Behind the scenes: Domesticraft is Rocking and Knolling!

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Hi!

Have you ever been doing something, sometimes for a long time, and then find out it's a THING?  And that it's trending?  And that you are a trend setter?  And then in an awesome  group of creative friends that you belong to, you become the "KNOLL QUEEN"?

I know, right?  You are like . . . "It's five (5) days until Nancy launches her new business (again I might add! ;) ) and she's probably a bit stressed! (maybe just a titch) I mean nobody can possibly be so cheerful and positive all the time! (I'm not, just ask the hubs and grands!) So now, she has perhaps gone around the crafty corner a bit and now thinks she's a queen?  And a Knoll Queen?  Is that even a thing, I mean for real?"

Well, that's a big, ol', fat YES!!
 

knolling

v - The process of arranging like objects in parallel or 90 degree angles as a method of organization.

1. Always be knolling. 2. That table is pretty well knolled. 3. Nancy, of Domesticraft fame, is so the Queen Knoll! ♡

Now mind you, I have my own style.  And yes, I totally added number 3 above, just to save the peeps at Urban dictionary a little research time. ;)

It's getting to be a pretty big thing over on Instagram and you can find me there at Queen Knoll. hehe!

There are two (2) good hashtags on Instagram and one is #knolling and the other is from this person (not sure if it's a guy or girl) who has curated a pretty nice gallery at Knollography.  I'm totally hooked and following!

So, now you know what I'm talking about, right?  Now, I am going to show you the method behind my seeming "craft photography on crack" madness (Not a tweetable peeps!) and how it relates to how I shoot a lot of my photography for my new biz!  I'll plug it real quick here for the sake of the blog post story okay?  Cool. ♡

"At Domesticraft,  you will find creatively styled stock photographs, shot with love, by me!  They can be used by all kinds of creatives, small business owners, bloggers and so many more!   It will start with a library of hundreds and will be added to it daily until I reach my goal of 1000 photos.  (I have the photos already, just need to upload them).  I will then update the library on a weekly basis with at least 50 new photos!"  Are you getting so flippin' excited now??
 
A lot of these high resolution styled images are shot in a way  to make it easy to be overlaid with  text to create custom social media adverts & blog/website announcements or overlaid with your own digital product designs.  This will help you get the look of professional styled photography on your blog, website or social media platforms at a doable price point.  I will also be available for custom product shots when you are ready to take your product, blog or website to the next level!


That's all I'm sharing for now.  I will have another blog post for you tomorrow with more fun details and another fascinating story to tell! Stop laughing! :)

So, back to the post.  So we are clear on what knolling is, right?  Now here is what I do with my knolling photographs.  I break them down.

I take maybe a dozen shots from top down.  I have everything laid out on a big, white, foam-core board that I picked up at the dollar store.  Then, when I'm happy I have gotten every detail in the shot from this view point, I hop down off the stool I stand on to take the shot.  I have to bend down a bit because my head hits the ceiling!  It's a combination of high table (on bed risers) and low ceilings. (subterranean apartment)

I do it this way, rather than setting it up on the floor and standing over it, because I plan to get a lot more use out of the knolling layout than just a single knoll shot. That sounds weird, a knoll shot. ;)  I plan to get eye level with it and with it laying on the floor, I just can't get the same kind of shots.  Plus, if I'm taking the time and effort to set up a knoll shot (and put it away after, which is my down fall . . . there are NO knoll fairies that will put all your stuff back where it belongs!) I want a lot more bang for my buck.  I could literally shoot a knoll for a couple of hours and easily get a couple of hundred photos, of which probably 100 knock my socks off and will go into the Domesticraft Styled Stock Photo Library Collection of Creative Loveliness! ♡  I'm really not calling it that, just seeing if you're still reading! hahaha!

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Now, I go eye level.  I get "in the knoll" and look around and find some amazing shots!  When I set up the knoll originally, it is a rather random set up.  I don't spend a lot of time figuring out if this goes with that or if that is aligned just so. (Some Knollers do . . . very much, so don't mess with them!)

And then I just . . . get . . . lost!  Time will have completely left the building and then either one of two things happens.  I run out of space on my phone to take more photos and I have to deal with that or I have to pee.  In case you didn't know and I don't know why I assume everybody does, I take all my photos on my Samsung Galaxy5 and exclusively through the Instagram App!  This is how I keep my overhead low and my prices reasonable and affordable for most peeps.  I'll tell you more about that part tomorrow!  I know, I know . . . you are on pins and needles!  Get it? (see photo above and below for instant help to get my corny joke!)

I'll take a shot, fall in l♡ve, and keep shooting until I've used up that angle. (for now)  Then I move on to a new spot and fall in love all over again!

Now, I'll break it down in a different way, with a different goal in mind.  Now I'm thinking for blog announcements, social media adverts, etc.  I take the shot with plenty of white space in mind.  I kind of think in my head of a magazine cover.  I want the shot to still be creative and beautiful, but now I make sure there is room for a message, sometimes a few different spots. Some examples for this shoot are photo number one (1), three (3) sixteen (16) and seventeen (17).

When I have to, absolutely have to, stop the photo shoot, I will take the foam-core board and carefully place it somewhere that I can get it out one more time before I have to put everything away, because like I said . . . NO put-awayer knoll fairy chick ever shows up!

Now I'll take it out one last time, maybe the same day, maybe a day or two later.  I'll turn the board so the back is now the front and I'll repeat the entire process except for the top down shot.  I usually get plenty of them to start and can always rotate the heck out of those.

You would be amazed what a little time and a different viewpoint will accomplish, both in photography and life!  It's all perspective and you get to choose it!  Dang, I love my job . . . it makes me sound so Obe-Wan Kenobi-ish sometimes! :)  Here's a quote for my nerdy friends, "Just relax, concentrate"  hehe, I love that one.

So, that's it for this post.  I really, really, really hope you enjoyed it!  I think it might be my favorite post, EVAH!  I could pretty much talk about my work, my job, my passion ALL DAY LONG!   Enjoy the rest of the photos and make sure to go to the very end of the post, where I left a special message just for YOU!!

Thanks so much ladies for stopping by!  I think you all are awesome and again, I thank you for sharing all the ups and downs of my journey for the past year or so. ♡ You've helped me so much in my biz, in ways you don't even know and have totally made me a better person.  In sha Allah, (God willing) I've been able to return the favor a little.  I'll keep trying. :)  Leave me your thoughts on what you think of Knolling and let me know if you think I should abdicate!  I really would hate to give up the crown!  A lot.



xoxoxo
Nancy