Props for Pretty Blog Photos (Blog Photo Props)

When I see a blog with nice photos, it just gets me drooling and I am instantly attracted although the content is what makes me visit again. With this at the back of my mind, I have tried to emulate and get inspiration to make my photos appealing to the eye and my content as well. I am going to share some props I use for my photos and I would illustrate using one beauty product so you can understand better. I decided to use one neutral product (Chanel Les Beiges Powder) which has amazing packaging to illustrate some of the ways I use these props. Some of these props can be used alone and some can be used in combination. There are no rules; always push boundaries and be creative. 

White Background/Surface

I think this may be the most popular background because it draws in more light to pictures and on the subject/object. Also, an object, say a beauty product, always looks much better against a white background and its details are vibrant and better emphasized. There are various props to get a white background; you can use a large white cardboard paper or board, a white sheet, a white table top, etc. I use my Micke Desk from IKEA and it makes a large difference to my pictures. I also recently purchased a Lack Table also from IKEA and it's much smaller and easier for me to move towards my light source.

Candles

This is another blogger favourite because it just adds a lovely ambience to pictures. You can have them lit to add a warm background to your pictures but I personally don't do that. I have quite a few candles which I happily burn at night, however,  I don't own any expensive ones like the infamous Diptyque Candles or Jo Malone ones but I love them and hope to buy one someday. For the purpose of blogging, I like to use candles with pretty packaging as it makes the pictures pretty.

 Faux Rug
This is one of my favourite props because it just makes both the picture and the product look lush. Also, it's a white background so it illuminates the object and adds some dimension and character to the photo. Mine is the Faux/Fake Sheep Skin rug from IKEA and it was only a tenner and I love it. It's strictly for blog photos though :-) because I would be so sad if it gets dirty.

Magazines
I love using magazines stacked neatly in my photos or spread out as a background for my photos. Sometimes, I feel it looks distracting but you need to find flattering angles (with practice) and choose a nice page if you are spreading the magazine out. I think it's safer to use a stack of magazines if you are just trying to experiment.

Pretty vintage bottles
This is not overly popular but it looks really good especially when it is blurred out and I have used it in a few blog posts. They add a vintagey look to blog photos which I think looks great. The bottles are from Fentimans (one contained Rosewater and the other lemonade) and I kept them long after the contents were finished because I thought they looked cute.

Wrapping Paper/Wallpaper
I love beautiful wrapping paper and I often keep the ones I receive alongside gifts if they are pretty. I got mine from a shop on Horseferry Road in Central London. I can't recall the name of the shop but the wrapping papers sold there were of high quality with eye catching designs. If you are using wrapping paper for blog photos, make sure the colours don't clash with your product as it would make the photo very distracting.

Wooden Surfaces
This is not very popular but I have used it a couple of times and I love it. It contrast really well against most products. I use this tray I purchased from Sainsbury's which doubles as a blog prop and also a food tray when I want to have my meals in my room or breakfast in bed. I think more popular trays are white wooden trays which I love and maybe, I may just get one.

Flowers/Vases
This is by far one of the most popular props used in the beauty blogging world (along with candles). It just makes blog photos look so lush and pretty. As much as I would love to use real/natural flowers, they are quite expensive and a hassle to maintain so I use artificial flowers instead and I purchased these ones from Wilkinson and I got the jars from different random stores. You can photograph the flowers in focus with the product or take them out of focus (blurry) which I prefer to do most times. Flowers just add so much life and character to a blog photo.

Teacup/Saucer
I really like using this especially for smaller beauty products as it looks quite unusual and tells some sort of story. You can put the product in like I did here in this post or just on the saucer leaning against the teacup like so in the picture. I love using teacups and saucers although it can be quite challenging depending on the product but I think it looks lovely..

These are just some ways that can help switch up your blog photos and majority of these props are inexpensive. My desk is the most convenient place for me to take pictures but I like to experiment with pictures and I mix a few of these props to add more dimension and narrative to my blog photos. I hope you have enjoyed this and if you have any more tips for blog photo props, leave us a comment below...x