Hello, wreathers! This post is a long time coming. We have some very important tips for wreath makers so this post is for you...
If you’re an aspiring wreath maker, there are some really important tips we want to share with you. Whether you’re making wreaths as a hobby or you’re running a small wreathing business, there are things you should know about. So pull up a chair and let’s get serious for a few minutes.
The fact of the matter is, you are creating beautiful, unique designs, and when you share beautiful things on the internet, there are always going to be people out there who are ready to steal them and claim them as their own. It’s a sad but true fact! It’s one of the realities of the internet and social media, so as creators, there are some steps you should always take to protect yourself.
Watermarks & Copyrights on Wreath Photography
Let’s talk about watermarking your photography. It’s super important that you add a watermark to your photos before posting them anywhere on the internet or social media. Your name needs to be visible on your photo, preferably blocking some of the actual wreath design.
After having our wreath photos stolen several times, most recently by a company that tried to steal both our photos AND our entire UITC™ patent-pending wreath board making system (for real, it’s infuriating and exhausting), we’ve taken the watermark one step further and we’re now adding a copyright notice on each photo, along with our name. It might interfere with the view of the wreath in the photo but our goal is to make sure that no one steals it, and the copyright directly over the wreath is the most effective way to prevent stealing.
Even in a private Facebook group, though people outside of the group can’t see your post, anyone in the group can download your photo, re-upload it themselves, and claim your design as their own. So you want to put your watermark/copyright on everything you post on social media, no matter what. This rule applies anytime you’re sharing your photos anywhere that feels safe—like on a private forum—in addition to times when you’re sharing your photos more publicly. Be cautious everywhere you share!
How to Add a Copyright/Watermark to Your Photos
There are free tools and apps like Canva that can help you with your watermark/copyright, and a lot of them are available for use on your phone. You can use a soft, slightly transparent white or gray to overlay onto your photo. Of course, you still want to be able to see the wreath, but the text should be clear enough to give you the proper credit and to prevent theft. Run your photo through one of these tools/apps before you upload it to the internet to make sure you’re covering your own back.
Photo Tips for Wreath Makers
Now let’s also talk about the photography of your wreaths. We see so many beautiful wreaths every day, but a lot of them are not being done justice to by the way they are being photographed. The biggest culprit is dim lighting, although a flash on your camera is not the answer to this. A flash makes shadows and colours look very harsh and is not flattering to your creation. And dim lighting just makes it impossible to see and appreciate your work.
The best way to photograph your wreaths is by positioning them near some natural light. The easiest way to do this is to take your wreaths outdoors, but if you can’t take them outdoors, put them near a window to take the photograph. Make sure that the light is illuminating all parts of the wreath and watch out for shadows.
The background that you use behind your wreath is also important. A solid-coloured door or wall in a neutral colour works best, or a plain wood background can also work. Just remember; the darker the background, the more important it is that you’re using natural lighting on the wreath.
Get to know the camera settings on your phone. Phones have pretty amazing cameras these days so you can probably take a very good photo with your camera phone with a little practice. Every phone is different. Have a look at the settings to make sure you understand your phone camera’s capabilities. Google your phone details to get a full understanding of what it can do. For most phones these days, you should be able to find some helpful free tutorials on YouTube that can teach you how to maximize your camera settings and take better photographs.
Lighting & Post Production Tricks
Even if you’ve taken a pretty good photo, you can take things one step further to make the photo look clean, fresh, and professional. If you’ve ever noticed how nice and uniform some Instagram feeds look, it’s often thanks to the purchase of lighting presets.
In the last few years, some photography pros have started to offer special lighting configurations that you can add to your photography to make them look more professional. There is usually a one-time cost to access these presets and then you follow the steps on your app or phone to improve your photos. This is how you can start to get a magazine quality or “editorial” look to your photos. One example is 123Presets. You’ll see that they offer a wide variety of lighting “looks” that will brighten and refine your photography. Another easy app that’s designed more for selfies but can also add finesse to your wreath photos is the Lensa app.
Earlier we talked about the risk of theft, but it’s actually great to have your wreaths shared on social media… just as long as you’re getting the credit! The more beautiful your photos, the more people will be attracted to your creations. Whether you’re selling wreaths or making them as a hobby, the right kind of appreciation in the form of sharing, likes, comments, and pins is well deserved. Protect your work so that no one claims it as their own and take bright and beautiful photos so that you can enjoy all of the attention you deserve!
Facebook for Wreath Makers
You know we’re big fans of Facebook in a lot of ways. We’ve built a huge community there with over 38K of you joining us on our Facebook page and we love to stay updated with you there! But in other ways, it’s not actually the best platform for wreath makers. (And don’t even get us started on Facebook’s constant changes!)
Sharing your photography on your personal Facebook profile means that your privacy settings determine who can see your content. Certainly share your photos with your friends, but don’t expect the reach to go too far. Maybe that level of intimate privacy is okay for you, but once you’ve put your watermark/copyright on your photos, don’t be afraid to share your creations more broadly!
You can reach a much broader audience for your wreath creations on Facebook if you have a “page” or share in a group. We encourage you to share your creations in our Facebook group so we can see them! Our group is very supportive but it’s still always better to be safe with a watermark on all photos. As long as you are supportive and friendly, we invite you to join!
Instagram Tips for Wreath Makers
Let’s also talk about Instagram for a moment. Instagram is a great place to showcase your work. It can even act as a bit of a portfolio for wreath makers, provided you have a public account rather than a private one. Make sure to use lots of hashtags so that people who would be interested in seeing your work can find it. Here are some of the hashtags that we use:
#UITC #uniqueinthecreek - use these whenever you use our boards!
Also:
#Imadethis #makersgonnamake #wreathsofinstagram #wreathmakersofinstagram #wreath
#DIYwreath #wreathmaking #wreathing #wreathmakers #wreaths #wreathmaker #wreathdesigner #wreathdesign
#homedecor - and specific hashtags related to the holiday or season
#DIY #craft #crafting #homedecor #DIYhomedecor #oneofakind #OOAK #handmade #craftersofinstagram #decomesh #decomeshwreath #diyproject
Since you can use up to 30 hashtags on Instagram, you may as well use lots of them to widen your exposure. And be sure to always tag @uniqueinthecreek on Instagram when you use our boards so we can share your work in our Stories! (We just can’t share images from private accounts because of the way the privacy works, but still tag us so we can see what you’re doing!)
There’s a lot more you can do with Instagram to be seen, like using stories, IGTV videos, and Reels to broaden your reach. But we don’t want to overwhelm you so that’s a topic for another blog post.
Pinterest Tips for Wreath Makers
Have you ventured into the world of Pinterest? If you’re not posting your gorgeous wreath creations on Pinterest, you’re missing out! Pinterest is like a non-stop 24/7 candy shop for crafters. It’s a great place to show off your work!
When you create a pin with your beautiful photo that’s been watermarked, always be sure to add a descriptive title. Then be sure to also include a thorough description of your wreath. Our Pinterest specialist, Courtney, recommends that you add four hashtags (optional) with additional details, for example: #wreath #ChristmasWreath #ChristmasDecor #crafting.
If you’re selling your wreaths and you have a website, put in a link that leads to your listing (this is your URL) to drive customers to buy your beautiful UITC wreath creation! We have a lot more to say about Pinterest so stay tuned for a whole blog post dedicated to wreath maker tips for Pinterest coming in the new year!
Bringing It Home
A quick mention about Twitter. This platform is less for creators and more for news but it still has a nice wreath community. On Twitter, you get a maximum of 280 characters in total. That’s not a lot of text but you can squeeze in some of the same hashtags we’ve mentioned above for Instagram and Pinterest to help your work be seen.
So there you have it folks, some of our most important tips for wreath makers for protecting your work and getting it seen safely on social media. And remember, while you're here you can pick up all of you're wreath supplies here. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch via info@uniqueinthecreek.com.