Behind the scenes (2026 edition): how I photograph my needle felting with my phone

I’m definitely not an expert. I’m not a photographer, and I take a lot of ugly photos. I’m also… honestly… not photogenic at all (so you won’t catch me posing next to my work very often 😅). But I do really enjoy playing around with photos, because it’s such a nice way to share what I’ve made — and it helps me show the wool, the texture, and all those little details that took forever to needle felt. So today I’m simply sharing how I do it. Nothing fancy. Just my own behind-the-scenes routine with a phone.

I always end up by the window

The moment I think, okay, I want a photo of this, I automatically walk over to daylight. Wool is kind of picky: indoor lights can make colours look yellow, and flash makes everything look harsh and flat — the opposite of that soft, cosy felting texture.

By a window (or outside in open shade) it’s so much easier. The colours look more like they do in real life, and the fibres show up better. If the sun is strong, I’ll move into shade or wait for softer light. Overcast days are secretly the best, because you don’t get those heavy shadows.

Then I keep the background calm

I love a bit of atmosphere, but needle felting already has so much going on visually. If the background is busy, your eye wanders — and the felting disappears into the chaos.

So I usually start simple: a wooden board, a plain wall, a sheet of paper, a piece of fabric. Something that doesn’t compete. If I do want a little “scene”, I try to keep it minimal — one or two props, not a whole setup.

This is also the moment I do a quick “photo check” of my work. The camera sees everything. A tiny fuzz, a stray fibre, a spot that could be a little neater… I often do one last quick poke with the needle before I take the photo. Not because it has to be perfect — but because it’s such an easy improvement.

The biggest change I ever made: stop shooting from above

I used to do the classic quick top-down photo. Easy. But it almost always makes needle felted work look flatter and less lively. Shapes can look odd, proportions feel off, and you lose depth.

Now I try to shoot more at eye level, like you’re actually standing in front of the piece. My very glamorous trick: I raise my work a bit (a small box, a stack of books, whatever is nearby) so the lens can be level with it.

And honestly, the best part is that I can often rest my phone on the table. 

 

My phone is “smart”, but I still tell it what to do

I don’t let my phone guess the focus. I tap the screen on the most important part — usually the face, or the detail I’m most proud of — so the focus lands where I want it.

Then I almost always lower the exposure slightly. Just a tiny bit. Wool can lose detail quickly if the photo is too bright, especially with light colours. A small dip in brightness often brings back the texture.

One little tip I use all the time: I turn my phone around so the lens sits closer to the piece. Because the camera is often in a corner, this makes it easier to shoot low and frame properly — especially when the phone is resting on the table.

And yes… I wipe the lens first. It feels silly, but it makes a real difference. Fingerprints + wool texture = instant blur.

I frame for the felting, not for the room

When I look at a photo, I want to see the felting. The texture. The fibres. The tiny details. Not a huge amount of background.

So I try to fill the frame with the work. Sometimes I shoot a little wider and crop afterwards — that way I can decide later how tight I want it without fussing too much while shooting. Cropping is my best friend.

If I want to show size, I add my hand

Scale is tricky in photos. Something can look tiny when it’s not — or look huge when it’s actually small. If I want people to understand the size instantly, I’ll add my hand next to it or hold it for one photo. It’s practical, and it also makes the photo feel more personal and “behind the scenes”.

 

And yes: I take loads of photos (most of them don’t make the cut)

I’ve stopped expecting the first photo to be the one. I take a bunch, change one thing at a time, and then choose the best.

I’ll rotate the piece slightly towards the light, lower the phone a little, move a bit closer, try one more angle. Sometimes the “best side” only becomes obvious once you see it on screen.