How to photograph something handmade with your phone

FIVE-MINUTE PHONE PHOTO EXERCISE

Show what makes it handmade

Choose a stitched seam, a pencil mark or the uneven rim of a clay bowl. Photograph the same handmade object twice. Change where the light comes from and see which frame makes that one detail easier to notice.

Already have a matching original photo? Choose an open theme

The dated “Something handmade” challenge opens 22 November 2026 at 00:00 UTC and closes 29 November 2026 at 00:00 UTC. The exercise works any day.

Free beta. Sign in to enter an original photograph you took. Entered photos, nicknames and scores are public.

Take two frames with the same camera distance

  1. Choose one detail. Put the object on a plain, stable surface. Leave enough of the object in view that someone can tell what they’re looking at. Move back a little if the camera struggles to focus.
  2. Frame A. Light from near the camera. Use one lamp off to the side of your phone, aiming gently at the front of the object. Keep the lamp out of the picture. Tap on the detail to focus if your phone offers that control.
  3. Frame B. Light from the side. Keep the object and phone still. Move the lamp around to the side at a similar distance and take another frame. With a window, turn the setup and your phone together so the same face of the object gets side light.
A · Front light
Start here to show colour and the whole object.
B · Side light
Look for small shadows beside a stitch or raised edge.

Pick the frame that tells the viewer something

Look at the full photos. Which one shows the stitch, brush mark or uneven edge without losing the shape of the object? Keep the frame that supports your idea. If a shiny patch hides the detail, shift the lamp slightly and try one more frame. Nikon explains how side light reveals texture.

If a label, address or person appears in a frame, move the object or change what is behind it before sharing. You can keep both practice photos private.

Enter one original photo if it fits the brief

Choose the frame you took that best shows how the object was made. Check the live brief before entering. After safety checks and judging, look for an available photography tip in You → Your photos → Try this next.

Choose an open theme

Read the three entry steps or compare your practice photos privately.

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