Storenvy hearts all things handmade. But we especially heart the ones that are photographed well — first impressions are everything in e-commerce!

For the awesome new artists and crafters joining SE, I wanted to share these two well-traveled sets of instructions for taking pro product pictures at home, with DIY lightboxes.

Option 1 is from Strobist, a photography lighting blog. The needed materials cost $2-$10, depending on how many you already own, plus your own flash or other light source. It’s framed by a cardboard box. Temptingly easy and cheap, plus a video tutorial on the post. Full instructions here.

Option 2 is from Craftershock, a DIY and inspiration resource for crafters. It costs about $25, including the lights. It’s framed by dowel rods that you nail together. It’s a more permanent option than the first, perfect for regular hobbyists who have a basement corner to reserve as a mini photo studio. Full instructions here.

One “bonus” tip the Craftershock post offers up is to use your camera’s macro setting — on my PowerShot this is the tulip icon — which is designed for close-ups. I’ve found that with this setting you can even toy with focus more than you might expect, but as always, the right lighting is key.

The results:

From Strobist, shot with one flash, as pictured.

From Craftershock.

My own photo, taken on my PowerShot with the tulip (macro) setting, lit by daylight.