A Moment Stopped Blog List

Spring is in the air!  Flowers, Easter, and pastels have all arrived.  While making your springtime plans, those may include a spring themed photoshoot.  If that is the case, consider adding some spring-themed photo props into your setup.  Whenever I am choosing my props for a spring shoot, I usually pick out my background/setting first.  Do I want to go with a brown or white wall?  How about a field of flowers?  Maybe I want to pick out a specialty Easter backdrop?  Whatever you decide, there is a prop for you! If you would like inspiration for your shoot, I compiled a list of 15 spring-themed photo props that I would use to create my spring shoot.  I wanted to share the list with others who may be planning their own spring pics: Bunnies Rocking Chair Lantern Baskets Colored Eggs Cross Flowers Carrots Baby Animals Butterflies Cloth Banner Metal Wash bin Garden Tools Fancy Tea Cups Clay Pots For more inspiration on each item, please continue reading: Bunnies When it comes to spring-themed photo props, this one is low hanging fruit. No matter the size, age, or color, bunnies are a perfect prop for those Easter photos.  This time of year you can find stuffed animals in so many areas, and you can have your pick of types.  This particular year, I used Peep bunnies to do my shoots. Please note: When I refer to bunnies as props, I am referring to stuffed animals or costume components.  Real life animals are more than just props, and should be treated as such. 😊 Rocking Chair Spring invokes memories of sitting outdoors, enjoying the cool breeze and warm sun.  What better way to enjoy the scene that with a rocking chair. Because a rocking chair can be used so many different ways, it is a favorite prop of mine.  I have a small one for children, that can be decorated for so many different seasons.  Lantern Lantern – every photographer should have one for a prop!  To use it for spring photos, try wrapping some ivy or flower vines around the handle.  Or, use a colored candle that matches the rest of your setup. Baskets Easter baskets are a must this time of year.  This prop works well when it is paired with Easter Eggs or flowers.  The great think as well, you can find so many different colors to match your setup. If you are in a crafty mood and would like to make your own basket prop, check out this Ombre DIY Easter Basket from the Happiest Camper. Colored Eggs By far one of the most fun props to use is Easter Eggs.  To avoid a mess, I like to use plastic ones that can be found at the Dollar Store.  These can be used in a variety of ways: Scattered around the floor of the shoot Placed in a basket as another prop Have a child hold the egg so they have something to do with their hands Have an infant sit in a tub surrounded by plastic eggs String them up so you have a garland of eggs Cross Remembering the sacred reason for Easter can add a beautiful touch to a photoshoot.  You can use a cross and other elements into your shoot in a tasteful manner.  Other items that can incorporate a religious element into your shoot: Stained glass Palm Leaves Lamb Fish Flowers Springtime is time for blooming flowers!  Fill baskets or pots with some beautiful flowers, or have your subject hold them.  Some popular spring flower options are: Daffodil Tulip Lilac Daisy Iris Columbine Pansy Carrots Looking for something to pair with your bunnies?  Carrots work well as an additional prop, or even a standalone.  If you have an old “kissing booth” or “lemonade stand” prop, you could turn it into a carrot shop.  Vintage Easter shoots are a popular option.  If you would like to make your own carrot props that would work with a vintage setting, check out this DIY Eater Carrot Décor Tutorial blog post from Restore Décor and More. Baby Animals How do you make an animal even cuter? Get the baby version of the animal!  This time of year you can find stuffed animals of lambs, chicks, and claves in many stores.  Or, if you are like me, you have some of those animals laying around from your childhood already!  These work great as distractions for kids as well. Butterflies Spring means butterflies.  Butterflies are a beautiful and colorful prop option to add a spring feel to your setup.  You can find plastic ones at craft stores and online.  You can also hold onto them and use them for a butterfly cake smash at a different time.  If you use butterflies, you can also consider using flowers to go along with them.  Your subject could also wear butterfly wings to round out the whole picture! Cloth Banner For spring photos, if you would like to use a cloth banner, consider using burlap as one of the elements.  Pastel colors also made a good option. Wreaths Seasonal wreaths make a fun, colorful addition to a photoshoot.  Try making one in pastels or burlap to match the season.  If you are in the mood to make a wreath for your shoot, check out this DIY Easter Deco Mesh Wreath from Down Read Bud Drive. Garden Tools Want to do a garden themed shoot for Easter?  Or better yet, take pictures in a real garden?  Grab some gardening tools before you do!  They can serve as props, then be used for gardening afterwards.  Try getting some action shots of your subject using them to add some variety. Fancy Tea Cups Tea parties are a fun activity, so try incorporating fancy tea cups with saucers into your shoot.  You can include the stuffed animals to make a “tea party” out of the event. Clay Pots Clay pots work well with the gardening tools prop!  Or you can also fill them with Easter Eggs or flowers.  If you have some flowers already in bloom, then that is even better.  For added fun, if you have children, you can have them paint the pots before the shoot.  Then, their artwork will also be remembered in the photos. Summary In summary, here is a list of 15 spring-themed photo props to help inspire your next photo scene setup: Bunnies Rocking Chair Lantern Baskets Colored Eggs Cross Flowers Carrots Baby Animals Butterflies Cloth Banner Metal Wash bin Garden Tools Fancy Tea Cups Clay Pots If you enjoyed this post, please check out some of my other seasonal prop articles! Fall-Themed Photo Props (15 Unique Ideas) Halloween-Themed Photo Props (13 Spooky Ideas) Christmas and Winter Themed Photo Props (15 Useful Ideas) St. Patrick’s Day Photo Props (10 Golden Ideas)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  When you hear St. Patrick’s Day, many things may come to mind: Green beer, four leaf clovers, and rainbows with pots of gold at the end.  One of the images that is probably not on the forefront is photo shoots.  However, if you are looking to have a little fun or trying to boost sales during a slow photo shoot season, a themed shoot with St. Patrick’s Day photo props may be perfect for you!    A St. Patrick’s Day photo shoot can be a fun picture opportunity.  However, if you need a more solid reason, some reasons to consider doing a St. Patrick’s Day photo shoot include: Boost sales during a slow photo shoot season if you decide to do a paid shoot Get pictures of your loved ones between Christmas family photos and Easter shots with the Easter bunny Shoot for “Baby’s first St. Patrick’s Day” Have a picture for the month of March if you make a calendar for the grandparents next year Take some pictures of yourself just to have fun 😊 If you would like some inspiration, you have come to the right place!  There are actually quite a few fun props you can add to your shoot to give it a St. Patrick’s Day flair.  Here is a list of 10 St. Patrick’s Day photo props to help inspire your next St. Patrick’s Day photoshoot setup: Cauldron Gold Coins Rainbow Lucky Charms Green Streamers Lantern Beer Stein   Four Leaf Clovers Green, orange, and/or gold balloons Green hat If you would like more in-depth discussions on each of these items, please keep reading! Cauldron What is nice about this prop is that it can be used for both Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day.  Take your Halloween cauldron, fill it with gold coins, and suddenly it can be used for this shoot as well!  You can also combine this prop with a rainbow prop for the “gold at the end of a rainbow” look. As another option: Depending on how big the cauldron is you can also put a child or pet in it.  This way they can be the gold. 😊 Gold Coins If you don’t have a cauldron, you can still use gold coins.  Pile them up or scatter them about.  I used the gold coins on a green shag carpet to look like they were strewn about a yard.  They also are good choices where children are involved, because it can give them something to hold. Rainbow The rainbow is both a fun and popular choice for St. Patrick’s Day photo shoots!  You can make the rainbow out of so many things: Streamers, balloons, and cardstock are just a few.  There are also many photo backdrops you can buy that have balloons incorporated into them (if you want to have something a little more permanent). Lucky Charms Want an excuse to buy some Lucky Charms cereal?  Use it as a prop, then enjoy it afterwards!  I have seen it used in a variety of ways.  A lot of times it is with children, especially when doing the milk bath setup.  Or, you can have the box sitting in the background while the cereal is spread around the floor.  Just keep in mind that if your subject is young they may start eating your props before you are done. 😊 Green Streamers Streamers make a fun and inexpensive background choice for almost any holiday.  Just get a white backdrop (or wall) and tape up the streamers along the top.  You can twist them and then tape at the bottom to give it an awesome look. If you want to mix it up, you can include orange and/or gold in your setup.  Lantern I love my lantern prop, it is so versatile!  To spruce it up for St. Patrick’s Day, try wrapping some green ivy around the handle.  Or, use a green garland.  You can even try using a fake candle with a green light to give it a special touch! Beer Stein If your photo shoot doesn’t involve kids, why not add some fanciful beer stein into the shoot.  This works well if you have some special steins you would like to showcase.  There are some vintage steins that are amazing works of art – these would work perfectly! Four Leaf Clovers Good news is you can usually find rather large four-leaf clovers at the dollar store and most craft stores.  Get a whole bunch, or just one.  Usually kids love to have something to play with during shoots, so this would be something they could hold during the shoot. Green, orange, and/or gold balloons Balloons make a fun addition to a photo shoot!  Several ways you can incorporate balloons into your shoot are: Create a balloon arch Fill them with helium and have the subject hold them Scatter them around the floor Line them up along the back of your setup, so they can hide the seam of your backdrop (if you have one) Attach several to a basket to make it look like a hot air balloon. Green hat More specifically, a green leprechaun hat.  These can also be found at many craft stores and the dollar store.  Couple it with green, beaded necklaces or a green feather boa.  You can create quite the outfit if you look around! Recap There are so many options when it comes to photography!  This is why it is such an amazing art form.  Props can help you realize your artistic vision for a scene, especially one that is focused on the season at hand.   Here is a list of 10 St. Patrick’s Day photo props to help inspire your next photo scene setup: Cauldron Gold Coins Rainbow Lucky Charms Green Streamers Lantern Beer Sties Four Leaf Clovers Green, orange, and/or gold balloons Green hat If you enjoyed this article, please consider checking out some of my other articles on photography and props: Fall Themed Photo Props Photo Prop Ideas for Christmas and Winter

Thanksgiving is over, so now is the time to start thinking about Christmas!  More specifically, Christmas photos!  This is a popular season for family portraits.  Families have time off so they can actually get some festive Christmas photos.  But what are some good photo prop ideas for Christmas and winter to use for these shoots?  I ask myself that every year, so my list of prop ideas continues to grow.  I compiled a list of photo prop ideas for Christmas and winter for you to use this year.  Christmas Lights Ornaments Gift Bows Cookies Bells   Candy Canes Snowflakes Stars Nativity Set Candles Lanterns Gifts Christmas Trees Books Blankets Let’s look at each one in more details. Christmas Lights This is an all-time favorite prop to use!  Christmas lights can be used in a variety of ways.  They can be behind your subject to create a beautiful backdrop, or in front to give off a flair.  Sometime the lights can be all around your subject, so get creative! A fun technique to try with Christmas lights is bokeh.  Bokeh is when the lights appear as bright circles instead of distinctive lights.  In order to achieve the bokeh effect, you need to make sure your F-stop is low, so the lights become blurry.  To get the bokeh effect can take some practice, but it is so fun once you get the hang of it! Ornaments Ornaments are a very versatile option for props.  Use them in the background or foreground.  You can have your subject hold them, or have them scattered around on the ground.  Depending on what kind of effect you are going for will determine where you want to place them.  Gift Bows Gift bows can work in a variety of ways, but generally work best when the subject is interacting with them in some way.  This could mean wearing the bow or holding it.   If you are feeling really ambitious, you can create a backdrop with them.  Get a solid backdrop or tablecloth and start sticking bows to it.  This might be something to try if you are already planning on using the bows on gifts and want to have some fun beforehand.  If you have small children, consider having them lay under the Christmas tree and put the bows on their head.  You can caption it “my greatest gifts” or something similar to get a warm and fuzzy feeling. Cookies This is one delicious prop!  A popular setup with cookies is to do a “cookies for santa” shoot.  Just know that those props won’t last long if any of your subjects are hungry. 😊 Bells  Silver Bells – not only a beautiful song but a great photo prop!  Especially if you can get a larger sized bell that will stand out in pictures.  If you have children you are taking pictures of, they will most likely love ringing that bell, and you might get some smiles out of them as well! You can also get small, round, gold bells as well.  These usually work better if they are coupled with another prop.  For example, getting a candy cane and tying the bells around it. Candy Canes Speaking of candy canes, they make a great prop by themselves!  You can have your subject hold small ones, or you can get larger ones designed to go in the yard.  If you are feeling crafty, you can make makeshift candy canes using pool noodles and white electrical tape (tutorial to hopefully come soon).  Snowflakes Snowflakes make for a good prop for overall winter shots as well as Christmas photos.  You can use a variety of materials to make them: Coffee filters, cardstock, cardboard, and more.  Depending on how you want your scene to look, you can have huge snowflakes in the background or make them just a few inches big. If you want to try adding some dimension to your shot, you can try hanging snowflakes off of the ceiling.  This way the flakes are around the subject keeps the scene from looking two dimensional.   You can also have the subject gaze up at the snowflakes to give them a different pose to do. Stars Stars are popular at my house!  My toddler loves the star shape.  So incorporating it into a photo shoot helps with his participation.  You can either buy star ornaments, or buy poster board and start having fun with the scissors.  If you are cutting out your own stars, it does help to have a stencil so that they all look uniform (I am terrible at free-handing stars). Nativity Set A nativity set can add such a special feeling to your photo.  Usually nativity sets are small, so it works better if they are in the foreground of the picture.  You can have the subject looking at it, or even focus in on the nativity and blur the subject.  Candles If your subjects are small children, make sure that the candles are either electric or not lit.  You don’t want them to accidently hurt themselves or knock it over!  However, there are so many electric candles these days that finding one isn’t too hard. Lanterns I listed lanterns as a prop idea for fall, but they also work really well for winter as well.  You can add to your lantern to give it a more Christmas feel: Garland, bells, pine leaves, ribbon, and more.  Depending on how you want your scene to look will help determine the accessories you use. Gifts You can use Christmas gifts in several contexts, but usually surrounding the subject works the best.  You can use the gifts you are actually going to give out (get your money’s worth out of them!) or wrap up empty boxes. If you want your gifts to all have a uniform look, try wrapping tissue boxes.  This will give your presents a symmetrical feel.  Plus, you won’t have to worry about someone peeking at their gift early. Christmas Trees Christmas trees make for a great prop on many levels.  You can have it just as a stand-alone prop, or have your subject interact with it.  You can bring it to the foreground and shoot through the branches to give your photo some dimension to it.  You can also couple the Christmas tree with most of the other props on this list.  There is a world of opportunity when it comes to photography and Christmas trees, so make sure to try different things! Books Books are a popular prop choice all season long.  Depending on the feel of your photo, you have a variety of options.  If your setup is more nostalgic and dated, go for older books with the thick spine.  If you are taking pictures of children, looks for children’s books to have them hold.  If you are wanting to incorporate faith into your image, consider using a Bible in your shot. Blankets Winter means getting cozy, and one way to get cozy is to snuggle under a soft blanket.  Blankets can be used in a variety of ways for pictures.  You can wrap them around your subject, have the subject sit on it, or even hang it up and use it as a backdrop! Look for blankets that convey the season.  Plaid blankets are an especially good choice.  Also blankets that are super fluffy or warm looking.  Avoid anything that has too busy of a print, because that can distract from your subject. Conclusion There are a variety of Christmas photo prop ideas out there, these are just scratching the surface. To recap the list of photo prop ideas for Christmas and winter: Christmas Lights Ornaments Gift Bows Cookies Bells  Candy Canes Snowflakes Stars Nativity Set Candles Lanterns Gifts Christmas Trees Books Blankets If you enjoyed this post, please check out some of my other articles: Halloween-Themed Props for Photos (13 Spooky Ideas) Fall-Themed Photo Props (15 Unique Ideas)

I love using my letterboard.  Letterboards let you add fun sayings to your picture in a cute and easy to read way.  With fall coming around, I wanted to use my letterboard in the most creative way possible.  I complied a list of fall sayings to use on a letterboard. A lot of these work well with certain settings or backgrounds.  I am hoping with 85 different ones to choose from, one will work with the photo setup you have in mind for your project!  Or, while reading through the options, you will be inspired for your next shoot.  For each of these sayings, consider putting the year at the bottom of your letterboard.  That way you will know how old everyone was in the picture.  It is amazing how after so many years, it becomes hard to remember details like that.  Since fall has so many activities, I divided up the sayings into different groups.  And even though there are 50 different fall sayings for a letterboard here, there are so many more out there!  Use your imagination to create your own saying for your own photo shoot.  If you would like some other ideas on what to use in your fall photos, please visit my post for Fall-Themed Photo Props. Bellow are some fall sayings for a letterboard, divided up into sub categories. Letterboard sayings for general Fall Try using one of these fall sayings for a letterboard if you are doing outdoor pictures in a pumpkin patch, a forest, or on a hay bale.  If you are doing indoor shoots, you can par the saying with a fall-themed backdrop. Pumpkin spice everything! Leaves are falling and Autumn is calling Time for scented candles Leaf Peeper I love fall most of all Time for fall décor Stay calm and fall is here Time for mittens and cocoa #crunchyleaves Tis the season for colorful leaves Time for cooler weather The air is crisp and so are the leaves Fall is my favorite time of the year Sweater weather Let’s go for a hay ride Time to break out the flannel Pumpkins, leaves, apples, hay rides… #happyfall Letterboard Sayings for Football Football is a beloved sport by so many.  If you are taking some football pictures, and need a little something to break up the photo, try using one of these sayings. Lets get ready for some football Break out the helmets, it’s football season Tailgate time It is my most favorite season… football Don’t keep calm it is football season Tailgates, helmets, and catches. It is football time #touchdown Letterboard sayings for Children Have some babies or toddlers dressed up in their costumes?  Try one of these letterboard sayings for a cute addition to their photo.  Hint: Also put the year at the bottom of the letterboard so you know how old your child was when the picture was taken.  Cutest pumpkin in the patch Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet Everybody is fall-in for me! I’m just here for the candy Too cute to spook Keep Calm and get candy Little monster You’re boo-tiful Pumpkin spice and everything nice So cute it’s scary So cute even the leaves fall for me ________ my name and football is my game Candy corn is my favorite veggie Nothing scary about me! Letterboard sayings for “Hello” “Hello *insert month or season*” pictures are very trendy.  A lot of times these work well for pictures that don’t necessarily have any people in them.  Try one of these sayings and lay the letterboard on the floor or table.  Surround the letterboard with fall leaves, little pumpkins, or candy corn.  Take a picture from above, and now you have a seasonal Facebook cover you took yourself! Hello Autumn Hello Halloween Hello September Hello October Hello Pumpkin Spice Hello Fall Goodbye September, Hello October Goodbye October, Hello November Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall Hello Turkey Time Goodbye fall, hello winter Hello Thanksgiving Hello ______, please be kind Letterboard sayings for Halloween Lots of people love to decorate for Halloween, and making cute letterboard sayings can be included in the decorations.  This year, try incorporating it into any Halloween pictures you may be taking.  Enter at your own risk Eat more candy #boo The spiderwebs just became decorations Trick or Treat Yo’ Self ___ Days until Halloween Time to pick pumpkins Free broom rides Time for scary movies Turn off the lights and eat candy Happy Halloween Monster mash time Candy, ghosts, cats… #happyhalloween Black cats and baby bats Bats in the belfry Candy corn wishes and black cat kisses When a black cat crosses your path – pet it Broom rides $1 Letterboard sayings for Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a time for family and food.  If you are doing photos of your family members (letterboards usually work better if only one or two people are in the frame) you can have them hold a letterboard with a fun and festive saying.  After using your letterboard for pictures, you can set it near the table to use as a sweet decoration.  Hint: When doing photos also consider adding the year to the bottom of the letterboard.  The years run together, and you may be thankful latter to have an easy way to remember what year that picture was taken. Gobble, Gobble, ready to wobble #thankful ___ Days until Thanksgiving Time for some Turkey Give thanks with a grateful heart Be thankful May your heart be full and thankful Whatever floats your gravy boat Time to stuff the turkey Keep clam and eat turkey Thankful for pie Happy Thanksgiving Be thankful for all that you have Grateful for family Turkey, football, family….. #HappyThanksgiving Count your blessings Wrap Up Even if you have never used a letterboard in your pictures before, consider doing something different and trying it out this year.  It can be fun to come up with your own saying, that way you can make your pictures especially unique to you.  If you are still running short of ideas, hold a contest between family members.  Have everyone create their own letterboard saying.  You can choose a winner, and use it for the photos.  Or, everyone can create their own saying to be used in their own picture.  It may be a way to get your family more excited about taking pictures this year! If you liked this article, please check out some of my other posts: How to take your own Weekly Maternity Photos (5 Simple Steps) What are props in photography (and why do we use them)