What soapy thing have you done today?

[penelopejane]

Funny you mention that. I don't like the crinkle cut, at all. But I'll plane the sides smooth to see if that improves the look. If not, I'll plane the whole darned bar! I've got another batch I did a crinkle cut on and just hate it. The sides are smooth. The reason those bars are so messed up is because I cut them crooked and tried to correct it. I ended up losing about a whole bar in my "corrections."

I'll take a couple of photos of shawls I have and post them to see if any of these will be good backgrounds for the photos. I also have some shirts I could probably tack up to the wall. Or just use my bathroom. I'll post that photo, too and see what y'all think of that.

That is so funny. I have tried to correct imperfections and ended up with nothing left of the silly bar of soap except confetti. :twisted: I agree about the crinkle cut. I have corrugated walls on my house but I don't love it in soap. KISS: Keep it simple, soaper is my motto which I shamelessly stole from DeeAnna.

I think it was Irish Lass who suggested using the cooktop because the lights from the rangehood work well, if you have one. I, of course, have eco lights that barely light the frypan but the under the counter cupboard lights combined with a desk lamp really do the trick for lighting. I still haven't perfected my background. I use a timber cutting board as a base which looks nice (not as nice as your dresser) but only use a black sheet for a background at the moment.

Still looking for something artistic.

About your photos:
I like the timber on the wall.

I like all the soap dishes except the bird one and the clam shell one (green) I personally think they are a bit busy. The balcony timber looks good but you would have to do it close up enough to block out the grass.

I have seen the most rustic (crappy) looking timber look wonderful for a backdrop.

 

[snappyllama]

I think I'm going to wait until tomorrow and do these in the yard. I was trying to figure alternative ways of taking the photos, but there's not much lighting in my house and I've only got a few goose neck lamps. I used those to light the shots I took. I was thinking of taking the photos in my living room and set this up (first photo) and the shots would look like the second photo. But I think there's not enough light. So, I took a couple of the soap dishes out onto the back porch and set them down. I think I'll have better luck placing the soaps on the ground and stumps in the yard and a bit in the overgrown grass. I'll have to see how that goes tomorrow. Here are the soap dishes that I have to work with.

I really like the bead-board backdrop from the second set of pictures! It's clean/simple/old-fashioned/doesn't distract.

One thing I really don't like when I see photos of toiletries/soap/or even jewelry for sale is to see anything that looks dirty in the photo, like, umm actual dirt or grass. I'm weird though... fall leaves in a bowl with soap on wooden countertop = fine. Soap on fall leaves on ground = wouldn't buy. Soap on something with sky and blurred tree leaves and no ground showing = fine. Same photo with ground showing = wouldn't buy.

I guess I'm subconsiously concerned about whether the bar I'm going to buy was the one on the ground in the photo shoot - and if the seller has a big dog like mine.

 

[earlene]

I really like the bead-board backdrop from the second set of pictures! It's clean/simple/old-fashioned/doesn't distract.

I agree, the bead-board would be a good background. Being white, it would reflect the light rather than absorb it. Somehow I missed the second set of pictures when I was replying earlier. So I will add a bit more here for TeresaT.

Using the bead-board photo as your photo shoot location, you could cover the wooden top with something plain and not so light absorbing, as I mentioned before, and more directed light. Then one of your soap dishes (or not, but they are all nice) and your soap.

One exception about the soap dishes: the one with the bird is pretty on its own, but when you had soap in it, I had to spend too much time trying to figure out what was sticking up behind the soap (the bird) to notice the soap at first. So I think it might be too distracting, at least to my eye.

 

[TeresaT]

I really like the bead-board backdrop from the second set of pictures! It's clean/simple/old-fashioned/doesn't distract.

One thing I really don't like when I see photos of toiletries/soap/or even jewelry for sale is to see anything that looks dirty in the photo, like, umm actual dirt or grass. I'm weird though... fall leaves in a bowl with soap on wooden countertop = fine. Soap on fall leaves on ground = wouldn't buy. Soap on something with sky and blurred tree leaves and no ground showing = fine. Same photo with ground showing = wouldn't buy.

I guess I'm subconsiously concerned about whether the bar I'm going to buy was the one on the ground in the photo shoot - and if the seller has a big dog like mine.

Haha. That's funny. We all have our own quirks. I wasn't going to put the soap on the ground or on the tree stumps (although it did appear that way in my post). I was going to put the soap dish on the ground/tree stumps and the soap inside them. Yeah, it would be gross to get some tree sap or ants on the soap. I have a huge tub of cedar chips I was thinking of putting down to give a clean area for the dishes to rest on. I nixed the outside idea though. I don't want to crate the dogs so I can go into the back yard and I can't do it with them out. I don't want to do it out front and have my neighbors coming over to "inspect" my work. Inside it is.

I agree, the bead-board would be a good background. Being white, it would reflect the light rather than absorb it. Somehow I missed the second set of pictures when I was replying earlier. So I will add a bit more here for TeresaT.

Using the bead-board photo as your photo shoot location, you could cover the wooden top with something plain and not so light absorbing, as I mentioned before, and more directed light. Then one of your soap dishes (or not, but they are all nice) and your soap.

One exception about the soap dishes: the one with the bird is pretty on its own, but when you had soap in it, I had to spend too much time trying to figure out what was sticking up behind the soap (the bird) to notice the soap at first. So I think it might be too distracting, at least to my eye.

Based on the advice given, I've covered the dresser with a white cloth. I dropped a colorful shawl onto the dresser as a backdrop and took some shots. Then I remembered I had a couple of taller lamps in the garage and got those out for some extra light. The stamped soaps were done with four lamps shining on them (the other two only had two lamps on them). I think this will work just fine for what I'm trying to achieve. I can use the soap dishes for the more colorful soaps and the shawl for the more neutral ones. I don't like the calla lily soaps at all. They're hard to photograph and they've all got obvious defects on them. I think I'll do those at a bit farther distance than shown here.

Any suggestions to improve this version?

 

[penelopejane]

Love the white timber background.
Love the colour of the shawl but is it related to soap? Does it matter?
I liked the timber dresser as the base with all its imperfections. It had character.
I like the stacks and would stack the lily ones too.

The lighting is great now. 2 lights seem fine.

 

[lenarenee]

That last photo cracks me up - looks like the shawl is getting "grilled" by some 1940's film noir detective!

 

[Ruthie]

Based on the advice given, I've covered the dresser with a white cloth. I dropped a colorful shawl onto the dresser as a backdrop and took some shots. Then I remembered I had a couple of taller lamps in the garage and got those out for some extra light. The stamped soaps were done with four lamps shining on them (the other two only had two lamps on them).
Any suggestions to improve this version?[/QUOTE]

I understand you not wanting to crate the doggies. That being said, some of the best photos I have taken were outside on a stump with a doilie on it and/or a soap dish. I would post them to show, but they are buried in our computer that crashed. I've also used a large scarf on the chest freezer, and boxes under the scarf to visually create different heights. Having good light is a big deal, so do what you must to get it.

 

[powderpink]

Based on the advice given, I've covered the dresser with a white cloth. I dropped a colorful shawl onto the dresser as a backdrop and took some shots.

Any suggestions to improve this version?

First of all, I don't mean the following in a harsh way...just trying to be as honest/clear as I can in the hope that it can help you improve.

I have zero pro photography/art experience, but when I look at the pictures with the shawl, I can't help but feel something is missing. Right now it just looks like a stack of soap and someone didn't feel like getting the shawl out of the way before taking the picture.

Aside from that, is there *any* relation between the soaps and the shawl? E.g. if you had a scent called cashmere, I could imagine a picture including a luxurious shawl( and maybe some pearls and bubblies) or if it was a soap line that had silk in it... That doesn't mean I think a shawl (or any cloth) can't have purpose in this picture... but you'd probably need some more elements added to the picture to make it blend in with the background and really let the soap take center stage.

So my question would be... what are you trying to tell us with these pictures? What feelings should it evoke? A "no place like home"/cozy/warm feeling? Luxurious? Peaceful...?

Another thing I'd like to add (once you start to get comfortable taking pictures) is: composition. When creating pictures like these, you want all eyes on the soap I assume. Everything around it enhances the soap's story/ the user's experience, but ultimately it is about the soap. So try placing other elements in such a way that they lead your eyes to the soap.

This seems a bit out of place, since it's about Disney's Mulan, but I think it explains the basics of composition pretty well. Have a look

http://chrisoatley.com/pdf/Mulan_Style_Guide.pdf

Hope it helps you on your way a bit!I'm sorry if some bits of what I wrote come off as vague still though. It's late over here and I should go sleep

And if you want to work with colour themes a colour palette picker ( there are several you can find with google) might help give you some inspiration
---------------------------
I narrowed the scent sample picking down to fifty and I think that's where it'll stay :mrgreen:
Added some new pigments, shrink wrap, glassine sheets and squeeze bottles too.
Ordering tomorrow! *gulp* I went way over budget, but hey... christmas! Amiright?


So my plan B is to now just make a ton of (uni coloured) sample soaps and give those as gifts. In a way I like it because that way no one gets exactly the same 6 scents, and I can cater to their likings easier (e.g. if someone absolutely hates lavender, I can easily get them something else).
I might make 1 or 2 fancy christmas soap loafs though.

 

[earlene]

Based on the advice given, I've covered the dresser with a white cloth. I dropped a colorful shawl onto the dresser as a backdrop and took some shots. Then I remembered I had a couple of taller lamps in the garage and got those out for some extra light. The stamped soaps were done with four lamps shining on them (the other two only had two lamps on them). I think this will work just fine for what I'm trying to achieve. I can use the soap dishes for the more colorful soaps and the shawl for the more neutral ones. I don't like the calla lily soaps at all. They're hard to photograph and they've all got obvious defects on them. I think I'll do those at a bit farther distance than shown here.

Any suggestions to improve this version?

The lighting is so much better!

The colorful shawl is a good contrast for plain soap. If you want to keep the bathing theme going, the colorful item could be a washcloth or towel. But I think any splash of color would be nice in the same context.

In your editing software, you may be able to straighten photos (when needed) and to adjust colors, etc. Sometimes it seems like more trouble than it's worth, but I do notice the background bead-board is shaded differently in all 4 photos above. You could fix that if you wanted and it could make your photo more 'true' or less accurate, based on which way you go. For a single photo it may not matter at all, but for a series shown together, it might.

I do like the calla lily soaps, but that may be because my mom grew calla lilies in our yard and I like the soaps because of that.

I have found that although a beautiful bar of soap made in a detailed individual mold may look fabulous when unused, once it starts losing its detail in use, it can become quite unattractive. It's kind of sad. I make these beautiful little soaps for my granddaughter to use on her face and once they've worn down a bit, they look like blobs. I'm thinking of trying some of the ribbon pours in some of these smaller detailed molds in hopes that once the soap is in use at least the colors will keep them pretty. :think:

 

[chela1261]

A friend of mine asked me to make her son some soap. He just started college and the school colors are orange and black. All I kept thinking was Halloween lol so I added some white and she loves it. Can't wait to unmold it this afternoon

 

[chela1261]

Oops one more with the dividers in

 

[earlene]

This morning I unpacked the forgotten box of soap I made during my travels. (I had already unpacked the easy to see soap as it wasn't packed away in a shoe box like these were.) Man they are hard as rocks! I am not even sure I will be able to bevel the extremely hard and sharp edges. I'll try that later, though as I just rinsed them all in water to get the bits of soap flakes that was also in the box. I used a high lye concentration (low water) when I made them so that I could unmold them sooner since I was on the road. Then before we left for Alaska, I packed them up as compactly as I could, with some desiccation packets to absorb excess moisture and left them in the trunk of the car where they stayed for the next 2 weeks. In spite of the desiccation packets, the MP soaps I made were still moist, but the lye soaps I made are, as I said, rock solid. Well, except for the pumice soap, not as hard as the higher lye concentration soaps I made for the August Pokemon Challenge. The eye shadow colorants I used in those are a bit more sparkly now than when I first did them, probably related to the better lighting in my kitchen, though. I actually like the sparkly look even though it wasn't part of the plan.

ETA: Moved curing soaps around upstairs. I had moved most of it out of granddaughter's room when we had guests. Recorded weights of sample soaps from different batches. Trying to decide if I want to do a ribbon pour today or wait a few days and do housework instead.

 

[powderpink]

Getting ready for some colour work

First attempt hanger swirl, will be scented with BB Vetyver.

 

[nsmar4211]

Made a batch of lavender, got smart and found my old painting respirator because when you add lavender to hot HP batter it gets a little.......overwhelming. Respirator worked great! Cheapo Home Depot one. I may start using it more.

Something bad happened to my laundry stain stick attempt of 100% coconut oil at 0% superfat, HP. I ended up with chunks that looked so much like liquid soap paste I checked my lye (I used the right one). That's still cooking after adding some more water so we'll see...I may have to make soap balls out of it . Does have a lather and doesn't zap but sheesh.

Tonight will be "wash the soap dishes" night. Oh, and I sniffed another round for the rustic escentuals review thread. Think I'm done smelling things for the day!

 

[powderpink]

oops. soap traced too fast... I added clay to oils BEFORE blending and stickblended for way too long + used a recipe with mostly hard oils...What was I thinking XD

I just hope it still looks nice when I cut it *fervently counting down days until the cutting*

 

[MySoapyHeart]

Today I made a short video on instagram of me shredding soap a different way, a way I am so doing from now on. Anne Marie from BB commented on the video, so I guess it doesn`t matter who you are in the soapy world, confettimaking is a chore all soapers know can take time and effort.

Why did I not think about this before? The solution was right under my nose the whole time. I have not seen anyone do it this way before, but am sure I have not invented anything new, you guys have probably done this many times over.

But for me at least it was something new. I found the whole process quite soothing too, which is not the words I usually chose when it comes to make confetti out of rock hard soapy bits that was way too small to grate up comfortably. But this time it went like a breeze.

I also made a confetti-Bastile. Can`t wait until the cut. Confetti soaps are fun to do, never know what the results are going to be.

 

[dibbles]

Today I made a short video on instagram of me shredding soap a different way, a way I am so doing from now on. Anne Marie from BB commented on the video, so I guess it doesn`t matter who you are in the soapy world, confettimaking is a chore all soapers know can take time and effort.

Why did I not think about this before? The solution was right under my nose the whole time. I have not seen anyone do it this way before, but am sure I have not invented anything new, you guys have probably done this many times over.

But for me at least it was something new. I found the whole process quite soothing too, which is not the words I usually chose when it comes to make confetti out of rock hard soapy bits that was way too small to grate up comfortably. But this time it went like a breeze.

I also made a confetti-Bastile. Can`t wait until the cut. Confetti soaps are fun to do, never know what the results are going to be.

I don't have Instagram, so what did you do? Shredding soap is such a PITA.

 

[dibbles]

I made a small batch of bath truffles using Sarah Milroy's (Spicy Pinecone) recipe. And I really need to wash soapy dishes.

 

[artemis]

Today I made a short video on instagram of me shredding soap a different way...

Why did I not think about this before? The solution was right under my nose the whole time. I have not seen anyone do it this way before, but am sure I have not invented anything new, you guys have probably done this many times over.

But for me at least it was something new. I found the whole process quite soothing too,

I think I saw it. For my laundry soap, I do mine with the shredder attachment for my Kitchen Aid. It is sort of hypnotic to watch.

 

[penelopejane]

Got my order of FO's.

Can't wait to make some soap. Son is visiting for a few days though and I think there are other things on the agenda of his choosing, first. :silent:
And we are having a late father's day celebration while he is here so I guess DH's choices are somewhat important too.