Hey guys - I saw this great article from Grocery Outlet that you can feed your family for $3 per day - really!  If you visit my About Me page i have a link to my blog that gives more information.  Complete with recipes and a shopping list.
It's great kid-friendly food that is healthy too :)

Get ready for Back To School everyone!  Buy stuff on eBay :)
Angela

I know sometimes when you open an eBay store you do all the set-up in the beginning and then leave it the same for months....even years!  Well maybe it needs a little sprucing up from time to time.

Updating your store description header can help capture some google searches off ebay and bring customers into your ebay store.  Keep current with the hot items within your inventory and change the keywords 2X per month.

Also don't forget about those custom pages you can add.  You can use these for a sizing chart, or return instructions, how-to's, or anything to give your customers a little extra about you and your products.  This can also help with repeat questions you get from buyers!

Ok everyone - have a great selling weekend!

Angela

I know most of the info out there says no to flash but I say yes to flash unless you have a really shiny or sequin item. Flash helps fill in the light and gets rid of shadows.

Other stand lights should be positioned at least a couple feet away to cast a larger light area and be as straight on to the garment - pay attention to the shadows in the wall behind - this will show you where the light is going. The lights should be positioned to cast light to all areas of the garment - if you are taking a skirt or dress make sure 1 or 2 is pointed slightly down to prevent the bottom from looking
too dark.

White background is done with photo editing. Once you have take your pictures you upload them into Photobucket to edit.

Then crop, adjust contrast/brightness, sharpen.

If you want to really make them stand out and make your background solid bright white go under the GEEK tab there is SMART RECOLOR - watch the video tutorial and it will show you how to do it.

This is a little work that can really help your ebay sales soar!
Angela

How to Make a String Tripod

Here's a simple, inexpensive & easy to carry tripod to help you reduce blurry photos of any point & shoot camera or even a cell phone. This will stabalize your camera and eliminate one direction (up and down) of camera movement. Of course, using the correct shutter speed is also essential and information about that is at the end of this article.

You will need: Strong string that does not stretch or a long a length of grosgrain ribbon

• Cut your string 2 times the height of your body + 12 inches

• Make a loop in the middle of your string that will fit over your camera semi-snug (you will want to be able to slide it on & off)

• Tie the ends together so that you can put your foot in the loop & the camera reaches to your eye level or a comfortable viewing level when the string is pulled up taunt. (See diagrams for two different ways to use your string tripod & adjust your string length for whichever position is more comfortable for you.)

NOTE: For this method it is important that you do not put excess force on your camera. As every camera is designed different, you need to determine the amount of force your camera can take. With that said, I have been using this method for years with many different camera with no problems.

To take steady pictures in general do the following:

• -Get a good footing

• -Compose your shot

• -Keep your elbows tucked in

• -Take a breath and hold it in

• -Slowly depress the shutter

• -Keep the camera at your eye for a few seconds after the picture is taken

The rule of thumb for absolute minimum shutter speeds for a hand held camera is 1/focal length. For example a 135mm lens with a 1.5x crop factor (On an SLR) makes it 202.5mm. So hand held you should expect somewhat clear pictures starting at 1/200 or 200 shutter speed. It also matters how far away the subject is, the farther away - the faster the shutter speed needed. The third factor is how far the tip of your lens is from the camera, the further it is - the more it will amplify the vibration.

The string tripod requires a bit of practice and getting used to. I did not notice much of a difference at first, but after a while it really helped. After some practice, it should improve the minimum shutter speed to 1/2 or 1/3 that of hand held. With VR or IS and the string tripod, you should get 1/4 or 1/6 that of hand held.

So, if you are first starting out I would not go any slower than 1/100 with a string tripod at that focal length.

With all of this said, it is extremely hard to generalize these numbers and each person is different. There are limitations on this design and those limitations will be different with each person. If you have not determined these limitations for you, leave the camera on P or Auto - this should optimize the shutter speed. Keep experimenting and don't give up, it will be worth it

Today's Tip ~

Flash on camera can add unsightly hotspots, glare or discoloration in your digital pictures for ebay selling.

Try a simple fix by taping a few layers of wax paper or bubble wrap over your flash to soften the light of the flash. You'll still get plenty of light but it will cut down on the hot spots on your pictures.

Also replace your regular light bulbs with DayLight bulbs from the hardware store - this will cast a truer, less yellow light on your items.

Happy Selling!

Angela