about a given person or family and know where it is,” says Stanley. “For example, if you took a video with India, you would know exactly where it is, whether it’s assigned to a family or to a person.”
The information is stored in the Cloud and is shareable with guest invitations and viewing or editing privileges. The site also links to FamilySearch.
Goldie May
Richard Miller introduces Goldie May, a browser extension to guide your research on FamilySearch. It gets installed on Chrome as a free plug-in - the company is working towards making this tool available on Safari and Firefox.
This research assistant is designed to narrow down your search results to censi and other collections that are pertinent to the individual being researched. The Goldie May tool creates a task list to simplify the research process. You can add your own tasks to the list as well.
Additionally, Goldie May has a research log to keep track of the sites and documents you’ve visited, and tabs that weren’t useful to your search can be deleted. Any screenshots you take will be kept and saved in your log.
“Your research using Goldie May is saved to the cloud, so if you go to someone else’s house or the library, etc. and you open Goldie May with your password, you get your whole log back, you get the data back that you were working on,” Richard says.
clanview
This tool was created by Shane Clementson as a modern-day solution to the limitations of traditional family trees and fan charts, allowing you to publish online what has been collected about your ancestors. It is designed for family history data to be exported directly from any family history tool, like FamilySearch.
The information is displayed with a 3-Dimensional view to avoid unwieldy printouts and each individual sports the flag of their native country. With clanview, you can navigate through family units and individuals.
Share options are available and suggested edits must first go through the creator of the clanview fan chart before they can be published. Information on living individuals is excluded by default, except for their country’s flag.
“The focus here is on sharing,” Shane says. “It’s not necessarily about doing the research, but about making use of all the family history data that has been gathered.”
The Wrap-up
These tools are here to help find, publish and share family history - all your stories and experiences - with the current family and future generations. This is also one of the goals of the Family Connections Experiment. You can’t share what you don’t know and you can’t always wait for others to share with you. Jump right in and do a Family Connections prompt today and see what you learn!
]]>Article by Aaron Johnson, Owner & Inventor of SHOTBOX
We are one generation away from a massive loss in our collective world history. I write this article to act as a call-to-action in the hopes that it inspires some to engage in solutions to this alarming problem.
The problem that I speak of, specifically, is of all the personal, family and community records, stories, photos, albums and other precious memorabilia that are currently just locked away in boxes, stored on dusty shelves and tucked in the back of closets or attics. These materials are most likely singular in nature, one-offs, and they are at a huge risk of loss, destruction, damage or even just being thrown away. With time, the people who can identify the significant who, what, where, when and why’s of these materials pass on, leaving the memories lost and the materials meaningless.
I personally have over 15 boxes of materials from my own family, my parents and my grandparents. To say that these books, photos and stories are extremely valuable is an understatement at best. In light of the extreme number of natural disasters in our world lately, I am acutely aware of the tragic loss of millions upon millions of essential records that have been destroyed. It is important that we try to do our best to recover what we can, but it is more important that we learn a lesson and take preemptive measures to prevent future loss.
It is time to act. All of us, of every age, can collectively act to preserve, organize and share our portion of available history. The goal could be individual, family, community or larger—it is important in any case. This is why I invented the SHOTBOX. It is a self-contained tabletop light box photo studio that, for all intents and purposes, can act as a digitization tool or scanner. By basically taking photos of photos, we do what a scanner has traditionally done without the need of a computer, monitor or scanner. The SHOTBOX simply needs to be paired with any photo-taking device—even your smart phone!
The key features the SHOTBOX provides are:
Mobility: The SHOTBOX simply collapses so you can sling it over your shoulder and be on your way!
Compatibility: The SHOTBOX can be used with any DSLR, smartphone or digital camera. While it can be used with fancy photography equipment, the SHOTBOX was designed to be used with a smartphone. This adds the benefit of being able to do quick fingertip editing, further eliminating the need for a computer and more in-depth photo editing software. Another added benefit of using a smartphone with the SHOTBOX is that the auto-sync features of most platforms make it extremely easy to backup the photos you take.
Balanced Lighting: Any recent camera plus good lighting can put a scanner to shame when it comes to great visual results.
Size: The SHOTBOX opens the door to oversized scanning like never before. It easily fits a 12x12 scrapbook page that will simply not work on a standard scanner.
Speed: Instead of watching a light bar go back and forth, simply tap the shutter button and move on to the next record.
Versatility: Materials and objects come in all shapes and sizes. The SHOTBOX will accommodate the vast majority of memorabilia you’re trying to preserve.
Objects: Scanners are confined to a 2D playing field, whereas the SHOTBOX is exactly as the name suggests—a box. You can take photos of your objects from the top-down, the front-in or other angles that work best for you. You can dress up the “stage” for your objects with simple, flat-colored backgrounds or textures and realistic prints.
I would hope that, if you’re reading this, you’ll consider taking action toward getting the history in your home contained, digitized and backed up. I highly recommend that you pick up a SHOTBOX to get started.
You can use my personal code of AARON30 at checkout for $30 off the Deluxe Bundle. Tell all of your memory loving friends! It’s time we take control of our history!
]]>There are a surprising number of professions that may require you to know how to make a killer menu. Whether you’re a restaurant owner, chef, kitchen manager, catering cook or freelance graphic designer, it can be important to know how to best present your cuisine options to maximize the customer experience and overall sales.
Here are 4 simple steps for designing the perfect menu:
1. Ease of Use
The first thing is to make sure that the menu-using experience is simple and easy. When viewing your menu, diners should be able to get a general sense of your cuisine style and how it’s priced. They should also be able to narrow down their choices to what they prefer without having to read through the whole menu. Try separating your dishes into logical categories, like “appetizers” and “entrees,” or “chicken dishes” and “beef dishes.” Avoid being too wordy with your descriptions or too busy with the design.
2. Use Psychology
Studies suggest that most customers read menus like a book—left to right. Keep this in mind and try to order information so it makes sense and flows logically. Studies also suggest that consumers are likely to spend more when a menu does not use currency signs. People don’t typically like to think about how much they’re spending, so an unsuspecting “10” is much less alarming than “$10.00.”
3. Keep it On-Brand
You want to make sure your menu makes sense with your style of cuisine. Infuse your menu with your brand by using similar color schemes and fonts as the rest of your branding, but don’t go too far or it will be too overwhelming.
4. Be Picky with Photos
While photos of your dishes can help customers to make an informed order, too much photography can clutter and menu, making it look almost “spammy.” Instead, feature a few big-ticket items that look delicious and sell well. Make sure that these photos are high-quality, too, as poor photography can be a death sentence for your restaurant. It can almost be better to have no photos than unappetizing photos of your food. Dimly lit, out of focus food photography makes dishes look less appetizing, thus leading to less sales of an otherwise delicious dish. Incorporate a few well-lit, crisp, professional-looking photos of your best-selling dishes and watch how those dish sales transform.
You might think you need to hire a professional graphic designer or photographer for this project. While getting a professional’s help can definitely make things easier on you, there are ways to complete your project on your own easily and effectively.
If you’re doing the design on your own, it’s best to keep it simple. The more elements you add, the more likely you’re going to get in over your head and create a cheesy or confusing menu. Try free websites with graphic design tools like Canva.com or BeFunky.com to at least map out the general layout of your desired menu.
If you’re doing the photography on your own, all you really need is a decent camera, a professional light-source and some delicious-looking food. These days, most smart phone cameras take quality images… they’re not best for taking images that need to be blown up for posters or other print ads, but they’ll take clear photos for your menu. With a smartphone and a light box, you should be able to take clear, well-lit and appetizing photos of your food.
You need the SHOTBOX! The SHOTBOX is a tabletop light box that is self-contained and collapsible, making it easy to set up, take down, transport and use. It also has varying options for photo angles—with strategically placed holes in the top of the box, you can take perfect top-down shots. With the SideShot, you can also take front-facing images with additional frontal lighting. All of this means that you can make your dish, stick it in your SHOTBOX, and snap a picture on your phone—all from the comfort of your kitchen! Shop the SHOTBOX here.
Remember the most important rule for creating a menu—inspire desire. Your customer needs to want your food, want to visit your location and want to give you their money. This comes with a simple menu that caters to their psyche, a clear brand and awesome photography. If you keep these things in mind, you can’t go wrong!
]]>Article by Aaron Johnson, Owner & Inventor of SHOTBOX
Just because a picture is worth a thousand words doesn’t necessarily mean those words are good ones. What your blog images say about your blog are the first “words” your reader will see. The impact on the overall tone of your blog is huge, for better or worse. Regardless of the subject of your blog, the photos you use are key to getting your message across—choose poorly and you could turn off potential new readers; choose wisely and you will have your readers coming back to check for more.
Here are 7 crucial tips to making the best photo choices on your blog!
Tip #1: Start With the Image
If you've ever experienced the frustration of writer's block, one possible way to break through is to start with picking your image first. This can give you the inspiration you need to get the ball rolling. Try this if you ever find yourself stumped.
Tip #2: Find Great Images
If you haven't taken your own photos, you may need to venture into the World Wide Web to harvest. Keep in mind that you usually get what you pay for out there. Just googling for your imagery may result in a lot of crappy images to sort through. You've probably noticed that often the better googled images have watermarks to the various stock sites. Going to a specialty site usually always means better quality and selection. I recommend that you subscribe to a good stock photo website, some of which are free or low-cost for decent images. A few recommendations are istockphotos.com (fee-based) and Pixabay.com (free.) Consider the copyright and make sure you only use images that you have rights for.
Tip #3: Make Your Camera Your Best Friend
Keep your camera on you and be on the lookout for photo opportunities. This is easy now that our smartphone cameras are exceptional, turning us all into better photographers. Take advantage of this! Even professional photographers often use this method. Willie Holdman, an incredible outdoor photographer and friend of mine, snaps and posts some iPhone photos alongside those shot with his very nice DSLR. Whatever equipment you’re using, make sure it’s always on you and you’re always looking for inspiration.
Tip #4: Learn Your Camera
Understanding the abilities of your device, whether it be a smart phone, point-and-shoot or full DSLR, can be extremely influential in your finished work. I highly recommend spending some time learning how deep it's built-in technology takes you to a great photo. You can easily find tutorials for any device on YouTube, Udemy and other sites. If you are on an iPhone, I highly recommend heading to iphonephotographyschool.com. This is an excellent site to push all the limits of iOS cameras.
Tip #5: Edit and Enhance
Don't just settle for the default result of your photo—doing some quick optimization or style adjustments might give a decent photo a major upgrade that impacts your readers all the more. Look at any of the built-in editing tools on your camera device as well as the simple photo editors found on iOS or Windows platforms. Definitely explore the deeper abilities of Photoshop, Vivid-Pix and the like. There are also quick and easy websites that do a great job like picmonkey.com or pixlr.com. These have simple but powerful tools and impressive abilities to get that effect you wish to have.
Tip #6: Reach Out
If you need some help with the process you might consider reaching out to the crowd design sites like Fivrr.com. For very little coin you can get a real person tasked with finding or taking just what you need. There are many capable individuals all over the world that can contribute. You might just make a friend along the way!
Tip #7: Get a SHOTBOX
If your photography needs include small to medium-sized objects, you may already have encountered the difficulty of staging, lighting and getting good, easy results. I highly suggest adding a SHOTBOX to your photo tools. The SHOTBOX is a collapsible, self-contained tabletop light box studio. It is easily set up and plugged in to get great object photos anywhere, at any time of day, with whatever camera you have! It was designed to work with smartphones, but is easily used with more specialized equipment. It even has accessories to dress up your surface or background, optional frontal lighting and top-down angle options. It may not be for every photo you need, but it is easily collapsed and stowed away when not needed. Plus, it’s transportable! Shop the SHOTBOX here.
Hopefully, you've gained something from this article that you hadn't considered or known before. I hope that your websites and blogs will be more impactful and memorable to your readers. Happy blogging!
]]>Article by Aaron Johnson, Owner & Inventor of SHOTBOX
I often get asked if the SHOTBOX takes good photos. The issue with this question is that it is misinformed—the SHOTBOX doesn’t actually take any photos at all. Its job is to cast good, balanced light so that another device—a camera or smartphone—can take the photo. Because of the SHOTBOX lighting, the result is superior to trying to take the shot with poor lighting.
However, there are basically four key components in good photography. These essential elements are lighting, hardware, software and user.
Lighting
Light is the hardest component to fudge. Ask any professional photographer and I’m sure they’ll agree—correct light is critical to the desired result.
Hardware
This is another way of saying “camera,” or “photo taking device.” Whether you’re using a DSLR, digital point-and-shoot or even a smart phone, having some method of capturing your shot is pretty obviously important. While DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras are still the staple for professional and amateur photographers alike, smartphone manufacturers seem to be gunning for a full-spectrum camera market. Regardless of what you choose to shoot with, quality hardware is a key component to quality results.
Software
The software of your “picture taking device” carries its own importance in this process. On a smart phone, this software is encapsulated in the camera app. There are additional apps available; so many, in fact, that it can be hard to know what will be best. The default onboard cameras are generally good, though I also recommend apps such as Camera+ or Afterlens. You can do a considerable amount of correction and adjustment with these softwares before you even push the shutter button. Oftentimes you can adjust focus, balance, intensity and contrast.
Software is also found on digital and DSLR cameras within the auto-modes and manual settings. It is all controlled by buttons and switches and occasionally even touch screens, but it ultimately all controls an internal software. This internal software is specifically designed to provide more control over the desired photo results.
You can also consider editing applications like Photoshop another essential type of software. You can find online programs like Picmonkey and Canva. There are also basic editing tools found on most computer operating systems. All of these typically allow for cropping and some minor editing to more closely achieve the desired outcome.
User
The user or, more specifically, the knowledge of the user is the fourth crucial element in producing great images. In other words, we ourselves are at the root of good photography. It is your expertise in whatever format you choose that can possibly make all the difference in your personal photography. By understanding the other elements and gaining some command over them, the end result is visually obvious. The challenge is on us to learn this craft, get good at it, and enjoy taking great photos for whatever purpose is motivating us.
The SHOTBOX is intended to work with each of these elements to improve your photography game. It excels at providing a great lighting environment, can be used with any camera or smartphone, and maximizes what software can do while minimizing the amount of actual post-editing required. All you have to do is add a user! If you don’t already have one, get your hands on a SHOTBOX today!
And for making it to the end of this post, here’s a little gift to you from me—use the code AARON20 at checkout on www.shotbox.me for $20 off your purchase!
Go forth and produce great photos!
]]>Article by Aaron Johnson, Owner & Inventor of SHOTBOX
I’ve been in the scrapbooking industry for over 25 years. This may sound strange coming from a 6’8” sports-loving dude, but the scrapbooking world is what really gave me my start.
Dianne Hook, an incredible artist and businesswoman who founded DJ Inkers, was the person to introduce me to the crafting world. She was very well-known for her rubber stamps and books that frequented schools, craft stores, hospitals and more. It was my job to take the drawings Dianne did for her products and digitize them for computer use. I figured out the optimal way for it to be used as general clipart and fonts.
I started with Dianne in the golden years of scrapbooking—the 90’s. Back when .wmf and .cgm file formats reigned supreme while Word and Print Shop dominated the Windows 3.1 landscape. It was awesome in its way. This was when Creating Keepsakes introduced the “crazy” new concept of the oversized 12x12 scrapbooks, which eventually took the world by storm. With this new way of scrapbooking came a whole slew of problems.
Problem One: The Amount
The first issue is less of a problem than an incredible feat—the 12x12 scrapbooks have taken over. The sheer number of scrapbooks in existence would be an impossible number for anyone to claim. The issue falls not even in that there are “too many” of them, because the world can’t have too much of a good thing… right? I’ve witnessed and experienced the awe-inspiring sight of bookshelves full of meticulously crafted scrapbooks. The problem really lies in the question that begs, “What do we do with them now?”
Problem Two: The Risk
These magnificent creations are continually at an alarming risk. The saying goes that, if your house is burning down, you get the kids, the photos and the husband… in that order. I can only cringe in knowing how many scrapbooks, photos and other family treasures are destroyed by disasters such as fire, flooding and storm. It is truly a tragedy.
Problem Three: The Impermanence
These books are one-offs. They often dangerously perch alone on their dusty shelves. They are lonely and desire some redundancy, I say!
Problem Four: The Limitation
These books are not easily or conventionally shareable. No one can experience them anywhere but plunked down on the sofa with the book spread across your lap. The only “sharing” that happens at this point is when curious eyes crowd around to see what you’re looking at. Plus people are reluctant to loan these out… I’ve experienced the horror of loaning a scrapbook once when I lost one for almost a month. By some miracle it was eventually found, but many people aren’t that lucky.
Problem Five: The Size
An apparent solution to most of these problems would simply be digitize these materials. This, however, leads to the last and most significant issue—they are just too big! While glorious in their 12x12 terrific-ness, the size of these pages is simply too big for traditional scanning.
Scanning would require one of two things—finding an expensive large-format scanner to use or scanning your page in different parts and stitching them together with a photo-editing program. These are two significant hurdles that are rarely overcome, leaving scrapbooks to continue on in their problem-laden existence.
SHOTBOX: The Solution
There must be a better way… and now, there is. It’s called the SHOTBOX, and it was specifically created to disrupt and replace the traditional method of scanning by simply taking a picture with your camera or smartphone. And it was made to solve all the problems discussed here.
The SHOTBOX emulates what major digitization companies are doing—they prefer using high-end camera and computer setups to traditional scanning. It’s easy to see that pressing a shutter button is significantly faster than watching a light bar scan back and forth. A SHOTBOX and smart phone are a small-scale version of this theory that can be done on your kitchen table.
The SHOTBOX was made specifically to capture a 12 x 12 document in a microsecond. To achieve quality results, it has been outfitted with LED lights to provide balanced light devoid of shadows. It has holes on top of its cubed shape to position the camera lens straight down without jiggle and blur. It's collapsible, portable, and extremely durable to boot. There is nothing like it on the market.
Shop SHOTBOX today on shotbox.me or Amazon Prime! and start digitizing those scrapbooks right at home… because every home has a history, and it’s time for you to save yours.
]]>So, you want to start a photography business doing freelance photography. But where do you start? First, of course, you need a camera and lenses that match the type of photography you want to do. From there, you can play around with different photography styles and methods or contact freelance photographers in your area to ask for advice or possibly even work out an apprenticeship to help you learn the ropes.
What you’ll eventually need, however, is a kit of equipment and accessories to take your photography to the next level. Here are some things we highly recommend:
Camera Strap: Your camera very well may have come with a strap, but if it didn’t, grab one right away! You’ll find it difficult to set up photos and direct models or clients if you have to hold your camera in-hand or set it down every few minutes. You’ll especially be grateful for that strap the first time your camera slips out of your hand (and rest assured, it will not be the last time that happens, either!)
Cleaning kit: We’re already assuming you have the camera and lenses you’ll need, but a lot of people don’t consider how difficult it can be to keep this equipment in tip-top shape. There are lots of nooks and crannies in cameras and lenses that can capture dirt, dust, moisture and other destructive elements. If you plan to take your camera outside (like, ever) you MUST have a cleaning kit on-hand.
Tripod: A tripod is kind of a no-brainer. They’re fitting for every type of photography—whether you shoot primarily portrait, landscape, nighttime or wedding photography, you’re going to need a tripod. The stability of a tripod allows you get crisp shots with no movement. They also allow you to use a longer exposure when shooting in low light without your photos coming out fuzzy. If you’re just starting out, try something cheap and affordable that you can play with without worrying about it breaking or getting dirty. Once you get the hang of using a tripod, do your research to find a higher-end one that works for you.
Remote Shutter Release: These are typically used in conjunction with tripods. This accessory is stereotypically used for photography in which the photographer will actually appear themselves (like a high-tech selfie.) A remote shutter release is perfect for those occasions, but also just ensures there’s none of the shakiness that happens from touching the camera when you manually snap a photo.
Rechargeable AA Batteries + Charger: As a photographer, you’re going to start blowing through batteries left and right. Grabbing a set of rechargeables and a charger is going to save you from the dreaded “I’m out of new batteries and this one is dead!!” moment.
Memory cards: You may be inclined to grab one big ol’ SD card and conduct all your work on it. However, we recommend grabbing several smaller SD cards. This is for a few reasons. First, people lose SD cards all the time. Losing a smaller SD card specific to the project that you’re working on will still be frustrating, but not as life shattering as losing your ONE SD card that holds your whole life on it. Second, SD cards can become corrupted. Having a few backups will ensure you can continue shooting and worry about your corrupted card later. (Psst… make sure you grab a protective case, too!)
Good lighting: This is more of a category than a specific item because the kind of lighting you need really depends on the type of photography you’re doing. If you do a lot of outdoor photography, you need to understand natural lighting in a way that allows you to know when and where are the best times to shoot outside for optimal lighting. You may also need an external flash, even when shooting with natural ambient lighting. If you do a lot of studio photography, you’re going to want a ring light or some light tents. If you do a lot of product or tabletop photography, you’re going to need a lightbox. All of these items, lightboxes in particular, can be bulky and expensive. However, SHOTBOX has a solution for you! The SHOTBOX is a tabletop light box that is self-contained and collapsible. It’s easily transportable as it’s very light and compact, and it’s very simple to set up and use. You can shop the SHOTBOX on www.shotbox.me or Amazon Prime.
The last thing you need isn't necessarily a part of your kit, but probably the most important thing you need to have--passion. No matter how much fancy equipment you have, the greatest photographers all possess one thing—a love for photography. You won’t find the success you want unless you’re truly passionate about your craft. So, take some notes about tips and equipment, but the best advice we can give you is to get out there and fall in love with your camera!
]]>
If you have a child, you probably have a little artist on your hands. Whether they’re a prodigy or just big fans of finger painting, each and every one of their creations is a masterpiece to them—and probably to you, too! Sadly, you’ve only got so many magnets and so much fridge space. But it’s a little painful to throw away your child’s artwork and it often hurts their feelings, so what can you do?
Here are some DIY ideas for hanging on to every piece of art your child produces without overloading the front of your fridge:
DISPLAY IT
-Hang it: Grab some string, a few thumbtacks and a whole lot of clothes pins to make a simple, DIY display wall.
-Frame it: Make a gallery wall made up of all your children’s art with some cheap or thrifted photo frames.
Pros: Having their art on display can boost your child’s self esteem. They’ll be excited to look at their own “museum” and show visitors all the things they’ve created. It’s also a great way to personalize your decoration style.
Cons: With either method, you’re going to run out of wall space eventually. What’s more, displays are fairly limited to 2D creations.
STORE IT
-Make a portfolio: Invest in a few binders and lots of page protectors and make some albums! You can do your albums by child, year, project type or however else you want to organize your children’s masterpieces.
-Roll it up: Grab some mailing tubes and roll up each piece of art inside. You can again designate your tubes by child, year, or recipient—they’ll love adding new pieces of art to the “Grandma Tube,” and once it’s full you can ship it off! No one’s feelings get hurt when “getting rid of excess artwork” is disguised as “sending it to grandma.”
Pros: With these methods, you can keep almost everything. Portfolios are fun for the kids to look through, and mailing tubes are fun to prepare. Either way, you’re creating a time capsule of sorts, and the kids will love it.
Cons: Both binders and mailing tubes are often bulky and awkward to store. Mailing tubes can be hard to look through and it’s easy to forget what’s inside. Once again, these methods also are only conducive for flat art.
DIGITIZE IT
-Keep it on a hard drive: You can keep EVERYTHING by digitizing it and sorting it into folders on your computer.
-Make a book: Compile your digitized images into a book for print and keep it on the coffee table or in a bookshelf. The kids will adore having a book that they “made” and will spend hours pouring over each page.
Pros: By digitizing your kid’s crafts, you get to keep EVERYTHING and don’t need any space to do it.
Cons: Scanners can be expensive, bulky and slow. It often feels like more effort than it’s worth to scan, import, sort and figure out where to go from there.
To digitize anything, all you need is the SHOTBOX, a power outlet and a smart phone! This portable tabletop photography studio helps you take scanner-quality (or better) photos of your children’s masterpieces. The light box is self-contained and collapsible, making it easy to store and simple to set up. This process is fun for kids to help with and allows you to keep all the art you want without investing in a scanner or finding room to keep it! With an affordable price, various settings and tons of backdrops to choose from, the SHOTBOX beats out a scanner any day.
Shop the SHOTBOX on www.shotbox.me or Amazon Prime.
]]>You don’t have to run a photography blog to need good photos. If you’re a blogger of any kind, the quality of your images can make or break your perceived authority on your blog’s topic. You might think that you can simply find good images online to include in your blog. This isn’t such a good idea.
Reasons against stock photography:
So, okay, you’re convinced it’s time to take your own pictures but you just don’t know how. Here are some simple blog photography tips to help you amp up your photos:
Tips:
You might have a few objections to these tips, such as:
I can’t do all of that by myself, but I don’t have the budget to hire a photographer!
You don’t need a photographer. You can accomplish perfect blog photography on your own with the SHOTBOX!
But I don’t want to invest a lot of money in getting an expensive camera and elaborate light set-up.
Well, the SHOTBOX is the light set-up. It’s a tabletop lighting studio that is self-contained, collapsible and easily transportable. It’s extremely affordable in comparison to most photography light setups. The best part is that the SHOTBOX was designed to take photos with your smartphone, so you don’t need to invest in a fancy camera.
If it’s in a box, I can’t do those top-down photos!
Uhhh… that’s actually the whole point of the SHOTBOX. There are several open sections on the top of the SHOTBOX so you can place your phone on top of the box and still be able to snap a picture of what’s inside.
But what about the bottom of the box? That probably won’t make a great “background.”
Well, we’ve thought of that too. There are several options for backgrounds with the SHOTBOX! We offer 4 colors of long canvases in order to create the “infinity background”—these are great for making the subject of your photo “float.” We also offer a variety of background packs to create the illusion of various surfaces and textures.
Well…. I guess I’m out of excuses.
Yeah. We know.
Shop the SHOTBOX today, on www.shotbox.me or Amazon Prime!
]]>However, there are a few tips for having a successful online store that will stand the test of time and Internet evolution.
Stand by your product
The number one thing that will keep a business from doing well is loss of interest or motivation on the part of the owner. Having a product that you really believe in is one way to ensure you’re not going to lose your steam.
Another reason it’s crucial to have a product you are passionate about is because consumers gravitate to authenticity. If you have a genuine love for what you’re selling, your audiences are more likely to love it too.
Importance of a Name
The name that you pick for your online store can be just as important as the products you sell. Oftentimes, online browsers will see the name of your store before they see the specifics of what you sell. Your name can communicate a lot, not only about what your store offers, but about your brand and vibe as well. Make your name memorable and unique while keeping your audiences preferences in mind.
Maintain Visibility
Even with the best product and the cleverest name, no efforts are truly effective if no one is seeing your store. Online shoppers will usually look for something specific as opposed to just browsing. This means that keywords are crucial. Brainstorm the common words or phrases that may be used to find your product. For example: jewelry store owners may choose to use keywords like “gold long chain purple amethyst necklace” instead of just “purple necklace.”
Understand the Power of Pictures
Taking good photos of your products is crucial to your online store’s success. It’s your first opportunity to (literally) show your stuff and convince a consumer that they need your products in their lives. Your photography not only can convince a shopper to buy, but can make or break a customer’s satisfaction level. If your photos are poorly lit, it’s possible that the customer was expecting something different… a different color, size or quality. It’s important to ensure that your product photos are clean, well-lit and representative of your product and your brand.
It may seem daunting, but achieving professional product photography doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. In fact, you can do it yourself! Instead of hiring a photographer or renting a professional tabletop studio, you can invest in a light box and take your own product shots.
SHOTBOX is a self-contained tabletop lightbox kit that is affordable and easy to use. It collapses, making it easy for storage and transportation. The best part about SHOTBOX is that is was designed to take beautiful photos on your smart phone, so you don’t need to invest a ton in expensive equipment.
Shop SHOTBOX today on shotbox.me or Amazon Prime!
]]>When a product idea pops up on Kickstarter, it has many formidable obstacles in the road ahead. Will it find enough backers? If it does, will production go as planned? And when people actually get their hands on the product, will they like it?
The following products are the cream of the crop. They've overcome those obstacles and are continuing to impress more and more new customers.
Read more: https://www.wegravy.com/home/27-best-kickstarter-products-you-can-buy-on-amazon
]]>Our keepsakes are tangible proof of our experiences, and they carry a significant weight of meaning and tell a story of their own. Many of us have boxes, or even rooms, filled to the brim with these keepsakes: family heirlooms, your grandmother’s birth certificate, baby clothes or your children’s artwork from kindergarten.
The truth is, a lot of the things we save can be thrown away. But if the item has a story attached to it and you’re willing to put in the time to archive the item and its story, then save it! Your children will especially love to look back on their childhood when they are about to head off to college, and future generations will be able to have the items that complement the story of your family’s history. The boxes of keepsakes in our basement, closets and attics don’t have to stay hidden and unorganized anymore. Here are six tips to help motivate you — while easing your fear — to organize and archive these precious treasures.
Read more: https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/84330342/list/how-to-finally-organize-your-family-keepsakes
]]>
You may have never heard of stop motion animation, but you’ve definitely seen it in action.
Stop motion animation is a filmmaking technique that makes inanimate objects appear to move all on their own, think Wallace and Gromit or everyone’s favorite green character, Gumby.
So how do Aardman, Pixar and even 6-year-old kids do it? And how can you do it?
Needed Supplies
A creative idea — This is a movie you’re making, so you need a creative idea to turn an object and scene into something people will want to watch.
Object(s) — For beginners, it’s best to start with one object, but you can also use multiples. Common objects used in these types of animated films are clay, food, toys, LEGOs and paper.
Scene — Your scene can be as easy as your chosen object’s natural environment, a solid backdrop, like a wall or inside a photo light box, or a bunch of objects creatively thrown together to create a scene.
Camera — You can use a nice digital camera, but your smartphone or tablet work, too.
Tripod — You want each picture you take to be clearly focused on the object. Our hands naturally shake, so to ensure the best images, set your camera on a tripod.
A location that has good, consistent lighting — Natural light provided by the sun is great for taking beautiful food photos, but it’s a bad choice for stop motion animation shots. The sun moves and its movement during your photo shoot will cause unwanted random shadows. You need a location where you can control the lighting (like the SHOTBOX!).
Editing software or a stop motion animation app — You won’t be editing every photo, but you need editing software or a stop motion animation app that lets you easily edit them all together to create your mini masterpiece.
How to Do It
Now that you have your needed equipment, it’s time to walk you through the steps of creating your very own stop motion animation movie using a video editor and a computer.
Step 1: Create a storyboard.
It’s always best to go into something with a plan. Your storyboard will map out each scene for your short film, including what the objects will be doing and music or narration used, helping you see your scenes before you shoot them.
Step 2: Shoot photos of your animation.
To capture your first frame, first set up your scene, place your object(s) in front of your camera and then snap a photo. Next, ever so slightly move your object(s) within your scene and snap another photo. You then repeat this process—patience is key here—numerous times, like anywhere from 20 to 2,000, depending on how long of a movie you want to create.
Step 3: Download your photos onto your computer.
Once you’ve taken all your photos, transfer them from your camera or digital device and save them onto your computer.
Step 4: Turn your photos into an animated movie using your movie editing software.
Next, import your photos to your video editor. Then, turn them into an animated movie by choosing your ideal frame rate—varies according to software and your preference so play around to find what on-screen time length works best for you. Play around with other features you’d like to add, such as music, narration, special effects, title, etc. Finally, save your movie, watch and enjoy!
If you choose to use a stop motion animation app, you’ll shoot the photos and edit them together all from within the app on your smartphone or tablet.
Stop Motion Animation Tips
As a beginner, it’s good to learn what you should and shouldn’t do when creating a stop motion animation film. A handful of noteworthy tips include:
When it comes to product photography, an all-white background is typically people’s go-to background. White is simple, yet striking. It provides a clean look and ensures a viewer’s complete focus is on the product. It’s often referred to in the photography world as the Infinity Curve.
But white can also be boring. And if you want your different product shots to really stand out from your online competitors, then you’ve got to think outside the white box. You have to get colorfully creative with what’s around you.
So if you need a little push down the creative path, here are 7 creative backdrop ideas for eye-catching and converting product photography.
1. Tiles
[Image: petapixel.com]
Tiles are easy to cart around, so they’re great for on-the-go photographers. Plus, there are various types you can use, all of which you can get at just about any hardware store. One product photographer loves black granite tile because it creates a clean shot and is reflective, which is perfect for product photography, as well as vinyl tiles because they’re lighter than granite and clay tiles and are even more portable while costing about the same as the other types. Also available are white granite, textured and wooden surfaced tiles. In some shoots, you could use one tile as your base and another as your background.
2. Computer Wallpaper
[Image: etsy.com]
A desktop or laptop can work, but a larger desktop screen is probably your best option. And what we really love about this unique idea is that it’s free and the background options are limitless. Choose whatever background image you want, set it as your computer’s wallpaper and then place your product in front of the screen. You might need to stack your product on books, a shoebox or something else to get it at the right level though.
3. Kitchen Placemats
[Image: aliexpress.com]
Placemats are cheap and come in dozens of colors, patterns and themes. They’re easy to store inside a drawer or box. You can head to your local store to browse your options until you find the exact one you need, or better yet, save yourself a few bucks and use the ones already on your dining room table. We were being serious when we said just look around and get creative with objects already around you.
4. Sheet Music or a Newspaper
[Image: feltmagnet.com]
Whoever said you can only read sheet music and newspapers? We, and a few other like-minded creatives out there, think these pieces of paper make great product photography backgrounds. The black and white background of each gives you a nice contrast. And the music sheet idea is also a fun background, especially if one of your passions is music and your product is music-related. Just be careful that all the notes or words don’t distract from your product. Also, shoot with more vibrant colored products, as paler shades, like cream or light yellow, don’t show up as well.
5. Books
[Image: ninadesigns.com]
Like sheet music or newspapers, placing a product inside an open book is another way to achieve a nice contrast thanks to the book’s white and black pages. But you can also set your product up against a thicker, closed book. Be sure to use smaller products with this background, and choose the book type, i.e. vintage, retro or modern, based on what fits best with the product you’re photographing.
6. Pictures
[Image: feltmagnet.com]
You can use actual photos, cards, or magazines with pictures. The right picture can really create an interesting backdrop when its colors and style complement your product. But be cautious of what you use because the wrong color palette can clash with your product’s colors. But, the right picture background will perfectly enhance your product’s tones.
7. Art Panels
Another way to build the scene of your product photography is with art panels. These panels are custom-sized and easy to set up inside the SHOTBOX and guaranteed to stay put during your photo session since they’re magnetic. There are 12 fun prints to choose from, including a brick wall, rocks, grass, dirt, water and a few others, all of which will make your product look like it’s actually sitting in the dirt or up against a brick wall outside.
]]>I knew someone who opened up a shop selling personalized crocheted items on Etsy to help cover the day-to-day expenses while she waited for her husband’s business to pick up. Jumping into the Etsy business had its learning curves, but the end result was enough income to keep their household running smoothly during a tight financial time.
That’s what Etsy sellers want. They want the hard work that goes into making the items they sell to be liked and purchased, thus making them a successful Etsy shop owner.
But becoming a top seller on Etsy isn’t easy. It’s critical to take deliberate steps to make your site successful. So many Etsy sellers will open up shop and receive very little traffic and revenue to their shop. The most successful Etsy sellers apply the following five Etsy shop tips.
1. Use great photography.
Nothing is more powerful than a well-taken photo of your Etsy products. The words and descriptions are secondary to the pictures you upload of the product. Pictures appeal to the senses. My friend I mentioned above told me that the better the pictures on her site were, the better sales she had of that particular product. Techniques like getting a close-up shot show more texture and help the user picture the product in their own hands. Using appropriate photo editing to brighten the colors will also make the product stand out from competitor pictures.
2. Be active on social media.
Being active on social media is a must when selling on Etsy. The more you can get your friends and consumers buying your products to share your shop, the faster you’ll grow your clientele. The best social media channels for Etsy shop owners are Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.
3. Solicit product reviews.
Reach out to the people you sell to and get them to write positive product reviews. Buying online can be a risk for so many people. They want to know what they’re getting into when buying from your shop. They need to know what the product will be like once it arrives in the mail. They want to know if you’ll get it to them on time, and if you’re willing to work with them when issues arise. All these things are best communicated through reviews of other consumers who’ve actually purchased from you. People trust online reviews. In fact, 88% of consumers trust online product reviews as much as a friend giving them a personal recommendation.
4. Type in keywords and tags.
This technique helps make your Etsy shop come up in a list before other Etsy members selling the same items you’re selling. If the search engine tools Google has can’t find you, then nobody else will be able to. Tagging your photos helps Google recognize the pictures. Being specific with the keywords in your product text also helps. And one of the best and easiest ways to come up with the right keywords is asking yourself, “What would consumers ask Google if they were trying to find my product online?”
5. Be flexible.
Certain products lose their popularity as time passes. Especially with Etsy, you need to keep on top of what’s trending in terms of the product. Adapt or switch out products with the seasons to match the things the most popular sellers are getting lots of business from. So if you make jewelery, match colors with seasonal and trending colors and styles of necklaces, earrings, etc., with what people are wearing right now. If you do, you’ll see your sales increase.
]]>Every food Instagrammer wants two things: increase their number of likes per photo and increase their following.
You see other foodie accounts posting scrumptious looking and artfully arranged food photos every day, and each one racks up hundreds upon hundreds of likes. But, what do you have to do to go from 50 likes to 500? And how do you grow your Instagram followers fast as well?
You know you have the needed food skills to become a famous food Instagrammer. But it takes more than good cooking and baking skills or the ability to find the best restaurants; it also takes hard work and the right execution.
Follow our 5 lesser known tips to give your Instagram profile and photos the needed boost you’re craving.
1. Use quality imagery.
Instagram is a visual platform, so it’s no surprise why you need quality food photos to become a well-known account. Quality food imagery is all about the right kind of effort, not money. You don’t need high-end camera equipment—you just need your iPhone and the SHOTBOX. Simply place this photography light box on your kitchen counter or dining room table, style your food and scene inside the box, don’t turn all the lights on inside to help reduce glare, stick your phone in the SideShot and snap your photos. Two of the great things about the SHOTBOX for food photographers is the lighting is always on point and you can position your iPhone for the best angle, either a top-down or front-facing view.
Another thing to note with Instagram food photos is don’t ruin the appeal of your mouthwatering masterpiece by going filter crazy. Filters are great for selfies, not for food shots. Keep the perfect lighting the SHOTBOX gives you so you don’t distort the vibrancy of your foods.
2. Timing is everything.
Anyone wanting to boost their following knows in order to get the attention and likes and earn followers, you have to know when your target audience is active on Instagram and post during those times or right before. But besides that, as a food poster, you have to post foods when people want those foods, i.e. avocado toast and eggs during breakfast hours, a lunch speciality in the afternoon and cocktails or cake and ice cream at night.
3. Be predictable and consistent.
Are you all about breakfast foods? If breakfast really is your favorite meal of the day, then every morning post a picture of a breakfast food with a catchy and creative caption. Think of it like your favorite restaurant. You go there because you know what to expect; you know what’s great on the menu. But what if they started changing their menu every week? You wouldn’t know what to get, and you wouldn’t know if something was always going to be good. If you post breakfast foods every morning or your favorite dessert of the week every Friday evening like clockwork, people will expect and appreciate your predictability and consistency. They’ll make sure to check Instagram during that time just to see your new post.
4. Stay relevant.
What are people eating? What restaurant is the new big thing? What food trend is taking over your city or the country? (Like right now cauliflower anything is big.) So whatever it is, post about it. Instagram users care about what’s relevant right now, so to get on their radar, post about what’s trending right now in the food world.
5. Be yourself.
Perhaps the best tip I can give you is to just be original and personal. This is really the best way to connect with and relate to other Instagrammers. Instagram is a more personal form of social media than other platforms. So post what you love; don’t post something just because you think it’s going to get you hundreds of likes and new followers. Being yourself will help get you the interaction and follower numbers you want with regular Instagrammer followers.
]]>