etsy

Daniel Foster

Is Etsy the New Silk Road for Copyright Infringement?

While browsing through my image search results on PIXSY (a new service that finds and invoices image theft for you), I was surprised to see my picture for sale on Etsy (above). My immediate reaction:

What an ugly mousepad. I’d never print my photo like this.
The seller seems to be stealing thousands of photos. How could Etsy let this happen?
Who had the nerve to think they could do this?

So my picture was the party and I wasn’t invited. I decided to see what I could do to notify the seller and contact Etsy about the problem.

DL Cade

Intricately Detailed Concrete Recreations of Iconic Film Cameras

Artist Alex Stanton has a thing for photography, but he doesn't actually take any pictures. His obsession with photography is focused on the vintage gear so many of us adore; gear he's decided to preserve in extreme detail using a mix of concrete, bronze, copper, brass, patina, rust, iron, epoxy.

DL Cade

How to Take Quality Product Shots for an Online Store

There are many niches in photography, but one we don't talk about often is taking product photos. Even though these types of shots don't fall under the professional umbrella -- we're not talking professional product photography, just product shots for an online store -- almost everyone at one time or another has had to sell something on eBay or (not for the faint of heart) Craigslist.

And so, we thought we'd share this short "how to" video that Jessica Marquez of Miniature Rhino put together for Etsy. It offers beginners a few basic tips that can help take your product shots (and hopefully sales) to the next level.

Michael Zhang

Nothing Says ‘I Love You’ to Photo Geeks Like This Chocolate DSLR

You've probably seen chocolate-colored DSLR cameras before, but have you ever seen DSLR-shaped chocolate? The camera above was created by San Francisco-based Etsy seller Hans Chung as a gift for his friends and family. It's a highly detailed solid chocolate replica of a Canon 60D that has a battery grip attached.

Michael Zhang

Miniature DSLR Earphone Jack Plugs

Etsy shop Tyndall's Polymerclay sells earphone jack accessories shaped like tiny DSLRs. The plugs are based on popular camera models (e.g. Canon 5D, Nikon D90, Nikon D3), and are created from polymer clay for the body and resin for the lens.

Michael Zhang

Store Your Treasures in this Polaroid Camera Locket

Etsy seller Mariko Carandang sells handmade jewelry, and one of her products is this small treasure locket that's meant to look a little like the Polaroid SX-70.

The treasure locket is perfect for those of us who find and get attached to small objects that get lost in the bottom of a pocket or handbag, but don't quite fit in a wallet. It will keep those trifling but meaningful objects close to you at all times. You can use it to carry a tiny photograph or a good luck charm. Keep a scroll of paper with your favorite quote on it-- a quote you mean to live by.

Michael Zhang

Polaroid Camera Models Made with Paper

Mel Stringer (aka girliepains on Etsy) keeps dreaming up cooler and cooler camera papercraft decorations. Her latest creation is a Polaroid model that include fake Polaroids to stick in the slot.

Michael Zhang

Printable Vintage Box Camera Papercraft

Remember the pastel baby box cameras that we featured a while ago? Well the seller, Mel Stringer (girliepains on Etsy), has a new design for vintage box cameras that's inspired by cameras such as the Brownie, Bakerlite, and Ensign. These could make nice table decorations for when you hang out with your photography-lovin' friends. The templates come on A4-sized PDF files and a cost $4 through Stringer's store.

Michael Zhang

“We Just Click” Valentines Day Card

It's a little to late to get this card in time for Valentine's Day this year, but maybe this can give you some inspiration if you're looking to create one by hand for a special photography-lover in your life. This "We Just Click" card sells for $4.50 from dudeandchick's Etsy store.

Michael Zhang

Cute Hand-Stitched Felt Camera Cases

Hine Mizushima creates unique camera cases for point-and-shoots and sells them through her Etsy store. Each felt case is unique and hand-stitched by Mizushima, and looks like a toy camera. Check out this Flickr set for all the different designs that have been created in the past.

Michael Zhang

Cross-Stitched Polaroid Dark Slide Cards

Check out these super-special Polaroid-themed greeting cards by Heather Champ. They're made using two dark slides from expired Polaroid 600 film:

The five colour bars (celebrating the new PX 70 packaging) create a negative space heart surrounded by the idea of a instant film frame.

Once the front dark slide is cross-stitched, the front and back are dry mounted with rubber cement to folded white card stock. The inside is blank. The card is accompanied by a matching blank white envelope.

Try making these yourself as a do-it-yourself project. If arts and crafts isn't your thing, you can buy them for a special Polaroid-lover in your life for $25 from Heather's Etsy store.