It’s so easy to get stuck for ideas when taking photos for blog posts, and one of the easiest ways to liven them up is by using props. I love pictures to look a little ‘busy’ but not excessively so, so that’s the kind of look that I aim for with my own photographs. In all honesty, we’re all learning – I’m no where near where I want my photographs to be, but I’m happier with them than I was a few months ago and that’s a start! Today I thought I’d share some of the props that I reach for during a blog shoot to add a little character to my photographs – a lot of these are more ‘beauty’ focused with my blog being all about beauty and lifestyle:
Makeup brushes – the prettier the better, and Zoeva and Spectrum have a beautiful selection. I like scattering these around the products I’m talking about, particularly eyeshadow palettes.
Lipsticks – obviously, with my blog being primarily focused on beauty and lifestyle, I love me a good lipstick prop. The one above is a new favourite of mine from Tanya Burr.
Eyelash Curlers – a bit of an unusual one but I use them everyday so it makes perfect sense for them to feature in so many of my posts!
Rings – or any jewellery for that matter. A little metallic touch always makes a photograph a bit more special.
Washi Tape – this is more of a universal prop, and it comes in so handy when I’m creating a stock library of photographs. You can get all sorts of colours and patterns, Paperchase and eBay usually have a good selection.
Trays – little dishes and trinket trays can add some more dimension to your photographs as they stand out from the background. I like finding mine at H&M Home.
Hair Grips – again, this one is a little stranger but these are perfect for ‘filling in’ a gaping white space and that’s usually what I opt for when a section of the photograph needs something extra.
Flowers/Cacti – this is a really common prop for a reason: it adds a little nature to a photograph, can be switched around depending on the season and there’s hardly anyone that doesn’t think they look beautiful. Win, win.
Clothing – if you have any interesting textures and fabrics in your closet then they’re really useful for adding into your blog photographs! Here’s a post where I used a plain ribbed grey top to add a bit more texture to my photographs.
Candles – another basic blogger prop but they’re (again) so universal and so pretty! Whether you’re using an empty candle jar to display makeup brushes, or you have a fresh one lit, they work as the perfect prop for so many posts.
I use a lot more props so let me know if you’d like a part two!
What are your favourite props for blog photography?