More Photos of Vintage Photos Collection...A Kinda-Sorta Tutorial

Thank you so much for your interest and comments about my Photos of Vintage Photos Collection posted on yesterdays Pink Saturday.  I thought I'd elaborate on my 'Setting Em'Up" techniques...not really techniques, but more like grabbing this and that, borrowing from here and there, and well, okay...a few Techniques for Successful Setups.

First, I will tell you that many of the photos in my collection are NOT my People/Ancestors, but Vintage Photos that I find in my Junktique Adventures.  I do buy a few, but mostly, I take photos of them in settings like the one shown here of the old Philco.

 Of course it helps that I am an Antique Dealer and have access to an Antique Shop where I am able to 'SetEm'Up' and photograph.  Most Antique Shops are very accomodating about photographing in their shops, but it is a good idea to ask for permission.

Sometimes finding the photos can be a challenge as many Antique Dealers with old photos tend to hide them in boxes and stick them under the bottom shelf where only dustbunnies and creepy crawlies live.  You'd think they really didn't want to sell them, and if you are lucky enough to find a whole Album of old pictures...you have hit the jackpot!

Once I have found the photo or photos as in the case here of what is apparently photos from the same family....always look for like framing and studio markings, and I think they look like brother and sister.  Then I start gathering the rest of the props.  On this particular setup, I actually started with the Focus Prop....the old Philco radio/record player and thought about how my Grandmother would have used it in her living room.  So, from here and there I borrowed the rest of the props and photos...always remembering where I borrowed them from so they could be returned.
Once the 'SetUp' is ready, I take multiple photos from different angles.  Some with the entire 'SetUp' showing the booth in the background and then Closeups.

Here are a few Rules of Design to consider when 'Setting Up' a Still Life:
~Something Large, Something Medium and Something Small.
~Group the Lrg-Med-Sm in THREE's.
~Consider Colors and Textures
~Overlap, Layer and Stack

Turn your camera for verticle shots, horizontal shots and diagonal shots.

Much of the fun is in the Editing when you get home to your PC.  I use Windows 7 Live Photo Gallery where cropping, exposure, changing Effects, Sizing,and many more Editing features can be used.  I also use Paint.  It is my 'Old Standby' for Editing and I often take photos from WinPhotoGallery to Paint for some 'Sue Special Techniques' like these....

 These certificates and photo are from my Mothers high school scrap book.  In paint, I am able to enlarge, copy, paste and layer images to create the collage.  Takes some practice, several open windows and did I mention practice.  Paint was my First Editing program, and with the Windows 7 Version it is pretty User Friendly.  This Photo of my Vintage Photo Collections was featured in Scrapbook Revelations...Thelma the Scabby Knees Stenographer.

Another Paint Collage of my Great Great Aunt Palmyra used in the post

Palmyra ~ The Bride of The Desert

And lastly, my Favorite SetUp Photos...my own Family Memorabilia and Photos.

This one of a letter from my Grandmother Estella,  her vase and the photo of my brother and me

 with our Grandmother we met only once. 

That story on Tracks of My Texas Ancestors

The Grandmother I Met Only Once

I hope some of my Photo SetUp Ideas will give you some

Ideas and Inspiration!

Thanks again for your interest in my Vintage Photo Collections,

CollectInTexas Gal and Tracks of My Texas Ancestors.

PS...One More Tip...Most any Photo can be made to look Vintage!  Just change it to Black&White or Sepia Tones.  You can do this in most of your PC Photo Programs.  In Windows Live Gallery it is an EFFECT choice.  And for even more Fun Effects...give PICNIC a try.