If you were to peak at some of the items I first sold on etsy and then look at my listings now I’m fairly confident you would see that I actually learned how to use my camera.  I have spent months learning how to take decent pictures with my camera and have shot, edited, re-shot and re-edited each listing numerous times.  The forums on etsy have also been extremely helpful to me this respect.  Here are just a  few threads I found:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6384998

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6399190

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6317469

  I still have to work on some of my photo’s, but I feel pretty good about most.

One of the hardest items to shoot (not including jewelry – that by  far, is the most difficult) is quilts.  They are so large, colorful, and textured.  It’s hard to portray in just five pictures how beautiful a quilt is.  I have been a member of the Quiltsy Team on etsy and it used to be a challenge for me to put together a treasury with 12 decently pictured quilts from 12 different shops (sorry guys but it’s true.)  Now, it’s easy!  I found 12 amazingly shot (and made) quilts to put in my treasury and I had 4 alternates…and I could have had more. 

On etsy, not only do have you have to be good at the craft you are creating but you also have to be good at photographing that item…which is much harder than you would think… Starting from the upper left and reading like a book:

• Lantern Bloom Charm Quilt from lmkQuilts
• Simply Delicious from bungalowquilts
• Retro Citrus Fun Lap Quilt from QuiltsbyBarb
• Roller Coaster Baby or Toddler Quilt from OriginalsbyLauren
• Panache Blocks Quilt from Quiltville
• Painter’s Canvas Quilt in Lantern Bloom from Laura Gunn from SFOQuilter
• Batiks around the Nation Lap Quilt from KimsCraftyApple
• Black, White and Red All Over Quilt - 70 x 70 w/ Matching 16 Inch Pillow Cover from warmnfuzzies
• Flower Boxes Quilt with Organic Batting from MountainHomeQuilts
• Bohemian Baby Patchwork Quilt from Whimbrella
• Baby Genuises Grow Up III, Crib Quilt from QuiltingCafe
• Midnight Garden Quilt from withhugsnstitches

Which ones are your favorites?