MAKE YOUR PHOTOS POP!

I was recently asked by YescomUSA to introduce my readers to their site by reviewing one of their products.

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The Internet is a,  fantastic, proven tool for "Cottage Industries"A global market exists for artists and entrepreneurs alike!

In order to succeed you have to get attention and that is best done with clear, well done images. 

You have to have great  photos!

"32 inch Pop Up Photo Cube"

Many of you have online boutiques, Etsy shops and more. My daughter and I operate an Etsy shop called "Savannah Secret Cellar". For those reasons, I was excited about reviewing this product for you.

If you operate out of your home, you know getting the proper lighting is a bear. Either it's a cloudy day, your house lights are causing a glare, you're getting shadows. Lord forbid you get the vacuum cleaner in the corner and can't crop it out (Hey, some of us multi task!).

Wow, this is what was included! I had researched this equipment previously and had trouble deciding what I needed and didn't need. Everything you need to make professional looking shots is included in this kit.

The pop up cube fits into the round black bag. The cube pops right into position and folds back up for storage in the black bag. I had trouble folding it back up but  a neighbor folded it and placed in the bag in about 15 seconds. I just need to practice. Two lamps on tripods with compact fluorescent lamp bulbs replicate shadowless daylight.  Four different colored backgrounds that attach with hook and loop are included as well as a camera mini-tripod and a cell phone tripod.

Previously, I could never get a photo this clear without peripheral shadows.

With the pop up cube the focus is on the product 

I could never have gotten the proper lighting for a closeup this detailed.

This is what my customer wants to see!

Moving from left clockwise, can you tell difference between pictures 1, 2 and 3? My red camera is reflected in the high gloss finish in picture 1. My green blouse is reflected in picture 2. Picture 3 has no image reflection, only the pure light bouncing off the finish. Picture 4 is the neatest thing. It is a blind that attaches, again with hook and loop. See the slit in the middle? That's for your camera! Voilà, no unwanted reflection. If you have ever tried to photograph a mirror or mirrored tray you know what I am talking about.

A few pictures, in bad lighting of my temporary setup.

The light permeates the nylon sides of the cube giving a shadowless light perfect for your shot.

I found this product to be a good value and appropriate for its intended purpose. I could recommend it without hesitation. 

Disclosure

I was provided this product for review. 

I was not paid for the review and my opinions of the product are solely mine

is having a Fall Sale

10% off and Free Shipping!

coupon code Fall2013

They have items for home, garden, holidays, trade shows, photography and some fun stuff!

POP over and check them out!

Please share this so your friends can also enjoy the savings. 

What's It Wednesday

Feathered Nest Friday  

Free For All Friday  

You're Gonna Love It

Guess Who Came To Visit?

Bob and I had a special guest this weekend!

This is Miss  A. J., Baby Durl, Adorable, Sweetness, 

Princess and the list goes on.

 My friend Louise says I should add "Little Ham".

She is the daughter of my son and his sweet wife and she is my only granddaughter.

Some of you may remember,  I have five awesome grandsons, the youngest of which is twenty-one.

Well, seven and a half months ago God brought this blessing into our lives.

IS BLOGGING DRIVING YOU CRAZY?

WELL, IT IS DRIVING ME CRAZY!

Granted, I Loooooove blogging,
surely, I am not the only one pulling hair!

COMMENTS

IF you are funny as Carol Burnett, posting everyday and visiting other bloggers until the wee hours of the night but are lacking for comments, you may be a... 

"WORD VERIFICATION BLOGGER". 

This one should be self explanatory. FIX IT! If you are on blogger, simply go to your Dashboard > Settings > Posts and Comments, scroll down to "show word verification" set this to NO!!!!

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IF you aren't getting replies to your comments on your favorite blog you may be a 

"NO REPLY EMAIL, BLOGGER".  

When I first started blogging you were few and far between. Now for some reason, your numbers are growing. Most of us, first, see comments to our posts, in our inbox. I always liked that, I could quickly acknowledge and thank you for your comment. If we hit "reply" and "NO REPLY" pops up in the address field, one has to hop all over the internet trying to say "Thank You". Did you know there is a setting in BLOGGER settings that will include that address? Fix it and I will bet you will get lots more replies.

Did you know, if you merged your Blogger profile into your Google+ profile your email will show as "NO REPLY" on all your comments. I contacted Google and there is NO setting in Google+ that will provide your email address. You can only be directed back to Google+, hmmmm. Your friend has to go to your Google+ profile, click on "about" and scroll down hoping to find an email address. Get the picture?  I merged my profile, then reversed it for this very reason. Bloggers are friendly people but most lead very busy lives. You may be missing out on lots of fun. Some of the best conversations take place behind the scenes and that is where you really get to know someone.

If you are worried about your email address being out there, hey, you felt comfortable enough to leave a comment. If you are a blogger you are already out there. I have a separate email strictly for my blog and my blog only, with different provider. I don't want YOU knowing what I say to MY boyfriend! LOL! Really, most of us can be googled anywhere, anytime. Just saying!

ALERT!! While this post was languishing in draft, I came across a website that found a fix to the problem with Google+ Blogger users. Fluster Buster has a wonderful post "Are you a No-Reply Blogger" with a detailed tutorial about how to get around the Google+/Blogger glitch. I followed her tutorial and successfully merged my Google+ profile and my Blogger profile and still comment with an  email address for replies. 

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IF you are leaving comments on your favorite blog and never get a reply THEY may be a

"WITHIN POST REPLY BLOGGER".

I wasn't quite sure how to describe this blogger but I would like to be one, (with the kinks ironed out cuz it's more efficient) More than a few of you leave a reply and engage in dialogue with me on YOUR blog post but I never know it. A friend wrote about it a few days ago. Somehow she realized she was responding, within her blog, but visitors never knew she responded. She was able to fix it. I contacted a couple of friends and they were able to configure their blog so their replies came to my inbox. Some bloggers, like Susan@ BNOTP's replies have ALWAYS come straight to my inbox. I know some of the blogs have a box at the end, "subscribe to comments". I did that and I got everyone's comments all 45+ of them. Most bloggers don't go back to your post to see, IF, perhaps, you have replied to their comment. If you are using this method, ask a good friend to play guinea pig and test your reply.

As I stated earlier, I would like to be one of these "Within Post Reply Bloggers" but I haven't been able to insure my reply gets back to you. 

If you know how to set this up successfully within Blogger please let me know. In the meantime please make sure your reply communications, are getting back to your followers.

OK, THE FIRST SEGMENT WAS REALLY ABOUT MY PET PEEVES! 

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT POSTING! THIS IS WHERE WE AMATEURS NEED ADVICE!!

I am so envious of the bloggers who get out a post every day, even every other day! Some of you have small children and businesses. I need to know how you do it. Between, getting the baby three squares a day, taking care of his needs and getting him down and up for the nap, whew, I am exhausted. That's just my hubby.

Tell us, we're listening:

Do you take one day and write posts for a week, a couple of days?

Do you designate a certain time and place to write? Sorry, Moms, I know that's not you.

Do you put a post in draft and add all the pictures first, then go back and write the narrative?

Do you do the opposite?

Do you take pictures constantly, knowing you can use them somehow?

Do you take the pictures only after you have a post in mind?

Do you take a day or two days and set up different tablescapes and photograph one after another.

Well, that was all my peeves, next, I will throw out some questions I have about other aspects of blogging. I will really be trying to pick your brains, cuz there are so many things that I don't know or understand.


C'mon let's get a dialog started here. Many of us WANT to know!
I know you can come up with some great solutions!


Please visit these gracious hosts for inspiration:

Feathered Nest Friday 

Flaunt It Friday 

Home Sweet Home 

Show And Tell Friday 

Thrifty Things Friday 
Pink Saturday
Seasonal Sunday 
Masterpiece Monday
Mod Vintage Mix Monday
Metamorphosis Monday
Make It Pretty Monday
Inspiration Monday
Inspire Me Tuesday

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday 

Tweak It Tuesday  

The Scoop 

What's It Wednesday

REMEMBERING YOSEMITE!

Today's news states

"Yosemite Fire 80% contained"

Source

Whether you have visited Yosemite or not, all Americans have followed the massive fires surrounding this American Treasure. The nation has reached out to the residents of the area with thoughts and prayers.

I wanted to post a tablescape that gives a nod to this great landmark. I hope you enjoy it.

GRANNY'S HIDING SOMETHING!

And It's Not Under The Bed!!

(although there's plenty under there)

I saw what a beautiful job Bab's over at "Upstairs, Downstairs"

did at tweaking her secretary. I decided I needed to do that as well.

This was the first blog picture of my desk. Not much has changed. 

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 I rarely change out a lot these days. Not sure if it is due to lack or energy 

or just that I am happy with the arrangement of things. Let's see what I changed.