Thursday, November 6, 2008

Papa Stour

With all the beautiful changes going on outside I've been leaning my tastes towards fresh, simple and natural designs. The ceramics at Papa Stour fit right into this category. Papa Stour is a wonderful online shop with modern and inspirational products made in Scotland. In a world of mass produced products, Papa Stour choose to relish in the opposite and embrace art and craftsmanship in its purest form. Love it and the dreamy photos of each piece.

Photographers out there - any advice on obtaining that dreamy photo quality?

35 comments:

Anonymous social worker said...

i LOVE SIMPLE AS WELL.
i'M not professional photographer but I notice a lot of white and neutrals with splashes of color, make it simple, also the light factor is huge, you wanna have the best, natural light is always good.

Anonymous said...

These are gorgeous!

Franco is right -- natural light is very important. Try to light from the side, not from the front. If you have a camera that allows you to change the exposure time or exposure value, try adjusting the exposure to overexpose slightly (or maybe just +1 or +2 on better point and shoot cameras).

Extra light tends to make the edges look soft. Overcast, morning or dusky light is best because it's filtered. Noonday light is very harsh. If light is shining directly into your window, you can try filtering it with gauzy curtains.

Also, you may need a tripod.

I could go on and on. If you need more help, feel free to email me!

please sir said...

Thanks for your great advice!!

Anonymous said...

beautiful!
I have to agree with the previous comments- natural light is extreemely important. I also would say do not be afraid to play with your dials:)

summer said...

I don't think I have any advice to give, I'm just here to admire. The top 2 photos are my favorites, I need to go look at them again. Too pretty to pass up.

Couture Carrie said...

That last vase is breathtaking!

xoxox,
CC

avant garde design said...

breathtakingly beautiful pieces, i too love the last one!

Jan said...

Very pleaing to the eye. Love it all.

heidi said...

I agree with all the natural light photos, and I'd like to add this:
Find a sweet spot in your house where the light reflects beautifully like that. In my house, it's the kitchen counter. The reflected light from the white house next door fills the counter area. That's where I do most of my still lifes.
xoh

jae said...

These ceramics are so perfect. Clean, fresh and unlimited in their potential uses.

Your current love is fantastic. That would make a perfect gift of gab quote for a birthday!

Anonymous said...

To make it dreamy...I have noticed that in most of the images the focus is on the vases then immediately fades off. You could use the macro setting to get that effect or if you have a sophisticated digital camera just leave the aperture open. And yes lots of light. Hope this helps.

Unknown said...

I love simple design and especially the ones hanging :D

Anonymous said...

gorgeous! the second photo is my favorite!!!

georgia b. said...

i love the first!—wonderful color!

kendalee said...

Beautiful pictures! I especially love the last one. And thanks for asking the question... I've also enjoyed reading (and learning from) the responses. :)

Mrs.French said...

wow...wow...wow! How do you do it? How do you find the things you do? Ummm...I sense a guest post proposal....I can't decide what I like more, the ceramics or the photos...xo t

shill said...

such lovelies!!! the first two are my fave!

Chris said...

Lighting is key, as is focusing. I love natural light and shooting near windows and such. I try to use as little flash as possible too. A little reflection in your images is always nice though :)

i.d. said...

These pieces are beautiful in their simplicity!

Just stumbled across your blog and I love it! You have great taste. :)

Anonymous said...

Simple and organic can never be wrong!

vicki archer said...

very elegant pieces - truly beautiful

Fifi Flowers said...

Love the photos... I think the first on is my FAV!
Love the photo lessons online... FUN... people are so helpful!
Girl and her Polaroid has that light thing down too... she would be good for advice.

Songy said...

no flash photography is a good start I guess. It's always a trial and error for me. if things are focused too sharp you can always knock them out in Lightroom or Picasa...

Michelle Engel Bencsko said...

Use tripod, no flash. Would help if you used a reflector to get the light on "this" side of the items. Meter for the shadows/mid-range. Looks like they used a high speed (800 or 1600 dpi) because it's a bit grainy, too.

Very soothing.

evencleveland said...

Papa Stour is so inspiring - they were one of the first websites I cam across that had this aesthetic (which now you find all over.) Have you seen the little holiday cottage the owner has furnished? You can rent it for holidays - it's in a remote part of Scotland and it is beyond dreamy.

Cindy said...

i love the look of those photos, too! i'm a newbie photographer, but would definitely agree that the more diffused, natural light the better. i learned a lot from the other comments. thanks for asking the question, diana!

Julia @ Hooked on Houses said...

Oh, so pretty! I've enjoyed catching up with your blog this morning. You always find the most beautiful and interesting things to show us, Diana! Love it. :-)

Unknown said...

gorgeous indeed! i love the sequins in that bottom photo-- how creative is that?!

TaMs* said...

I love all of this! Ahh.. simple and fresh is the best. It's so refreshing.
Great photos. The last one is my fav.

Julia said...

I remember stumbling upon this site almost a year ago and then loosing the address! No matter how hard I tried to find it, I couldn't locate this shop! THANK YOU SO MUCH! These are beautiful images! :

Have a great weekend!

Lynne said...

I am noticing that all the blogs I read have these photos with that dreamy quality - I'm going to try and follow some of these pointers myself.

Michelle Parks McCourt said...

I also love that dreamy quality. Polaroids capture it for me. I not a professional photographer but I love photos.

Unknown said...

the first photo is exquisite. i like style of these.

Hey Harriet said...

You find the most exquisite things! I adore the simplicity of these. So lovely.

Stacey said...

stunning photos, it is all about the perfect light

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