Black Velvet Styling Blog

Hi :)  I wanted to write a short blog about social sharing and my use of customer images (user generated content or UGC to marketers) as it is very valuable to my business and much appreciated, but only of course, if you're down with it too.  I want to check that I am approaching it correctly and respectfully. So, as I use hashtags on Instagram to mark entries to the monthly giveaway (yeah I give 3 free photography backgrounds away every month just for sharing an image! Check out this post about it for more details.) and I'm now using product specific hashtags...

Hi :) If you didn't already know, I'm a stylist and content creator too, so I want to share some affordable, everyday food photography backdrops and props with you, ones that you can get on a pretty small budget or may already have at home.   I'm a big advocate of having lots of different options* and I'm not naive enough to believe or propose that you should ONLY EVER USE MY PRINTED BACKDROPS! :D For me, good food styling starts with a beautiful dish of food - everything else is purely framing - and using layers and texture is a big part of that for...

Congratulations to Nicky Ryan who has won Octobers 3forFREE giveaway! Nicky is a food, lifestyle and travel photographer based in Sydney Australia and entered with this stunning still life photo, shot on my Bridge photography backdrop. The Instagram giveaway competition runs every month so make sure you follow me @blackvelvetstyling and share a pic featuring one of my backdrops to be in with a chance to win 3 free backgrounds, posted any where in the world, even Australia :D Simply tag me in the image or comment @blackvelvetstyling and use the hashtag #blackvelvetstylingmmmyy, so for November it will be #blackvelvetstylingnov18.   You can...

Hi! If you read my post about why I don't print my backdrops on vinyl (PVC) you'll know that the ocean and marine life is very close to my heart.  You'll also know that I've been making some changes at home and at work - in this business - to keep our product, processes and packaging as eco-friendly as possible. Freya and my dad, Aurélie and Kai in St Mawes this summer. Recently I have been trialling some new packaging for the rolled A1 background sheets - a totally cardboard alternative to cardboard tubes with plastic end caps. Unfortunately, the...

Buddha bowls for Veganuary? Style by myself and @tomcchef for Royal Doulton. Hey there, just a quick one to say I've been planning my winter content today (a bit last minute I know!) and I thought it might be useful to share the upcoming foodie dates for November to January with you. I tend to look at my online content for social and web marketing in quarterly chunks so have just set my styling and marketing projects for Nov-Jan.    If you were looking for dates to celebrate or tie in with for your food styling, product photography or social media content in the...