A lot of people try to shoot their products themselves. While it is a good thing to do, they actually do not have the skill set needed to get a good picture. Amateur photographers too due to lack of experience can leave a lack in a good picture. Decade of experience is a great teacher than just some photography tutorials. That is exactly where a professional photography service company like EtherArts Product Photography comes in to picture. This is what is necessary along with a professional photography gear and some knowledge of Lights and Reflections. In this article, we will share some light on the reflective Cosmetics product photography – Liquid Cosmetics in particular and what are the most important factors that you need to pay attention to for a successful photograph.Lighting the product takes most of the photographers attention. Every photographer would make efforts to light the product up appropriately. Some go beyond this to light it up so much that the product gets overexposed and is washed out in the pictures. Such images are poor photography. A smart and experienced photographer will pay attention to lighting up the product along with something called backlighting. Backlighting essentially means lighting the back portion of the product Or the background of the product. To do this it is necessary to pay attention to the below mentioned aspects of the product.Product Nature- Most important is the nature of the product to be photographed. Solid products differ a lot than the liquid containing cosmetic products. Hence we need to be careful while choosing the correct set up.Background- A lot of times, Ecommerce photography requires white background. Amazon requires a seamless white background for all their listings. This is a mandatory requirement. In order to get this white background, a lot of photographers tend to use extreme bright lights or use a high camera Aperture number. This results in the product getting ‘white-washed’ and practically disappears in to the light. The contrasts are low and the edges of the products look foggy. For Aroma Oil cosmetics photography, all we need is just the necessary amount of light in the background to get just the correct amount of seamless white. So be careful while trying to get the white background. A photo-editing software will be helpful in clearing what is left of the greyish-whitish background.BackLighting- Amateur photographers focus less on lighting. They believe that the daylight (sunlight) is the best environment to shoot products in. But they are mistaken. Studio Daylights are different. Use Daylight (white light) bulbs for the lighting. A dark room is a must for product photography. This allows the photographer to control lights as needed, mostly depending on the type of product is shot. For Aroma Oil Cosmetics Photography in particular, try using a low strength daylight bulb as a backlight. This gently illuminates the liquid inside the glass containers giving it the most enhanced look. The yellow or colored oil starts showing a nice color to it, instead of just a black or transparent liquid. This brings out the colors of the oils giving them the much needed wow factor to the photograph.
Retail Manager Jobs – Helpful Dos and Don’ts of Applying for Jobs
Are you looking for retail management jobs? If so, keep reading on before you start your job search. Below, you’ll find a number of helpful dos and don’ts that can assist you in your quest to find a job in retail management.DO job search online. When we think of retail store jobs, many of us automatically think of applying for jobs in person. You can drop off your application to local retail stores, but the process for hiring managers is different than hiring store managers, team leaders, and department managers. You are more likely to see a manager job listing online than a sign in a store window. Moreover, when it comes to hiring say a retail store manager, a district manager is typically the individual in charge of hiring. District managers can go months without visiting a local store; therefore, your resume may sit untouched for months.DON’T be afraid to apply for jobs if, according to the retail management job listing, you don’t officially meet the job requirements. With that said, coming somewhat close is advised. Don’t expect to get hired for a management job if you have only been a cashier part-time for six months. On a personal note, I was a retail store manager for a small discount store for 3 years. At this time, I applied for a Merchandising Display Manager job with a national retail store. Although the listing stated 5 years prior management experience, I still applied for and was offered the job with my “meager” 3 years.DO know that many retailers now require managers to attend training. These training seminars may be a week long or a month long and they will likely take place in a different city or even state. Referring back to my experience as a retail store manager, the company I worked for had a small presence in my state. When I was hired, I was trained onsite (at my store) by a neighboring manager. Fast forward to 8 years later, all managers are required to attend a three-week training seminar three hours away. If an extended off-site training is required, it will typically be mentioned in the management job description, so be sure to read closely.DON’T wait too long to apply for management jobs. As soon as you see a job listing online, you should be ready to apply. If you haven’t already, now is the time to create a resume. Management jobs are in high demand, even in the retail industry. A company will likely let a job listing linger online for at least one week. This gives them the chance to obtain a number of resumes from qualified job seekers; however, the individuals who submit their resumes first are more likely to land a job interview.DO be friendly to all store employees. As mentioned above, you stand the best luck job searching online. There are cases however in which you are required to apply for jobs in person. Referring back to my personal experience, I would accept applications for new store managers in neighboring communities. My district manager would pickup the resume. When doing so, he’d always ask me or my assistant manager “what was this person like,” “did they have a positive attitude” and so forth. Even if you drop off a resume or application for a store in which you are not applying at, keep in mind that the individuals you encounter may have a small say in your ability to obtain a job interview.
5 Branding Tips for Entrepreneurs and Start-Ups
A strong brand is important in this day and age of constant advertising everywhere we turn. Having a strong brand would ensure that your ideal customers think of you as the best provider before anyone else in your industry or niche.
If you’re a solopreneur, start-up or entrepreneur and you are the biggest element of your brand, think about how you will stand out and get noticed. What is the one thing that will make your ideal prospects sit up and take notice? In what way can you make yourself or your business memorable? Don’t worry – you can have a “rockin” brand just like the big boys!
Here’s a quick list of branding tips:
1. Picture it and make it visual. Branding is best when it is simple. I think the best brands create theater of the mind in the consumer’s mental eye. If you can make an association in people’s minds that will help them to remember you. Can you picture the original soft drink bottle shaped like an hour glass or the famous fast food chain with yellow arches? Yes, I thought so. You get the picture…
2. Get Creative and make it fun. Some of my favorite entrepreneurs have quirky, humorous or amusing elements incorporated in their brand. If you come up with an idea that’s a little off kilter, don’t discount it. It just might work. Ask a group of colleagues for their honest opinion. If you’re a part of a professional networking group, do your own focus group survey. Send an email asking for input on your brand and ask how it strikes the reader. You’ll get tons of varied responses but it’ll be great feedback.
3. Rock The Tweet. There’s no denying that Twitter is an entrepreneur’s best friend. You can quickly gain a following of several hundred to several thousands of potential customers and brand ambassadors. Social media is crucial in coming up with your brand concept. Make sure you check to see if the brand name you want is “tweetable.” Simply put, when choosing a brand name, make sure it works well with social media outlets.
4. Credibility. It’s great to have fun with your brand. However, make sure that it is authentic, believable and something you can stick with. Make sure that you are comfortable with the brand position and identity you have chosen. If you don’t believe in your own brand, no one else will. The worst thing would be to choose a brand and then change it repeatedly because you just aren’t sure what message you want to convey.
5. Consistency is key. Once you have created your brand, make sure you market it and use it everywhere. Many entrepreneurs have one brand image on their business cards and another on brochures or stationary. Think of how major corporations use their brand, you see it on their website, stationary, logo, mailing labels, specialty items, and more. It’s important to establish your brand in all elements of your marketing and public relations efforts. Make sure that you get rid of any old branding that you are no longer using. The last thing you want is to confuse your target audience about who are and what your brand is about.