A Game-Changer for My Blog Photos

I recently did an online course with CDI on product photography using just my mobile phone. What an eye-opener! I had no idea that a few simple rules could make such a big difference.

Now, my photos look so much better—and I think it really shows on the blog. Learning about lighting, angles, and styling has completely changed the way I approach taking pictures. No fancy equipment, just a bit of know-how and practice.

If you're like me and always felt your photos didn’t quite do your work justice, I’d definitely recommend giving a course like this a try. It’s made blogging so much more fun!

 

The other day I was rushing to wrap a small gift—a box of special tea for a friend—when I realised I had zero wrapping paper left. 

But then I remembered my stash of scrap fabrics (thank goodness for that drawer!). I found a piece of beautiful purple sheer fabric that matched the colours on the tea box perfectly. Paired it with a bright orange ribbon I had lying around—and just like that, the gift looked unique, elegant, and totally me.

Scrap fabric for the win! 🌿💜

 

Here’s the setup:
One of the best tips from the CDI course was to use natural sunlight—no fancy lights needed! I set up my table right in front of a window to make the most of that soft, even light.

To reduce shadows on the other sides of the gift, I followed their advice and propped up some white cardboard and paper around it. Simple trick, but it really works! The light bounces back nicely, and the photos come out looking clean and bright.

I don’t have a top-of-the-range smartphone, but I was amazed at how many useful features I’d been overlooking. The course really opened my eyes to what my phone camera could actually do. Just by adjusting the light settings and playing around with a couple of filter options, I was able to get a much more polished result.

  

The above two photos really show the difference by just adjusting the settings.

Which one do you prefer? Let me know in the comments!

📸It’s amazing how just a bit of planning can make a photo feel more professional, even when you're just using your phone. 

Best of all, my friend absolutely loved the gift. She said it looked “too pretty to open,” which totally made my day. It reminded me how a little creativity and thoughtfulness can turn even the simplest things into something special.